78 MISC. PUBLICATIOX 11, 17. S. DEPT. OF AGEICULTUEE 



Aside from the value of the watershed for irrigation purposes the flow of 

 water in the Rio Pueblo is absolutely essential for driving forest products from 

 the logging chance to the shipping point. In a normal year the deep snows at 

 the high elevations begin to melt in April, and by the 1st of May the Rio 

 Pueblo is in the high-water stage. It is at this time that the drive commences. 

 Occasionally a winter deficient in snowfall results in a tie-up of the season's 

 cut, due to lack of water on which to float the ties. Such a period of drought 

 occurred in the winters of 1920-21 and 1921-22, A three-year cut of ties was 

 driven to Domingo after the heavy snows of the winter of 1922-23. 



n. MANAGEMENT PLAN 



1. OBJECTS OF iIA:N'AGEMEXT 



(a) Products. — The forest wUl be managed to produce hewn ties. Sawn ties 

 will also be manufactured because of the presence in the virgin stand of trees 

 above hewing size. During the second cutting cycle sawn ties will also be pro- 

 dticed but to a less extent. To meet this object of management it will be neces- 

 sary to produce a tree 14 inches d. b. h. 



Mine timbers from tops and thinnings to as great an extent as the market 

 can consume will be produced as by-products. 



(6) The plan is based on a sustained yield. 



(c) Ties will be produced for the gener::l market. Local markets will be 

 supplied from side lumber produced as a by-product in the manufacture of 

 sawn ties. 



(d) It will be an object of management to furnish as steady employment 

 as possible to the local population, whose small ranches and stock holdings 

 are not sufiicient to sustain families. 



(e) The watershed will be protected through conservative methods of cutting 

 and through protection from fire and grazing. 



if) Consolidation under Government ownership of the entire working circle 

 will be sought through acquisition by land exchange of the Santa Barbara 

 grant and the disputed strip. 



2. SILVICTJETTJEE 



(a) Policy. — Since ties are the product to be grown, trees having a d. b. h. 

 of 14 inches are ready for market. Therefore, all timber reaching that size, 

 except a sufficient reservation for seed, can be cut. The composition of the 

 stand is such that by removing all timber 14 inches d. b. h. and above there will 

 remain a sufficient number of trees from the seedling to large pole stage to 

 restock the area sufficiently. 



Douglas-fir seed trees are to be reserved in the fir type in preference to white fir. 



Engelmann-spruce seed trees vrill have the preference in the spruce type. 



At least one large thrifty seed tree will be reserved per acre. 



Since the stand left after the first cutting in the virgin forest is so dense 

 that thinning would undoubtedly be of great advantage in accelerating growth 

 and in view of the future market for mine timbers or pulpwood which would 

 make such practice possible, some knowledge as to the effect of thinning in 

 accelerating growth is needed in order to guide the officer working for a thin- 

 ning. In order to be prepared with a definite marking policy for thinning in the 

 Douglas fir and spruce types, sample plots should be established in those types 

 as soon as possible. 



(6) MarTcing. — Since a successful method of marking is now being followed 

 in all types within this area no change from the present system is recommended. 

 For all details reference is made to "Administrative instructions. S-Exchange, 

 Carson. Santa Barbara Tie & Pole Co., June 30. 1922." (See Appendix.) 



3. REGULATION 



(a) Policy. — The forest is to be managed on a sustained annual-yield basis 

 for the purpose of furnishing a continuous cut. A limitation of cut will be 

 applied by decades, i. e.,«the annual cut may vary somewhat, but the calculated 

 cut for the decade must not be exceeded, though it should be closely approached. 



The sequence of cut will be so arranged that complete logging units will be 

 cut out before operations are allowed to move to other units. 



(6) Rotation and cutting cycle. — A technical rotation of 140 years has been 

 determined as necessary to produce an average tree of 14 inches d. b. h. on all 

 situations and within all types. 



