GOVERNMENT FOREST WORK IN UTAH 3 



of the national forests. To this sum should be added $51,287.05 

 (25 per cent of the national forest receipts), making a total of $689,- 

 467.90 expended in Utah by the Forest Service in that year. 



HISTORY 



When the Mormon pioneers settled Utah, they found in the 

 mountains that bordered the valleys a generous supply of wood 

 for fuel; logs for houses, barns, and other buildings; poles and posts 

 for fences; in fact, timber for all purposes. At first, with the aid of 

 whipsaws, lumber was manufactured for doors and windows only. 

 Later portable mills operated by steam or water power were brought 

 into the Territory, and for many years following the advent of these 

 mills, the manufacture of lumber for home building was one of the 



F44312A 



Figure 1. — High-grade Hereford cattle on the forest range 



principal industries. It continued as such until the railroads brought 

 in the cheaper lumber from outside points. 



During the early years in the settlement of Utah the watersheds 

 of all the streams were generously covered with timber, shrubs, and 

 other vegetation. As a result, there was regulated run-off, not only 

 during the heavy discharge from melting snows in the spring, but 

 during heavy summer showers. Streams supported trout in abun- 

 dance and stream-flow conditions generally were satisfactory. 



The construction of roads and trails up the canyon bottoms to 

 the timber broke the vegetative carpet and provided waterways which 

 facilitated erosion. The most accessible stands of timber were de- 

 pleted by fire and heavy cutting. The unregulated and excessive 

 grazing of cattle and sheep, especially on the watersheds, was, how- 

 ever, responsible for the greatest damage to the near-by communities. 

 The mountain ranges were readily reached by countless herds of sheep 

 which swarmed over the watersheds year after year until the forage 

 cover was denuded. During the period of spring run-off from melt- 

 ing snows, many farmers who were dependent upon water for irriga- 



