10 MISC. PUBLICATION 24 7, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



4,500,000 acres of improved farm land and 22,000,000 acres of pri- 

 vately owned grazing land. These national-forest ranges in the 

 West have been under administration for more than 30 years. On 

 them, drift fences, corrals, and bridges have been built; water supplies 

 developed; roads, trails, and stock driveways constructed; and 

 poisonous plants, eradicated. Always the effort has been to allow 

 only the number of stock that the amount and condition of the avail- 

 able forage justified. As a consequence, and relatively speaking, 

 western national-forest ranges came through the drought years, even, 

 in good shape. 



This is indicated by the fact that the Drought Relief Committee 

 found it necessary to purchase but few of the livestock which grazed 

 upon those ranges. But subnormal moisture had its effect upon them, 

 nevertheless. And the term-permit system initiated in 1925 as a 

 means of helping to stabilize the livestock industry, was a contributing 

 factor. For under these first 10-year grazing permits, numbers of 

 stock could not, in some cases, be reduced sufficiently — or quickly 

 enough — successfully to meet changes in range conditions induced 

 by the widespread, subnormal precipitation that culminated in 1934. 

 As a result some national-forest ranges, built up prior to 1925 through 

 use under the more flexible annual permits, needed rebuilding. 



To accomplish this meant, temporarily, fewer stock; a partial rest 

 for the ranges. Term grazing permits — all of which expired with 

 the 1934 season — were not, therefore, renewed in 1935; instead, 

 grazing permits were issued on an annual basis. This made possible 

 many important protective reductions, by means of which the num- 

 bers of stock were readjusted to the carrying capacities of certain 

 ranges. And by means of cuts applied to permits covering stock 

 greater in numbers than the protective limits, range was provided for 

 more small owners who, though really dependent on national-forest 

 forage, were unable to obtain it while the previous 10-year permits 

 were in effect. Ten -year grazing permits were authorized again in 

 1936. They are, however, subject to adjustments for further dis- 

 tribution of grazing privileges and for range protection. 



A distribution survey begun in 1935 was completed in 1938. Stock- 

 men and other interested groups have participated in the discussions 

 of the findings and conclusions and have made helpful suggestions. 

 The policy evolved emphasizes range management that will contribute 

 most to the restoration and perpetuation of forage values on national- 

 forest ranges and related lands. Stability is provided for. The size 

 of future permits wall be governed by certain limitations, to be de- 

 termined locally. Term contracts now in effect will run to the close 

 of the period, and the new policy will not be harmful to present holders 

 of such contracts. 



ACQUISITION OF FOREST LANDS BY PUBLIC AGENCIES 



Important as is the relation between our forest and our agricultural 

 patterns, the impact of forestry on the country's social and economic 

 structure is much wider than upon agriculture alone. The everyday 

 work of the Forest Service has a real and definite meaning which 

 extends beyond the farmer. Acquisition by public agencies of part 

 of the forest lands now in private ownership is an illustration of this. 



