16 MISC. PUBLICATION 162, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



by protecting the sources of water utilized for irrigation, for city 

 water supplies, and for other purposes, are performing a function of 

 even higher value to the Nation than the production of wood (fig. 10). 

 Wisely managed, they can continue to perform both functions — pro- 

 tection of watersheds and production of timber. 



The species most utilized are the valuable western white pine of 

 the northern Rockies and the ponderosa pine which is scattered 

 throughout the whole Rocky Mountain region. 



Rocky Mountain forests are made up mostly of coniferous species. 

 Among these, in addition to the two just mentioned, are Douglas-fir; 

 western larch; western reclcedar; western and mountain hemlock; 

 loclgepole, limber, whitebark, bristlecone, and pihon pines; alpine, 



Figure 10. — A forest-covered watershed in the Rocky Mountains. The forests 

 of this region play an important part in watershed protection. 



white, and lowland white firs; Engelmann, blue, and white spruces; 

 junipers; cedars; and cypresses. Aspens, cottonwoods, oaks, walnut, 

 sycamore, alder, and boxelder are some of the few hardwoods of this 

 region. 



Pacific Coast Forest Region 



The Pacific coast forest region extends from the Canadian border 

 through the western half of Washington and Oregon and into Cali- 

 fornia. In the southern portion of California the timbered lands are 

 on the higher elevations, surrounded by areas of low brush-type forest 

 or chaparral. 



What are perhaps the heaviest stands of timber in the world are to 

 be found in the Pacific Coast States. They contain the last great 

 commercial bodies of softwood virgin timber remaining in the United 



