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Figure 15. — Scenery is an ever more valuable asset of the northern Idaho forests. Recreationists are a free-flowing source of income, and from gas-station 

 attendant to hunting guide, members of the local communities share the earnings of scenic lakes and forests, .approximately one third of the 10 million acres 

 of forest land in northern Idaho is chiefly valuable for watershed protection and recreation. 



water reaching the Grand Coulee dam site and an eighth ation ot the residents of nearby communities, many of 



of the flow passmg over the Bonneville Dam origmate m whom were too busv to absorb the fullest enjoyment from 



northern Idaho. their surroundings. .As automobiles became more com- 



The forests ot northern Idaho fit mto this picture as mon, the forest users increased in number somewhat, but 



part of the extensive stand protecting the mountain inadequate highway development in Montana and Idaho 



headwaters of this drainage basin. In this country ot discouraged any general influx ot tourists from other parts ' 



steep slopes, this protection is most important in reducing of the country tor some years. 



the number and severity ot floods, in more evenly dis- The late 1920's marked an advance in improved main 



tributing run-oflp over the year, and in reducing soil wastage. highways and in the extension of logging and forest-pro- 



Although subordinate to watershed protection and log- tection roads into heretofore undeveloped areas of Montana 



ging, recreation is likewise of major importance (fig. 15). and Idaho. These improvements resulted in an astonish- 



One and one-half million acres of forest land in the na- ing increase in the number of vacationists. Recreationists 



tional forests and a smaller area of State park lands have are a free-flowing source of income, and local residents, 



been set aside for recreational use and classified as non- from gas-station attendant to hunting guide, have shared 



commercial, including 236,000 acres having an actual the earnings from scenic lakes and forests. A few towns 



commercial value. Many other areas not formally re- have gained a new lease on life. Although no figures are 



served also have a high value for recreation, and nearly all available on the present recreation industry in northern 



of the 3.4 million noncommercial acres has some recreation Idaho, what it has meant to the State is indicated by the 



value. following Forest Service estimate of visitors to the national 



While the communities and industries of northern forests who hunted, fished, or used recreational facilities: 



Idaho were becoming established, only small use was made visitors 



r , . , .. rr , , L , r 1925 36,000 



ot the recreational opportunities afforded by the forests. jqiq 40 000 



Inadequate transportation facilities limited forest recre- 1938 168,000 



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