18 Department Circular 318, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 



of pinon and juniper cordwood. It supports one large sawmill, 

 one small mill, and a number of cordwood operations which together 

 cut from the forest during 1923 a total of 14,366,000 board feet of 

 timber and other forest products. 



A detailed plan of timber management has been made for the 

 Tusayan National Forest. Under it the extensive cut-over areas 

 within this forest, many of them logged off before the forest was 

 created, are being so handled and protected that new stands of 

 timber will grow. Even though much of the forest is to-day with- 

 out merchantable timber stands, it will in the future become a large 

 factor in the lumber industry of Arizona. The carrying out of the 

 plan will also help to stabilize lumber operations in this region. 

 The plan also provides for the systematic handling of the large 

 cordwood operations which are being conducted on -a sustained- 

 yield basis. 



Within the forest there is excellent summer and winter range, 

 which, because of its accessibility, has been fully stocked for many 

 years. It now supports 18,000 cattle and 59,000 sheep. Approxi- 

 mately 50 per cent of the cattle graze on the forest yearlong, but 

 practically all the sheep go to lower desert ranges during the winter. 

 In addition, a large number of work and milk animals is grazed 

 free upon the forest by settlers. 



Very little settlement on the agricultural lands within the 

 Tusayan Forest occurred before its establishment as a national 

 forest. The greater part has since been taken up under the home- 

 stead law. About 359 tracts have been alienated under this act. 

 All of the agricultural hnid has now been listed and opened to entrs', 

 and there are no more homesteads left. Several good-sized farm- 

 ing communities, which aid materially in the protection of the 

 forest against fire, have become established. Notable are those near 

 Red Lake, in Pitman Valley, and in Spring Valley, as well as the 

 Garland Prairie and Government Prairie communities. 



The greater part of this forest is comparatively flat. The roads, 

 however, especially into the more remote portions of the forest are 

 generally poor. This condition is being remedied as fast as funds 

 permit and in accordance with a comprehensive road-building 

 program. In order to protect the valuable timber stand of the 

 Tusayan National Forest from fire, these roads are badly needed. 

 At the same time roads will provide the public with means of 

 access to the heavily timbered regions. 



The Forest Service maintains a complete telephone system of 95 

 miles, which makes it possible to report forest fires soon after they 

 are discovered. Lightning causes most of the fires, but careless 

 persons are still responsible for nearly one-third of them. 



There are pretty spots for summer homes in many parts of the 

 Tusayan Forest, but because of the scarcity of water and the absence 

 of running streams, it does not present to the seeker of recreation 

 as many attractions as do some of the other forests of the South- 

 west. One finds here, however, a wonderful summer climate and 

 many restful places among the stately pines. 



