The National Forests of New Mexico. 21 



THE CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST. 



(New Mexico divisions in Hidalgo County.) 



The Coronado National Forest lies largely in the State of Arizona 

 and its administrative headquarters is at Tucson. Two divisions, 

 however, those in the Animas and Philoncillo Mountains, which 

 comprise an area of 129,152 acres, are in the extreme southwest cor- 

 ner of Xew Mexico. These areas contain a stand of 190,000 cords of 

 pinon, juniper, and oak cordwood, but there is practically no saw 

 timber, the few straggling pines not being sufficient in number to 

 make logging operations feasible. The divisions are exceptionally 

 rough and mountainous, and, in addition to the value of their 

 timber to the large surrounding treeless areas, the protection of 

 their watersheds is a vital factor in the maintenance of the under- 

 ground water on which the great agricultural valleys of Playas, 

 Animas, and San Simon are becoming increasingly dependent. 



A good deal of cordwood is cut from these two divisions for con- 

 sumption in the valleys surrounding them. Most of the dead-and- 

 down cordwood has already been taken and future cuttings will 

 have to be confined entirely to green material. These divisions are 

 used also for the grazing of 4,430 head of cattle and horses, most of 

 which belong to settlers in the adjoining open valleys, the number of 

 permittees being 19. 



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