is often closely tied to the harvest or primary use and processing of such natural resources 

 as crops, minerals, and timber. 



For example, between 1950 and 1960 the population of the Salt Lake City metropoli- 

 tan area increased nearly 40 percent compared with only a 22-percent increase in the three 

 counties adjacent to the North Slope (Sweetwater and Uinta Counties, Wyoming, and 

 Daggett County, Utah). During this same period, median income in this three-county area 

 rose only two-thirds as much as in nearby Salt Lake City. 



In some areas where economic growth is slow the resource base is already being utilized 

 as fully as present technology permits. The opportunity to expand economic growth in 

 these areas rests largely on new technology that will expand the resource bases or upon 

 developing economic activities that do not depend on primary use of resources. 



In other areas, however, some of the existing resources are not being fully utilized and 

 may provide an opportunity for expanding economic growth and preventing the develop- 

 ment of depressed communities. The forest resource of the North Slope is an example. 



The timber in this locality could contribute significantly to the local economy. Only 

 a few small sawmills are now cutting North Slope timber. The saw logs and poles cut by 

 these mills amount to about one-fourth of the annual cut that the present stands could sup- 

 port (fig. 14). There is enough wood in trees 5 inches d.b.h. and larger of the North Slope 

 to support a 200-ton sulphate pulpmill for 65 years."* 



Relation of timber growing to the total land management operation 



However much it may be desirable to discount timber values as such in the North Slope 

 — water, recreation, and wildlife values on this area are extremely important. 



The North Slope is one of the more productive watersheds in the State of Utah, which 

 in the main is a moisture-deficient area (fig. 15). 



THE UTILIZATION 

 OPPORTUNITY ON THE 

 NORTH SLOPE 



Less than one-fourth of 

 the sustainable level of 

 cut is currently being 

 harvested. 



9> 



(0 



o 



c 

 o 



12. 

 10 



8. 



6. 

 4. 



^ 2. 



Sustainable level of cut 



Current level of cut 





1960 





L95 



9i 



1 



Figure 14 



* Hutchison, S. Blair, and John H. Wikstrom . Industrial opportunities in the headwaters timber 

 development imit. U. S. Forest Serv., Intermountain Forest & Range Exp. Sta. Res. Paper 45, 70 pp., 

 illus. 1957. 



18 



