Recreation areas are usually more valuable and enjoyable when well 

 vegetated. In developing recreation areas and through use of then, 

 many areas of bare soil are exposed. In many cases, the native plants 

 are less able to stand trampling and abuse than are some of the 

 introduced species, such as Kentucky bluegrass and Fairway crested 

 wheatgrass. Uuch could be done to improve the appearance and wearing 

 qualities of many recreation areas by judicious seeding of freshly 

 disturbed or cleared areas. 



In development of winter recreation areas such as ski slopes, it is 

 often necessary to clear trees and brush. Though little use has been 

 made of the practice, there is every reason to believe that the return 

 of trees and brush on such areas could be greatly retarded by promptly 

 seeding the proper species of grass on the cleared and disturbed areas. 

 Since these areas are usually at the higher elevations, with plenty of 

 moisture good results should be possible by broadcasting a mixture of 

 such species as Kentucky bluegrass, timothy, and smooth brome at a rather 

 heavy rate, say, 15 to 20 pounds per acre at any time of the year that 

 the bare soil is exposed. 



Other bare and disturbed areas such as new road banks, borrow pits, 

 earth fills on stock water dams, etc., offer countless opportunities to 

 demonstrate good stewardship by seeding them to desirable forage plants. 

 If such areas are not promptly seeded to something useful, they are 

 usually taken over by useless or even noxious weeds, or may be damaged 

 by erosion. Such seeding should be done as soon as practicable before 

 the soil becomes crusted or weed-covered. Crested wheatgrass and yellow 

 sweet clover will frequently make surprisingly good growth on raw sub- 

 soils in borrow pits, etc. With fair to good soil and moisture, smooth 

 brome, timothy, orchardgrass , Kentucky bluegrass. etc., are good species 

 to use. 



IV. LImILwEIIZITT 07 EES5HDED RANGES. 



The same general principles of good range management, i.e. conservative 

 grazing, good distribution, proper season of use, etc., that are 

 recommended for native ranges should be applied on reseeded ranges. 

 There are also seme special problems: 



1. Protection from grazing throughout the first growing season and 

 until midsummer the second year, or until the first seed crop is pro- 

 duced is very desirable. This practice will promote good vigor and prompt 

 establishment of the reseeded stands. .Although good stands have been 

 obtained in spite of grazing the first year, there is little question but 

 that development is retarded and early yields are reduced by this 

 practice. Cost of protection may well be weighed against the damage 

 likely to be caused by continued grazing. Young plants on steep slopes 

 or loose soils are especially likely to be damaged by grazing too soon. 



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