6 BULLETIN 149 9, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
southern portion of these States ; and Nevada east of the east slope 
of the Sierras. 
The timbered acreage within this region is roughly estimated at 
slightly over 23,000,000 acres. Approximately 87 per cent of this 
acreage, outside of the national parks, is included in national forests; 
about 5 per cent is in the public domain or within Indian reserva- 
tions; approximately 1 per cent is in State ownership; and about 7 
per cent is privatejy owned. 
The tracts in private and State ownership are, for the most part, 
intermingled with national-forest lands or located immediately out- 
side the boundaries. Many of the timbered areas held by the States 
are scattered school sections; also in certain localities, particularly 
in Montana, title to odd sections was obtained by railroads through 
land grants. 
Efforts are, however, being made to consolidate these holdings or to 
arrange for them to pass to private owners. The State of Colorado 
has planned an exchange of its forest lands with the Forest Service 
which would result in a State forest in one solid block. The State 
of Wyoming is exchanging forest lands within the boundaries of the 
national forests for grazing lands outside as fast as opportunity per- 
mits, with the purpose of selling the range land to stockmen. Idaho 
and Montana are following a policy calling for the permanent reten- 
tion of State forest lands. Utah and Nevada are disposing of their 
timberlancls as rapidly as possible. 
The large percentage of timbered lands in public ownership is an 
outstanding feature of the region. This fact, together with the rela- 
tively low quality of the timber and the promise of only limited 
financial returns, indicates that for the present, at least, the Federal 
Government is the logical agency to lead the way in the practice of 
forestry in the region. Thus timber growing under private owner- 
ship may for some time to come be largely incidental to Jand owner- 
ship for other purposes. 
The forests of the region are confined to the higher foothills and 
to the mountain ranges, variations in altitude, precipitation, and 
exposure causing differences in species and forest types within rela- 
tively short distances. On the lower slopes of the mountains timber 
stands become more open and gradual^ disappear, in some places 
ceasing abruptly at 6,000 to 7,000 feet in elevation, in others extend- 
ing out from the foot of the mountains through the rolling foothill 
country in the familiar woodland type of stunted, round-topped 
trees, much resembling orchard trees. 
In general, natural reproduction of all the chief tree species is 
favored by the climatic conditions throughout the region, and in 
man} 7 localities by the coarse, open character of the soil. As a result, 
crowded stands of young growth or small-sized older trees are preva- 
lent. As compared with that in other regions, the timber is small 
and of slow growth — facts which influence forestry practice to a great 
degree. 
On a conservative estimate, 1.230,000 acres of the forest land is 
classed as denuded, either supporting no tree growth of present or 
prospective commercial importance or so barren of trees of cone- 
bearing size as to preclude natural reforestation for at least 30, and 
more likely 50 or even 100 years. The cause of this condition, with 
