UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Jb BULLETIN No. 675 
Contribution from the Forest Service 
HENRY S. GRAVES, Forester 
AfU^^JT^ 
Washington, D. C. 
June 25, 1918 
RANGE PRESERVATION AND ITS RELATION TO 
EROSION CONTROL ON WESTERN 
GRAZING LANDS. 
By Arthur W. Sampson, Plant Ecologist, and Leon H. Weyl, Grazing 
Examiner. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Purpose of the study 1 
Damage caused by erosion 2 
Factors determining the amount of erratic 
run-off and erosion 6 
Relation of erosion and soil depletion to vege- 
tative growth 18 
Relation of erosion and soil depletion to 
revegetation 22 
Influence of grazing on erosion and stream 
flow 24 
Page. 
Preventive and remedial measures 27 
Maintenance or restoration of the vege- 
tative cover 27 
Remedial measures where thorough re- 
vegetation by ordinary means is im- 
possible 31 
Summary of preventive and remedial 
measures 34 
Conclusions 34 
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY. 
The aim of this bulletin is to show the relation between range 
presentation and erosion and its control on grazing lands in the 
West. It is true, perhaps, that topography, climate, and soil are the 
primary factors in determining erosion ; but, on the lands under dis- 
cussion, the combination of these factors with the vegetative cover 
is such that erosion is slight where the natural conditions have not 
been disturbed and may be made serious by any influence which 
upsets the balance established by 'nature. Grazing may become such 
a disturbing influence by changing or destroying the vegetative 
cover. Numerous instances are on record where serious erosion was 
unknown until the ground cover was largely destroyed. On the other 
hand, in localities where the destroyed vegetation has been reestab- 
lished, a few typical cases of which are pointed out in the body of the 
report, serious erosion has been stopped. 
4G3G0 — 18— Bull. 675 1 
