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<br />12
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<br />I
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<br />The current plan initially provided for the clearcut silviculture system in all timber types.
<br />Clearcut blocks ran up to several hundred acres in size. Natural regeneration on most of the
<br />clearcut blocks was poor. The new forest was established primarily by planting nursery grown
<br />trees. The plan was amended in the late 1960's and clearcutting was generally abandoned in
<br />favor of the shelterwood system. This is essentially the same practice as provided for in
<br />the proposed plan.
<br />
<br />Of the 700 million board feet of sawtimber harvested in the past 11 years, about 43 percent
<br />was reached over roads constructed with funds appropriated by Congress. They are in addition
<br />to roads constructed through the sale of timber. If appropriated funds are made available
<br />over the next ten years at the rates they have been over the past eleven, production of timber
<br />volumes under the proposed plan could be similar to the current plan.
<br />
<br />F. Environmental Setting
<br />
<br />1. Location and General DescriPtion
<br />
<br />The San Juan National Forest is located in southwestern Colorado in what is referred to
<br />as the "Four Corners Area" or the spot where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona join.
<br />Parts of Archuleta, Conejos, Dolores, Hinsdale, La Plata, Mineral, Montezuma, San Juan,
<br />and San Miguel Counties comprise the National Forest. Its boundary encompasses a gross
<br />area of about. two million acres of which 237 thousand are in state, county, municipal,
<br />private, and other Federal ownership. The Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute Indian Reser-
<br />vations and Mesa Verde National Park lie just south of the National Forest.
<br />
<br />Elevations range from 6,500 feet to over 14,000 feet in. the San Juan Mountain Range along
<br />the Continental Divide.
<br />
<br />Six Ranger Districts make up the San Juan National Forest. Two are headquartered in Pagosa
<br />Springs and one each in Bayfield, Durango, Mancos, and Dolores. The harvest contracts for
<br />National Forest timber are administered by the District Ranger and his staff.
<br />
<br />2. Climate
<br />
<br />The San Juan area normally has low relative humidities, abundant sunshine. cool summers
<br />with frequent showers, heavy winter snow and wide daily temperatu~e fluctuations. Average
<br />annual precipitation varies from 15 to 60 inches with about 65 percent occurring as snow.
<br />Precipitation increases and temperature decreases rather uniformly with increases in eleva-
<br />tion. Prevailing winds are from the southwest bringing most of the large storms into the
<br />area from off the southern California coast. .
<br />
<br />3. Socioeconomic
<br />
<br />Durango is the largest town in the Four Corners area of Colorado; a center of commerce,
<br />medical facilities, Fort Lewis COllege, summer and winter recreation activities and services,
<br />government, farming, ranching, and sawmil1ing. The sporadic operations of the large sawmill
<br />in the area appears to have little effect on the general economy of the town. However,
<br />it is the Spanish-American community, already economically depressed, that has been most
<br />affected by the fluctuation in this industry. The communities of pagosa Springs, Oolores,
<br />and Cortez are more dependent upon the forest products industries, and fluctuations in
<br />seasonal employment or mill shutdowns have a significant effect on the overall community
<br />economies.
<br />
<br />The 1970 Census of population centers in the San Juan area include Bayfield (320), Cortez
<br />(6030), Dolores (820), Durango (10,330), Mancos (710), Pagosa Springs (1360), and Silverton
<br />(800). Oenver, Colorado, lies about 350 highway miles to the northeast and Albuquerque,
<br />New Mexico, about 200 miles south.
<br />
<br />There are about 18 wood-processing industries in the area, all of which are at least partially
<br />dependent on San Juan National Forest timber. The wood-processing plants in the area
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