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002951 I Much of the National Forest remains to be inventoried for significant historic and archeo- logical values. Until an inventory can be completed for the entire Forest, timber management and other resource activities will be surveyed and evaluated on an individual project basis. Existing and potential archeological values will be inventoried by a qualified archeologist. Historical values will also be determined. Both archeological values will be protected in accordance with Federal and Colorado laws and Federal regulations and Executive Orders. 12. Wilderness and Road1ess Areas The Weminuche Wilderness Area was established by Congress in January, 1975. (See Map Pocket.) A study of the Wilson Mountains Primitive Area resulted in a wilderness proposal for two separate areas on the Forest. The proposal has been presented to Congress. Until Congress acts on the proposal, the area will be deferred f~om any management activities inconsistent with the Wilderness Act. Three contiguous New Study Areas encompassing 66,000 acres are currently under study for possible inclusion in the Wilderness System. They are located in the.Southern San Juan Mountains south and east of Pagosa Springs. Timber management activities will be deferred from these areas pending completion of the study and filing of an Environmental Statement. Roadless areas on the San Juan National Forest, not selected as New Study Areas will receive further consideration for inclusion in the Wilderness System through development of indi- vidual Land Use Plans. Timber management and other development activities will not be initiated in these areas until individual studies are completed to determine the management alternatives. (See Map Pocket.) 13.~ Timber harvesting in the area began prior to 1875 near Silverton. The logs were used for charcoal, mine timbers, and local building material. Until 1915, about 85 percent was used . locally; whereas today, less than five percent is used 10cal1y. In the early 1900's, railroad "spurs" were built throughout the area primarily to transport logs from the forest to the sawmills. More than half of the ponderosa pine stands on the San Juan National Forest were heavily cutover and transported to. markets on the railroad. Railroad logging extended up into the.Engelmann spruce/alpine fir forests before it was abandoned in the 1940's in favor of truck transport. Records on timber cut and sold on the San Juan National Forest began in 1915 (Appendix K). The timber sales program has increased from around eight million board feet per year in the 1915-1920 period to .about 60 mil lion board feet per year in the 1970-1974 period, The earlier harvest was largely in the POnderosa pine timber because of the greater demand for that particular wood and because it was readily accessible. In recent years, most logging has been scheduled in high elevation Engelmann spruce/alpine fir timber in the summer-fall Season and the ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir timber in the winter-spring seaSOn. As a result of the earlier cuttIng practices, most of the ponderosa pine type has been cutover and very few overmatur..E! sawtimber stands remain. Harvest in the pine will pri- marily be a commercial thinning. Harvest in spruce will be directed toward regenerating the old overmature sawtimber stands. . The San Juan National Forest has a high potential for growing timber, particularly in the vaney bottoms in the spruce-fir timber type. Studies indicate. tree growth potentials on . the better sites to be in excess of 75. cubic feet per acre per year. . Heavy cutting in ponderosa pine stands around the turn of the century followed by wildfires left much of the type in an understocked condition. The deteriorated sites have since been taken over by Gambel oak which competes with the returning pine seedlings for soil moisture and nutrients. Reestablishment of pine, even through planting, can only be accomplished by first eliminating the oak from the site. The process is difficult and costly, but these sites are for the most part very prOductive, and will support good ponderosa pine tree growth. Because of high costs, most sites will remain unchanged until feasible methods can be developed to reestablish the ponderosa pine on those sites not needed for other uses. In the meantime, the oak provides a good ground cover and is a source of food supply for deer and elk. There are about 103,000 acres of understocked ponderosa pine sites on the National Forest. 1&1 Overmature: Any tree or 9rouP of trees older than the planned rotation age for that species. 17