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Early 1n tne century, the.major1ty of t1mber harvest on the San Juan Nat10nal Forest was 1n the lower elevation ponderosa p1ne. Because of the easier access and longer operat1ng season at the lower',elevat10ns. the ponderosa p1ne has been harv~~ted at a more rapid rate than the spruce-fir timber. The result is that most of the old growthlV ponderosa pine trees have been harvested. On the other hand, much of the old growth spruce-f1r stands have never received silvicultura1 treat- ment., In recent years. the pract1ce has. been to harvest 1n the ponderosa pine only in the winter- spr1ng season and shift to the higher elevation spruce-f1r standsY in the sUl1l11er-fall season. P1ann~d s11v1cultural treatments 1n the next decade must be sh1fted toward more act1vity in the ' spruc~-fir stands and less in the ponderosa p1ne. The spruce-f1r stands are situated in the rugged mount~inous country where road construction is expensive. Runoff from heavy snowpacks and sUl1l11er , c10ud9ursts add to the costs of road construction. " I .' ". Roads: 1n the spruce-f1r timber stands IllJst be well constructed. well drained and 1n most cases.',. surfaced w1th gravel to protect s011s and to perm1ta longer season of use. If harvest is to cont1nue at the present level. 1nvestments' must be made over the next ten years 1n a road network 'into the spruce-fir t1mber stands. Under ,the sllv1culturalsY$tem proposed. the :road system wlll' be reused several times over the next four to' five decades to bring these stands under management. Some major changes in emphas1s over the next ten years 1n the t1mber management program w111 be to: ! " 1. jShift the forest products industry's dependence on ponderosa pine to a balance w1th Douglas-fir. Engelmann spruce., and the true firs. 2.!oeveloP a road system so that lands now cl~~s1fied as Marginal Component2f (because-of- access) can be re,class1f1ed' into the Standardlt and,Specia1!lt components. ," , 3. ,Develop a road system through construct10n and reconstruciion that will 'provide a longer season of uSe 1n the highe.... elevation spruce-fir t1mber type'.!!! 4. : Increase the uti11zation of dead material. , 5.!Deve10p a market for green material wh1ch 1s too small to meet sawtimberlQ! size' st~ndards. This market 1s needed, to bring young stands. particularly 1n the po~derosapine tYpe, under management. ' ' I 6.iDetermine management Objectives for the aspen type. ,,,,. 4/ Ol~ Growth: Term applied to age of standing trees generally 250 years or olde,r in the Rocky Mount~in spruce~f1r t1mber ,type.' The trees are alive' bui are putt1ngon very little growth. ' Y Stand: A cOl1l11unity of trees possess1ng sufficient uniformity in composit10n. const1tution. age arrangement or cond1t10n to be dist1nguishable from adjacent cOl1l11unities.' , ~ Marg1na1 Component: That part of' the regulated forest 1and'su1tab1e for t1mberproduction which. tobe~ome ava1lable, requ1resinvestment above current levels for such items as plant1ng, thinning, ' accesf development. or specialized woods or plant equjpment. ' 11 St~ndard Component: The component of ihe regulated forest land suitable and available for t1mber production on wh1ch crops of usable wood can be grown and harvested with adequate protect10n of the forest resources under the usual prov1s10ns of the timber sale contract. 8/ Special Component: That part of the regulated forest land suitable and available for timber Pro- duction which1srecognized in the Mult1p1e Use Planas needing specially designed s11v1cu1tural treat~ent of' the' timber resource to achieve landscape or other key resource Objectives. ' g/ SPruce-f1r Timber Type: The spruce-f1r in the timbel"type i$ Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii farry~ and subalp1ne fir (Abies las10carpa (Hook) Nutt). ' ' 10/ S~wt1mber: Trees' large enough to 'yield sawlogs. Saw10gsare logS large enough to yield sawn lumber. Generally considered to be trees over 10inenes in diameter near the base.' " I ',. , 3