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<br />Agriculture depends heavily upon National Forest and Bureau of <br />Land Management lands for supplemental grazing during the summer <br />months. In addition, the national forest provides saw timber for <br />local sawmills. The U. S. Forest Service has scheduled an estimated <br />24 million board feet for harvesting by 1971.(6) <br /> <br />Mining <br /> <br />The value of mineral production in the study area has increased <br />from about $603) 000 in 1955 (7) to s lightly over $2,710,000 in 1962. (8) <br />'Minerals produced in order of value during 1962 included zinc, copper, <br />lead, gold, silveJ:, sand, and gravel. <br /> <br />Coal production has never been of significant importance to the <br />'study area, however, coal reserves on and near the periphery of the <br />study area were estimated at 75.4 billion tons in 1953.(9) <br /> <br />Uranium and vanadium mining and processing has been active in <br />recent, years in the eastern part of Montrose County. <br /> <br />Manufacturing <br /> <br />The manufacturing industry employed 5.2 percent of the labor force <br />in 1950 and 7.5 percent tn 1960. Out of a total of 81 firms in opera- <br />tionduring 1961, food and kindred products accounted for 25, and <br />lumber and wood prOducts accounted for 33. The balance was distributed <br />among various other subdivisions a the manufacturing industry. Firms <br />manufacturing nondurable goods employed 72 percent of total manufacturing <br />employment. <br /> <br />Outdoor Recreation <br /> <br />The study area is the center of increasingly heavy recreation use. <br />Often referred to as "the Switzerland of America," the area holds many <br />attractions fot' tourists and visitors, including the scenic beauty of <br />the San Juan Range, exploring historic townsites and mines, jeep <br />cavalcades, hunting, camping, and ptcnicking. The Uncompahgre Plateau <br />is known for excellent deer hunting. Numerous elk are taken each year <br />in this area. It is estimated that 20 percent of Colorado's wild turkey <br />harvest came from this atea in 1961.(1) Fishing is expected to increase <br />rapidly as improvements in water quality take place. <br /> <br />It is estimated that the number of tourists visiting Colorado <br />increased by 133'.6 percent from 19~6 to 1961, and recreational expendi- <br />tures increased by 180.6 percent. ( 0) tssuming the Gunnison-Uncompahgre <br />Region accounts for- 15 to 20 percent(ll of the State's total, the <br />economic illlpact to the region is of great illlportance. <br /> <br />14 <br />