Management Proposals for the Uncompahgre and San Juan National Forests, Public Hearing Notice

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game trails) which are under Special Use Permit. The permittees may desire to use them at some future time. Water management studies have indicated there is some potential for water yield improvement through vegetative manipulation and weather modi- fication. Vegetative manipulation in aspen and spruce -fir ecosystems could increase water yields up to 50 %. Depending on terrain, soil char- acteristics, and vegetation, weather modification could increase yields up to 15 %. The headwaters of the Cimarron, Uncompahgre, and San Miguel Rivers are located in this Section. Forage Approximately 55,000 acres are suitable for range livestock grazing in the grasslands, meadows, browse and conifer forests. These areas provide forage for some 15,000 sheep and 2,000 cattle grazed under permit. In addition, wildlife and recreation stock utilize forage produced on these lands and other acres that are classed as unsuitable for use by range livestock. Wood There are 77,423 acres of productive forest lands within the Section, of which 6,065 acres are classed as "productive reserved" (unavailable for harvest) because they are within the Uncompahgre Primitive Area. The 6,065 acres have not been included in the inventory upon which the allowable cut for the Uncompahgre National Forest is based. The remaining 71,000 acres support spruce -fir, aspen, Douglas -fir, ponderosa pine, white fir and pinyon - juniper forests. Spruce -fir and aspen ecosystems make up 65% and 28% respectively of the forest lands. On the 71,000 acres, the goal of forest management has been perpetu- ation of healthy and vigorous forests; some 4,900 acres are regarded as being available for management. The other 66,100 acres are not susceptible to intensive management because of high development costs, low product value, or resource protection requirements. Land Ownership The Uncompahgre Section includes 33,450 acres of intermingled private land, of which some 16,001 acres is inside the Primitive Area. These lands were patented under various authorities - but primarily under the General Mining Law and Homestead Acts. There are about 40 acres of private lands and some unpatented mineral claims with outstanding mineral rights inside the area considered suitable for inclusion in the Wilderness System. These are undeveloped, so that -19-