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<br />003:86 <br /> <br />Scenery ~~: The natural scenery of approximately one-third of the land areQ within the <br />Piedra Valley has been modified by man's activities. Thirty-six percent Is natural scenery <br />without signs of man's 1mpact, except for trails. The visual character is slightly or partially <br />modified In remaining areas. Under the present Forest Service visual management system, the <br />objective is to retain the existing scenery in the river torridor. <br /> <br />Transportation: Although transportation system Is not a resource. it supports accompllsh~ent of <br />resource uses and objectives. The major state highway route into the river basin area Is <br />Colorado Highway 160. Access from Highway 160 into the river is serv~ primarily by forest <br />Oevelop~nt Roads 631 (upper valley) and 622 (lawer v~lley). Roads to the EaSt and Middl~ Forks <br />dre FOR 633. 636 and 637. which connect with fOR 631. Presently. there are nearly 220 Miles of <br />roads serving the drainage. These roads are of various standards and provide aCCeSS for resource <br />u!u.. <br /> <br />There are approximately 170 miles of trails throughout the valley. Within the Weminuche Wilder- <br />DeU there are 20 mUea of trails serving the study areS (see Appendix f). <br /> <br />F. PRIVATE ~'~S <br /> <br />There are approximately 16,600 acres of private lands in the Piedra V~lley within the boundaries <br />of the San Juan National FOre5t. In th.. past IDOst private lands were predo...inantly used for <br />livestock grazing. <br /> <br />DeMand for housing and do...eatic water use has made it increa~ingly profitable for rsnchers to <br />sell their property for other uses. Although the conversion of ranch lands to other uses is <br />nOt considered to be desirable, aa adverse market conditions, increased operating costs and <br />social constraints continue to impact the agriculture indU$try. many ranchera are financially <br />encouraged to sell their lands for aubdivisions. <br /> <br />Of the 16.600 acres of private land within the valley. the river corridor only affects <br />acres. In recent years 940 acreS have been converted froll agriculture to other uses. <br />au~rizes theae uses of private lands within the river corridor. <br /> <br />2.700 <br />TableVTl <br /> <br />t <br /> <br />In view of the changing economic and aocial patterns in the affected counties, it can be expect- <br />ed that an increasing number of private lsnd aCreS in the river corridor will be converted fro... <br />open space and agriculture to subdivision uses, <br /> <br />TABLE VII <br />Sl~Y Of PRIVATE ~VD USES <br /> <br />u.. <br /> <br />ll'ulllber of Tracts ApproxilDate Acrea!l.e <br /> , '50 <br /> 1 ''0 <br /> 1 '50 <br /> , 1.760 <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />HOOle Site" <br />Resort <br />Retreat <br />Agriculture <br /> <br />1-1) <br />