Range allotments
A. Background
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Gifford Pinchot advanced the view of "the greatest good for the greatest number" [1].
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He was the first U.S. Forest Service Chief, 1904-1910.
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He viewed grazing, along with and timber harvesting, as proper use of federal forest land.
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It would include grazing fees as a potential source of revenue [1].
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Much later, Dale Bosworth, Forest Service Chief, 2001-2007, envisioned a redirection.
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It was change from "mitigating damage from outputs" to "activities for generating outcomes" [2].
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He contended "that what matters is what we leave on the land to achieve healthy landscape conditions" [2].
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Permitted grazing on federal land administered by the Forest Service continues to the present time.
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Range allotments and pastures in the Dolores basin are shown in the map below.
Plan | Range
B. Current use
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Permitted grazing is part of land use within the mountainous Dolores River basin [3].
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There are 6 vacant allotments in the basin, vacant meaning currently no grazing:
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Sheep Mountain
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Divide
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Rio Lado
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Bear Creek
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Expectation
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Rico Watershed
3. Of the 42 perennial, trout-bearing streams, 16 are in the vacant allotments:
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Barlow
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Bear
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East Fork
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Grindstone
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Horse
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Little Bear
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Marguerite
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Morrison
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North Twin
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Rio Lado
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Roaring Forks
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Ryman
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Scotch
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Silver & Bull
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Snow Spur
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South Twin
4. Of the 10 largest-flow tributaries, these 6 are in the vacant allotments:
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Barlow
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Bear
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East Fork
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Roaring Forks
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Scotch
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Snow Spur
Plan | Range
References
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Lewis, J. G., The Forest Service and the Greatest Good, a Centennial History, Forest History Society, 2005.
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Bosworth, D, "We Need a New National Debate," speech to the Izaak Walton League, 81st Annual Convention, 8/17/2003.
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"Dolores Ranger District Range Allotments/Pastures," Dolores Ranger District Office, San Juan National Forest, U.S. Forest Service.
