Multiple-use planning in the Little South Fork of the Cache la Poudre Watershed

Abstract

The objective of this report was to evaluate multiple-use management of national forest lands and resources in the Little South Fork of the Cache la Poudre River watershed. The area is typical of the Front Range of the Colorado Rookies, representing a wide variety of ecologic conditions ranging from Upper Sonoran to Alpine Zones. The watershed is used as a research, education, and demonstration area under cooperative agreements between the U. S. Forest Service and Colorado State University. Both the legal definition of multiple-use and the multiple-use planning procedures of the U, S. Forest Service are analyzed. Soll, water, recreation, timber, range, wildlife, fish, and mineral resources, representative of the Great, Intermediate, Travel Influence, and Water Influence multiple-use planning zones are discussed along with the activities of agencies, landowners, and interest groups involved with management and use of the watershed. Eight multiple-use problems are discussed, including: alpine grazing, cross-country travel, private property, roads, local economies, use of the area for research versus other uses, clearcutting and regeneration of subalpine timber stands, and clearcutting of timber stands for water yield versus scenic values, and a number of alternative solutions are suggested. Conclusions reached are that the watershed cannot be used solely for research, education, and demonstration purposes without consideration of other uses made of the land and resources. The area is most valued for its recreation, water, wildlife, and timber resources. In order for multiple-use to work, a planner must accept the multiple-use doctrine and must consider the broad viewpoint of natural resources management. To do this he should have a good overall knowledge of natural resources and of the social and political implications of resource management. Because of the lack of detailed land and resource information he must rely on good judgement in making multiple-use decisions. Another result of this lack of information is the present tendency of multiple-use plans to be very general in content and uncertain as to management direction, but this does not lessen the value of multiple-use planning as a means to coordinate and guide management of multiple resources.