The Economic Value of Forage for Livestock on Public and Private Ranges in Utah

The United States Government controls about 359 million acres of land in the 11 Western States. This vast acreage produces recreation for vacationers, timber for lumbermen, water for city and rural consumption, forage for livestock and wildlife, and minerals for miners. In many cases, the users of these products are competing and are clamoring for a large share of this land. Consequently, land use is continually changing. Since 1941, the amount of timber cut has tripled, recreation has doubled, watersheds now yield a better quality of water (Clawson, 1957), forage for wildlife has increased but forage for livestock use has decreased. The public agencies (especially the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management) that administer this federally controlled land are vitally concerned about being able to effectively and fairly allocate its use. In order that decisions may be made in the light of economic criteria, these agencies are promoting studies in the area of each of the land uses listed above. In cases where society demands other than the greatest economic good, the costs of satisfying the right use needs to be determined