368 



CONSERVATION 



"A state campaign for a sane Fourth of 



July. 



"A movement to seciire a woman physi- 

 cian in every public institution where there 

 are women inmates. 



"A campaign to secure the pine woods of 

 Ogle County as a state forest reserve. 



"A campaign for the passage of the East- 

 ern Forest Reserve bill, establishing a re- 

 serve in the Appalachians and White Moun- 

 tains. 



"An effort to secure women's dormitories 

 at the University of Illinois." 



^ 5^ «.' 



The Ogle County White Pines 



Illinois clubwomen are pushing a bill which 

 has for its aim the protection of the slim 

 woodland resources of Illinois. This bill 

 calls for the purchase and reservation by 

 the state of the famous "Ogle County white- 

 pine forest," to be under the administration 

 of a proposed forestry board. 



As a rich prairie and farming community, 

 the state cannot afford to part with the few 

 remnants of natural beauty that remain to 

 her. The pine woods of Ogle County, less 

 than 100 miles from Chicago^ like Starved 

 Rock, belong to her ancient history. In this 

 500 acres is to be found part of the original 

 forest of white pine which at one time 

 stretched north into the greater forests that 

 grew about the Great Lakes. 



The trees represent the southern limits of 

 their species and have dignity in the eyes of 

 botanists and students of natural history 

 as the last of a splendid army of evergreens, 

 now strangers and unknown to the present 

 generation who till farms over the areas 

 once covered by large forests. 



The forest is of that character dear to 

 the botanist and bird lover. At the southern 

 end is a fine growth of young pines, and 

 along the east bank of the creek are the 

 red, white, bur, scarlet and chinquapin oak, 

 white and slippery elm, large-tooth aspen, 

 black walnut, butternut, shagbark, pignut, 

 mockernut hickory, sycamore, hackberry, 

 white and black ash, black and choke cherry, 

 wild plum, basswood, hoptree, black willow, 

 and June berry. 



A great variety of blooming plants, vines, 

 and shrubs make the woodlands beautiful at 

 all seasons of the year. 



«r' 5^ &' 



State Parks Win Public Favor 



One of the most important projects advo- 

 cated by the American Civic Association is 

 that of state parks — the purchase and con- 

 trol by the states of areas comparatively ex- 

 tensive which would afford recreation 

 grounds for the citizens and, at the same 

 time, conserve the natural resources and nat- 



ural beauty of scenery possessed by every 

 commonwealth. 



The State of Wisconsin has begun action 

 along this line, having undertaken an exam- 

 ination and appraisement of its resources with 

 a view to setting aside parks. The handling 

 of this work has been entrusted to a board 

 consisting of Messrs. T. E. Brittingham, 

 E. E. Browne, and W. H. McFetridge, as- 

 sisted by Mr. John Nolen, a landscape artist 

 of national reputation and a member of the 

 executive board of the American Civic Asso- 

 ciation. While Mr. Nolen's report dealt es- 

 pecially with four prospective Wisconsin 

 state parks, its general suggestions are of 

 universal application. First of all, Mr. Nolen 

 expressed the wisdom of prompt action by 

 the states "while the property desired can be 

 purchased at a reasonable figure and at a 

 price which would prove an excellent in- 

 vestment from a purely money viewpoint." 

 As to the object of state parks, he said that 

 they should be selected with a view to con- 

 serve natural resources and natural beauty 

 of scenery. 



"There are thousands of persons in every 

 section of the country in need and in search 

 of the wild and beautiful places of nature, 

 and in almost every state of the Union there 

 are places fitted to supply their need and 

 reward their search. It would seem like a 

 clear case of demand and supply. Most of 

 these places are not of such a character as 

 to form national parks, nor are they so 

 situated as to serve the needs of a single 

 city. The result is, that they either are being 

 ruthlessly destroyed or are gradually drifting 

 into private possession for purely private 

 uses." 



Mr. Nolen referred to the several state 

 parks maintained, in a restricted way, by 

 Massachusetts, New York, California, Penn- 

 sylvania, New Jersey, and a few other states, 

 and then, discussing the general require- 

 ments, he said, in substance : 



"The main purpose of state parks is to 

 refresh and strengthen and renew tired per- 

 sons, to fit them for the common round of 

 daily life. They should be large to accom- 

 modate great numbers, 2,000 or 3,000 to 5,000 

 acres. They should be accessible, within a 

 reasonable distance, and at a reasonable cost. 

 Air and climate should be salubrious, and 

 the situation should be healthful. The prop- 

 erty acquired should be reasonable in cost ; 

 seldom would a state be justified in paying- 

 more than $100 an acre for land, and $25 

 has been the average price. They should be 

 'natural' stretches of land of intrinsic beauty. 

 They should be of uncommon beauty, a dis- 

 tinction among landscapes, an irresistible ap- 

 peal to the nature lover." 



In justification of the investment of state 

 money in such parks, Mr. Nolen said, re- 

 garding Wisconsin, but of equal force as to 

 other states : 



"State parks would, in common with the 

 forest reservations — the great economic value 

 of which is now unquestioned — preserve and 



1 



