waterfowl acreage of 3,269,549 acres, averaged $10 

 an acre, including the relatively low development 

 costs of the I930's). 



In addition to the continental United States 

 program, because of the increasing importance of 

 Alaska as a breeding ground for the Pacific Fly- 

 way, approximately 25,000 square miles of public 

 lands in Alaska should be designated for this pur- 

 pose. This would be done in such a manner as 

 not to prevent hunting, fishing, taking of furs, and 

 development of minerals and other natural prod- 

 ucts from these lands for economic use and devel- 

 opment, but would give the Service a voice in 

 seeing that they did not lose their utility for 

 waterfowl breeding. 



It is all too evident that the Duck Stamp income 

 alone would not be sufficient to complete this 

 program. It is felt that the Congress should 

 supplement the Duck Stamp funds by direct 

 appropriations for an accelerated land-purchase 

 program so that basic waterfowl-management, 

 lands necessary for the preservation of the re- 



source can U' acquired and developed within the 

 next :.'."> years. This is most urgent because many 

 of the areas now proposed for purchase and de- 

 velopment will not be available if not obtained 

 during the next 25 years, in view of the great 

 destruction of waterfowl habitat by competing 

 forces in our Nation's economic life. Further- 

 more, with rapid drainage of existing habitat, 

 replacement habitat should be bought and de- 

 veloped as soon as possible. 



Obviously the portion of the Duck Stamp in- 

 come that can be allotted for land purchase in the 

 future will not begin to carry such a program. 

 Such a 25-year program would require $6,400,000 

 annually for land purchase and $3,200,000 for de- 

 velopment. Moreover, at the present time, of the 

 205 waterfowl refuges developed to date, the basic 

 maintenance of 203 is entirely on Duck Stamp 

 funds, totaling $2,800,000. Further, it must be 

 realized that if this future program is consum- 

 mated in the next l'."> years, the ultimate annua] 

 maintenance cost will be about $ti million. 



I n the fiscal year ending June SO, 1955, the Migratory Bird ( 'ons< rvation < Commission ap- 



proved purchase of 30,189 acres of hind for refuges, <it a cost of st;y,jHHi. /he l,ir</< ■*/ c.rpcmli- 

 ture of duck .stamp funds for acquisition since 1945. Eight new Federal refuges hare hem 

 established in tin last thru- years, and three inon refuges are in tin process of /nine/ estab- 

 lished. For tlw last fiscal year, wildlife refuges rea. ir, d $6,614^00 for acquisition, develop- 

 ment, and maintenance. Sales of Puck Stamps of the 1954.-55 issue added $4.^363,698 to the 

 thick Stamp fund. 



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