FOREWORD 



Killing the goose that laid the golden eggs has its modern 

 counterpart. Today we are doing it a different way. As 

 advancing civilization "reclaims" marshes and swamps 

 throughout the country, habitat vital to the existence of wild 

 ducks and geese is being destroyed. 



During the past decade, efforts have been concentrated on 

 accurate inventories of the continental waterfowl popula- 

 tion. The time has come to put equal emphasis on habitat 

 needed by the birds. Only by a coordinated, nationwide pro- 

 gram of habitat management and improvement, including 

 control of unwanted plants, can there be a continuing supply 

 of waterfowl. And only thus can our waterfowl heritage 

 persist as an important recreational resource for millions of 

 Americans. 



