48 ILLINOIS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



Biological investigators require reserves for investiga- 

 tions in ecology, general biology, zoology, botany. It is 

 often possible for these several groups to combine and 

 make a strong plea for the setting aside of areas bounded 

 by natural topographic features as preserves of natural 

 conditions to serve all the eight or more purposes enum- 

 erated. In addition to this there are often ivater-sheds 

 tvhich supply water to cities and water for irrigation 

 purposes which will always be maintained and are avail- 

 able for samjDle plots, bird preserves, ecological study, 

 and perhaps game sanctuaries. Forest practice retains 

 some of the natural features. The combination with 

 recreation interests is by no means impossible. 



IV. MANAGEMENT OF PEESERVES 



1. Mismanagement. In Illinois two types of misman- 

 agement have been noted. The first amounts to no man- 

 agement at all ; the public is merely excluded, some times 

 an untrained guard is present and at other times he is 

 not, resulting in offense to the public, and followed by 

 opportunity for retaliation when he is not at hand. No 

 removal of plants and animals is allowed except by a 

 large flock of chickens from an adjoining farm yard. The 

 closing of the woods has caused dissatisfaction to the 

 public and injured the cause of preserves. A man may 

 be only a skunk trapper but to exclude him from his 

 trapping preserve is offensive and undesirable. 



The second type consists of general disregard of the 

 wild natural features. Automobile roads are cut through 

 woods where only trails should be opened. No places 

 are reserved for camping and recreation. The result is 

 that the wild parts are destroyed. Exotic trees and 

 shrubs are planted. Considerable areas are modified as 

 golf courses. Cattle, sheep and goats are pastured in the 

 j)reserves and forest reproduction prevented. "Wild flow- 

 ers are picked and rooted up and carried off. Care tak- 

 ers are untrained for their work, have no knowledge of 

 sylviculture, etc. 



2. Management. Each reserve should be roughly di- 

 vided into recreation and preserve areas and in most 



