62 THE FOREST PRESERVES 



With the district embodying hundreds upon hundreds of 

 acres of woodland that has for years been the refuge of birds 

 of every conceivable type, it will require but little effort to bring 

 back the county's colonies of wild canaries and such species 

 almost extinct. 



In the same way this land in the past was the home for 

 every known kind of wild game. By the application of strict 

 rules for the protection of desirable animal life and by the in- 

 troduction of scientific plans of propagation plans the District 

 hopes to restore that attractive feature of the woodland. 



Within the 13,000 acres now owned by the Forest Preserve 

 District there are also inestimable possibilities for food produc- 

 tion which, though barely touched, have already developed in 

 such a fashion as to prove a vital factor in helping the nation 

 win the present war. 



Along with the woodland there are hundreds upon hun- 

 dreds of acres of excellent pasturage all of which will eventually 

 be utilized for the raising of live stock, a project that has been 

 started. I refer to the sheep graze. 



Last year the National Sheep and Wool Bureau appealed 

 to the country to save from slaughter 10,000 ewe lambs about to be 

 consigned to the markets from states in the northwest. The 

 Governor of Illinois was asked to interest the municipal authori- 

 ties. 



The Forest Preserve District purchased 500 head of the 

 sheep. Those sheep were placed on one of the preserves and 

 were cared for during the winter. With the lambs the band 

 now numbers about 800 and the first shearing produced a wool 

 clip of 2,500 pounds which will be greatly increased in future 

 years. 



SHEEP GRAZE IN PALATINE. 



