228 PROBLEMS IN WILD LIFE CONSERVATION 



Both programs of work and administrative organization 

 for the federal and state governments must be predicated 

 upon the close relation between soil, timber, water, and wild 

 life resources. However, correlation, not amalgamation, 

 must be the guiding principle of administration. One cry- 

 ing need of conservation in this country today is an inte- 

 grated conservation policy which, while keeping the re- 

 sources separate and distinct from each other administra- 

 tively, will provide closely correlated policies for all. 



Lack of Satisfactory Data: Attention has been called to 

 the fact that much scientific data is lacking upon which to 

 base a complete conservation program. On the other hand 

 a mass of data does exist. In most fields the necessary 

 technique has been found and applied in limited areas in 

 the country so that by merely extending those same methods 

 to other sections, sufficient data may be obtained. 



Such, for example, is true of forestry which as a science 

 has developed its own excellent technique. Granted suffi- 

 cient funds and trained personnel to do the work, it is only 

 a matter of time until a complete collection of scientific data 

 regarding the nation's forest resources and possibilities 

 will be available. In certain other fields, notably wild life, 

 even satisfactory techniques for the accumulation of data 

 are lacking, or, if available, have not been applied to any 

 extent by governmental agencies in this country. 



Nevertheless we cannot wait until complete data upon all 

 the natural resources are available before deciding upon a 

 conservation program. A lengthy period of aimless drift- 

 ing without clearly formulated policies to serve as a guide 

 for governmental action is unthinkable. The alternative is 

 to drive ahead with the data available and to prepare a 

 flexible plan into which may later be incorporated such 

 changes as are necessary, as more complete scientific data in 

 the various fields becomes available. 



