PUBLIC PARKS OF IOWA 



','' i < '"' ~ . 

 ie, the $300.00 range of registered cattle, sheep or hogs and in 



turn the field of wheat, oats, corn or hay of such value that the an- 

 cient paths of men now cost money. In their righteous ire farmers 

 have destroyed groves of hickory, sold their walnut trees and cleared 

 plum thickets to rid themselves of trespassers. Road sides, water- 

 ways, fields, and groves today bear literally thousands of "No Tres- 

 passing" signs, and still the principle born in men and women to run 

 and leap in youth, to stroll and race in full growth and to hunt and 

 fish as life is passing, has never changed. In their refinements, these 

 tendencies become the spur to every soul who 



"Finds tongues in the trees, 

 Books in the running brooks, 

 Sermons in stones 

 And good in everything. 

 I would not change it." 



And so the lands that now possess agricultural value mingled with 

 historical, scientific, scenic or recreational character are under con- 

 sideration for re-acquisition by the state, and return, where possible, 

 to their pristine condition and public use. The Creator foresaw and 

 provided that the lands suited to agricultural and industrial purposes 

 were generally of the highest pecuniary value and that those for use 

 by the scholar, artist, hunter and fisherman are as nearly worthless 

 as He could allot to Iowa. So the Commission, in harmony with 

 what it feels is an almost divine opportunity and with what it knows 

 to be the certain and reasonable conflict of natural human interests 

 in the uses of lands, has entered upon the effort without interference 

 with production of Iowa lands, to increase their scope and restore 

 their uses for science, art and recreation. 



Results so far attained are to be founjl in the minutes, papers and 

 documents published herewith as the First Report of the Iowa Board 

 of Conservation. 



EDGAR R. HARLAN, 



Secretary. 



