CHAPTER II 



THE VALUE OF WILD LIFE TO THE NATION 



In order to secure the interest and active support of the 

 people of Canada in the conservation of our wild life, it is 

 necessary at the outset to indicate as clearly as possible 

 the economic significance of such measures as are now being 

 taken and of those that should be adopted with a view to 

 the preservation of our native animals. A consideration of 

 this aspect is not rendered necessary by any lack of appre- 

 ciation on the part of Canadians generally as to their moral 

 obligations in this matter or because reasons of sentiment 

 carry no weight. It is rendered necessary largely on ac- 

 count of the rapid opening up and development of the coun- 

 try, and because such development comes into direct con- 

 flict with the ability of many important forms of our wild 

 life to survive. 



Utilization of N on- Agricultural Lands. — The basic indus- 

 try of Canada is agriculture, and the extension of this in- 

 dustry involves the bringing under cultivation of new areas 

 of land which were formerly the home of our wild life. 

 Therefore, in order to justify on economic grounds the con- 

 servation of our wild Ufe its economic value as compared 

 with agriculture in the first place must be set forth. 



Not all lands are suitable for agriculture. Even in the 

 best agricultural sections of the country areas unsuited to 

 agriculture occur. In some cases, as will be shown later, 

 such areas have been set apart as forest reserves; in other 

 cases a struggling population endeavours to eke out a 

 meagre existence on the sparse products of the unfertile 

 soil. The problem of the best method of dealing with such 



7 



