80 REPORT OF THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



SUMMER RESORT WORK. 



The statement in our last report suggesting that the summer vaca- 

 tionist finds himself in close touch with nature, and is in a particularly- 

 susceptible mood to receive information on wild life, and that the vaca- 

 tion camps and mountain resorts of the state constitute a neglected 

 opportunity for additional work, has been clearly demonstrated during 

 the past two years. During the summer of 1919, the Tahoe resorts were 

 chosen as a field for the work. Each resort around the Lake was in- 

 vited to institute educational work relating to wild life. Five of the 

 larger resorts having accepted our proposition, a campaign plan was 

 outlined and extensive newspaper publicity given the project. 



In order to avoid the appearance of a cut and dried education prop- 

 aganda it seemed best to first of all stimulate people's interest in the 

 out-of-doors and the wild things encountered on trips afield, and 

 secondly, to furnish information on the status and needs of fish and 

 game by means of illustrated lectures. There was offered, therefore, at 

 each resort a series of field excursions designed to bring to each partici- 

 pant the ability to recognize and name birds, mammals, trees and insects 

 encountered on the summer vacation. The classes were limited to 

 twenty and the instructor led them along the mountain trails, pointing 

 out the different kinds of plants and animals, and adding some item 

 of interest regarding their life history, status and the need for con- 

 serving them. Special excursions were offered for children. 



Great interest was shown in these trips afield. At Fallen Leaf the 

 interest Avas so great that it was almost impossible to care for the 

 crowds. In many instances duplicate excursions had to be made in 

 order to limit the number of students. In all 42 separate field 

 trips were conducted. The total attendance of adults was 362 and that 

 in the children's classes, 157. The fact that many school teachers at- 

 tended these trips emphasized the value of the work; for invariably 

 these teachers will carry to their pupils the conservation messages given. 



In the evenings a series of illustrated lectures was offered. The lec- 

 tures were designed not only to be entertaining, but to carry facts 

 valuable in developing public sentiment favorable to fish and game con- 

 servation. Among the subjects used were: The Fish and Fisheries of 

 California; Game and Fur-Bearing Mammals of California; The Eco- 

 nomic Value of Birds ; Bird IMigration ; Methods of Wild Life Conserva- 

 tion ; Wild Animal Life in California. Twenty-two lectures in all were 

 given and the total attendance was 2,240. It can be seen, therefore, that 

 the average attendance was more than 100. This is the more encourag- 

 ing in that a series of lectures was advertised and the attendance con- 

 tinued good throughout each series. 



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