REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I915 2^ 



structed paths, cleaned out much of the rubbish from last year's cutting 

 and dead wood already down, and built a very good, substantial rustic bridge 

 over the main bayou leading out of Fall creek, obviating the necessity of a 

 half-mile walk to get into the other part of the woods. 



On Afbor Day last May, all the schools closed, and every school child in 

 Ithaca, about 800, in the grades, came down to the wildwood and put in 

 part of an afternoon's work, under guidance of the older members of the' 

 club, in constructive labor, planting water lilies, forget-me-nots, iris, etc., 

 in the back-waters; burning brush in open places; trimming out the 

 young shoots of spicebush over several acres of cutting; putting up signs 

 against shooting; building fires; and placing nest boxes in good places. 



This year we are asking the city for $250; we are planning an even better 

 Arbor Day celebration, and have plans for immediately erecting two large 

 automatic rustic food stations, a large and appropriate entrance arch desig- 

 nating the sanctuary, and a great many other things as soon as we can get 

 the money. 



Our club dues are very low : only 10 cents for children, 25 cents for 

 adults, $1 for sustaining membership, and $10 for life. We give a con- 

 siderable number of free lectures by the best men we can get, and all 

 Ithaca enjoys them. 



We feel that, if we can each year, for say 10 or 15 years, have all the 

 children here develop a love for the place by really doing some voluntary 

 work in it, it will be a hard matter, when these same children are grown up 

 and compose Ithaca's citizenship, to ever divert this lovely place into any 

 other field of usefulness than one preserving in full its wild, flowerful 

 beauty. 



Last spring we conducted each week enthusiastic field parties (6 to 9 

 a. m.) through and around the sanctuary. For years it has been the open- 

 air classroom of the department of biology and limnology of Cornell Uni- 

 versity. The city is in full accord with us now, and I see no reason why 

 we should ever lose hold of our sanctuary. The land, fortunately, is too 

 low to be of much value. It is without doubt the most beautiful piece of 

 old timberland left in this region, and that it is actually within the city 

 limits is a vast advantage both to It and to the city. I know of no other 

 place in the country with so large and magnificent a virgin area of wood- 

 land anywhere near it, let alone at Its very door. 



Regarding the Influences back of it: as in all things of this kind, the 

 active agents are the few who are interested and willing to give some time 

 and thought to it. Our finances are not what they ought to be, but things 

 are looking up, and the club Is, I think, satisfactorily fulfilling its period of 

 probation. Our city is about to adopt a new system of disbursing its funds, 

 and we expect to be included among the organizations deserving and 

 receiving financial aid from the city. We have plans for making a very 

 useful and educational place of it, and only a little support would enable us 

 to do part of It right away. 



I liave an idea that we shall try to negotiate for the withdrawal of about 

 800 acres of woodland on the east side of the inlet valley — all owned by 

 atout three men, all of whom are willing to devote It to this purpose. It 

 is steep forested hillside; many grouse, etc., are there now, and many more 

 would take to it if it were never hunted. 



