32 



THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 



will shelter and feed the millions 

 that for ages have followed its 

 course. They will be forced to 

 seek other ranges for food and 

 shelter at the expense of other oc- 

 cupants. Hardships and depri- 

 vation will be their lot henceforth. 

 No longer will the erstwhile manna- 

 strewn highway permit of easy mi- 

 gratory stages nor offer protection 

 to those who pass there the most 

 important period of life, the mat- 

 ing and nesting season. Its con- 

 verted meagre farm lands will be 

 unable to support the varied bird 

 life dependent on them, nor can 

 the lowlands and bottoms aid un- 

 told millions to reach safely their 

 destination. 



Said a land promoter to me 

 recently: "The conversion of 

 marshes into fertile agricultural 

 lands justifies wholesale drainage. 

 Furthermore, if you were to pay 

 taxes on useless swamps, it could 

 not be drained too quick to suit 

 you." The point is very well 

 taken, brother, were it not for the 

 fact that you bought these worth- 

 less lands voluntarily and specu- 

 latively. We cannot be asked to 

 sympathize with you on this self- 

 imposed task. 



There are other economic rea- 

 sons why this area should not be 

 drained. Its value as converted 



farm lands will be less than that in its present condition. An estimate 

 made by the Bureau of the Biological Survey of the United States places 

 the annual fish production in the land-locked waters at twelve million 

 pounds. Reams have been written on their value as breeding grounds 

 for all warm water food and game fishes or as breeding grounds of small 

 fur bearers who find congenial habitat in the territory. Flood control, 

 stabilizing of water levels and consequential conservation of soil produc- 

 tivity, its recreational value to the nation are each and every one 

 weighty enough reasons why the Upper Mississippi Bottoms must not be 



Winneshiek Bottoms 



