FOREST AND STREAM 
August, 1920 
4-25 
PRESERVATION OF INLAND MARSHES 
IT IS HIGHLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR MIGRATORY WILD -FOWL SHOULD HAVE 
PLACES WHERE THEY CAN STOP TO REST AND FEED AND REAR THEIR YOUNG 
By E. W. NELSON 
D URING the last annual meeting of 
the International Association of 
Fish and Game Commissioners, as 
well as at the game conservation meeting 
recently held under the auspices of the 
American Game Protective Association, 
in New York City, great interest was 
manifested in the statements showing the 
urgent need of conserving water areas 
in order to maintain our supply of migra- 
tory game birds, and thus perpetuate 
wild-fowl hunting in the United States. 
Reports received during the last few 
months by the Biological Survey from all 
parts of the country agree that the 
alarming decrease of migratory wild- 
fowl which preceded the Treaty and the 
Act of Congress for the protection of 
migratory birds has changed to a marked 
increase. This successful outcome of a 
great conservation measure has become 
apparent even more promptly than was 
anticipated by its friends. Thus the 
first important step toward insuring the 
perpetuation of our wild-fowl and of 
wild-fowl hunting has been achieved. 
Another step of almost equally vi- 
tal importance, if we are to hold 
what we have gained, remains to 
be taken. This consists in the conserva- 
tion and perpetuation of a sufficient num- 
ber of small inland lakes as well as in- 
land and coastal swamp and marsh areas, 
to provide our wild-fowl places for feed- 
ing and resting and rearing their voung. 
It is absolutely necessary that during 
their migrations and in winter these 
birds have the necessary places in which 
to live. There is no question that for a 
long period in the future vast areas of 
swamp lands in Alaska and northern 
Canada will furnish abundant breeding 
places for innumerable wild-fowl. Re- 
garding the maintenance of available 
winter haunts of these birds, there is 
at the present time a distinct uncertain- 
ty, and the situation is rapidly becoming 
more and more adverse. 
The mistaken idea is prevalent that 
the drainage of almost any area is a 
benefit to the community. Under proper 
conditions “water farming” of many 
lakes and ponds and of swamp or marsh 
areas will yield a distinctly larger return 
than would the same area drained and 
used for aariculture. Under intelligent 
management these areas will yield abun- 
dant and varied returns to the commun- 
ity, as indicated in the following brief 
summary of their productiveness: 
(1) Production of food and game fishes 
(2) Wild-fowl, shot for sport and food. 
(3) Furs, from such fur-bearers as 
the muskrats, skunks, and rac- 
coons which frequent their borders. 
(4) A natural ice supply. 
(5) A definite and invaluable help in 
maintaining the underground wa- 
ter level in various parts of the 
State, and in helping to hold back 
the run-off of rainfall to prevent 
excessive erosion. 
(6) Opportunities for healthful and 
interesting recreation for the citi- 
zens of the State. 
(7) Where such water areas are in- 
cluded in State parks or reserva- 
tions they lend themselves admira- 
bly to educational uses, and help 
interest the people of the State in 
out-of-door life and in the natural 
resources of the State in the form 
of plant and animal life. 
I believe that a careful survey of the 
water and marsh areas in any State by 
men properly versed in the plant and ani- 
mal products, as well as of the agricul- 
tural capacities of the areas in question, 
will result in the great majority of cases 
in definitely determining the superior 
value to the State of such water areas 
in their natural conditions as against the 
value of the lands which would be left 
after they had been drained. Further- 
more, the existence of these areas in the 
State adds greatly to the varied char- 
acter of the region where located and 
thus renders them more generally at- 
tractive as places of residence for the 
citizens. 
The Biological Survey is deeply in- 
terested in the proper conservation of 
water areas, since the rapidly increasing 
drainage of lakes and marshes through- 
out the country indicates that, unless 
an effort is made to conserve a consid- 
erable number of the best of these for 
the future, our wild-fowl resorts and 
feeding places will be practically elimi- 
nated from most of the States, and with 
the elimination of such areas there will 
disappear opportunities for wild-fowl 
hunting, and there will be a loss of other 
products and benefits provided by such 
water areas. 
In connection with the administration 
of the Migratory-Bird Treaty Act, the 
Biological Survey is advocating the es- 
tablishment throughout the country of 
Federal and State bird preserves. This 
is to be accomplished through co-opera- 
tion with the State fish and game com- 
missions. Throughout the country such 
water areas should be strictly guarded 
as breeding preserves, thereby resulting 
in largely augmenting the available sup- 
ply of birds. A certain proportion of 
such areas should be maintained through- 
out the year as sanctuaries where no 
shooting should be permitted, but the 
majority of them should be made public 
shooting-grounds during the open season. 
This would in no way interfere with the 
use of these areas as nesting places for 
wild-fowl during the breeding season. 
By these means the public would have 
the same opportunities of shooting 
migratory wild-fowl as are now enjoyed 
by the owners of private preserves, thus 
equalizing conditions. 
It is extremely gratifying to know that 
in some of the more progressive States 
efforts are being made to save water 
areas from further unreasonable de- 
struction. The Conservation Commisr 
sion of Iowa is already working out 
plans to this effect under a State law 
which will permit the saving of the de- 
sirable water areas from ill-considered 
drainage. Under the law of Minnesota 
recent decisions of the State courts have 
safeguarded water areas from drainage, 
on the ground of their value to the pub- 
lic in their natural state. Some other 
States are working along similar lines, 
but no general policy has yet been 
agreed upon. 
The results of recent investigations 
show that wild-fowl fly across country 
in all directions from their main con- 
gregating places, thus showing that hun- 
ters should take a keen interest in the 
proposed conservation of water areas in 
all other States as well as in their own 
Once a general policy is established for 
the maintenance of water areas suitable 
for wild-fowl resorts, sportsmen may feel 
assured that a goodly amount of wBd- 
fowl hunting will be possible for a long 
period in the future. Such a result, how- 
ever, will not come without earnest ef- 
fort on the part of sportsmen working 
with State fish and game commissions. 
