I.A.S. Newsletter, February 1966 - 5 - 
insure these roads can be mintained as "country roads," If you are a real estate 
developer, take extra steps to preserve trees against ill-advised clearing by bull- 
dozers and set aside some treed land as parks within the development. If you are 
on a school board make sure that new acquisitions of land include treed areas that 
can be kept as such; also look over present holdings and seek dedication of treed 
lands which can serve as outdoor classrooms, Do some reading about landscapers 
such as Jens Jensen, 
Arbor Day and Bird Day could be a time for each of us, wherever we may live, to 
explore something of the beauty and wholeness of nature and how we relate, 
Whatever you do on Arbor Day and Bird Day, this April 29, use John Muir's state- 
ment to guide you. Muir wrote: 
"When we try to pick out anything by itself 
we find it hitched to everything in the universe," 
STATE PARKS CAN SOLVE SOME PROBLEMS 
A letter from Robert Faber, Naturalist at Giant City State Park, near Makanda, 
indicates progress, We quote in part: 
"We here at Giant City are in the process of developing an Interpretive 
Program and Visitor Center, We feel an educational program will be 
instrumental in solving the vandalism problem, 
"I sincerely hope ... members of the (Illinois Audubon) Society will 
continue to visit Giant City. I ama member of the National Audubon 
Society and would thoroughly enjoy birding with members of the Society." 
All parks need help. You can help by being meticulous in your manners, 
WHAT COLOR IS YOUR BIRD FEEDER? 
In his book "Beyond Your Doorstep," Hal Borland writes these words: "Birds will 
come to any place where they can find food and nesting sites, The person who would 
have birds nearby all year around will see to it that there is plenty of natural 
food." He adds: "At one time or another I have heard dozens of taboos about feed- 
ing birds, and over the years I have seen nearly all of them disproven. I have been 
told that a feeder painted with a bright or shiny color will frighten the birds away, 
that brown or naturally weathered feeders are essential." He found it did not matter. 
Borland made some feeders out of bright juice cans enameled red, white and orange, and 
blue and they still drew birds, I have a blue plastic bleach bottle on a tree in 
my back yard, and it draws Cardinals, Juncos and Bluejays. Borland even had a pair 
of Ruffed Grouse at his window feeder, Read the book; it's fascinating. 
»-ehaymond Mostek, 
COOK COUNTY ADDS TO PRESERVE LANDS 
The county board of Cook County approved the acquisition of 2,530 acres last 
November to expand the forest preserve district to within 2,504 acres of its legal 
limit of 65,000 acres, 
Of the new lands to be purchased, 1,960 acres will be added to the Spring Creek 
Valley forest preserve in Barrington Township; 320 acres to the Baker's Lake preserve 
in northwest Cook County; and 250 acres to the Black Partridge preserve near Lemont. 
Arthur Janura, acting general superintendent of the forest preserve district, 
estimated the land wuld cost about 6% million dollars, Half of the cost will be met 
through a federal grant for providing open Space in growing urban areas, he said. 
Also planned for the district is restoration of some 3,000 acres of prairie. The 
involvements here will be of wide interest, not only in Illinois, but Iowa, Wisconsin, 
and Minnesota where similar restoration efforts are under way and cultural methods 
being researched am applied. Illinois, known as the "prairie state," should take 
immediate steps to preserve and dedicate as many acres of remaining prairie habitat 
» » Continued 

