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RECORD ATTENDANCE AT 1970 CAMPOUT! 
The Society's fifteenth Annual Fall Campout was held at the IIlinois Beach State Park, September 19 and 20. The host 
group was the McHenry County Chapter with Mrs. Darlene Fiske, Chairman, The Lake-Cook Chapter, through its president 
Arnold Bock assisted. Historically, the first |.A.S. Campout was held at New Salem State Park in 1956. Chairman was Elton 
Fawks of Moline who was vice-president of the Society at that time, and now is on the Board of Directors. 
180 members and guests registered for the affair — a record response. A Board meeting was held Saturday afternoon 
and that evening a banquet was held in the Illinois Room with (Darlene Fiske as Toastmistress. The featured speaker of the 
evening was Mr. Sam Lawton, Jr., former mayor of Highland Park, and now a member of the State Pollution Control Board. 
A Member’s Slide Show followed. Phil Masslick of the McHenry Chapter was the projectionist. Barbara Gay and some of her 
McHenry members supplied the table decorations, and also some door prizes. Former Director Walter Vogel brought along 
several of his 4—H Bird Study Group and their most interesting nature displays. 
Two field trips were conducted on Sunday. Leaders were Dr. Elizabeth Lunn, Ed Coffin and Terry Tatlon, all members 
of the Illinois Dunesland Preservation Society. Following a noon box lunch, list compiler Peter Dring reported a list of 109 
species. 
Karl Bartel exhibited color photos taken at Goose Lake Prairie, and also prepared a ‘’What Is It’’ nature identification 
exhibit. Winner was Mary Frisbee of McHenry County Chapter. Creeping Juniper, which is unique to Illinois by only growing 
at this State Park, has taken a good foothold in the Dunes area. The weather was magnificent. Darlene Fiske and her corps of 
workers received the plaudits of all. 
Helen A. Wilson 
WHY NOT TREAT YOURSELF TO A TWO—WEEK VACATION AT THE AUDUBON CAMP? 
It’s not too early to start thinking about summer vacation plans, and the Audubon Camp in Sarona, Wisconsin is 
now taking reservations for the coming season. Campers may sign up for the two-week sessions which begin on June 27 
and run through August 20. The enrollment fee is $150 plus tax, and this includes housing, meals, and instruction. 
The camp is located on the south shore of Devil’s Lake, 117 miles northeast of Minneapolis. For those who will 
not be driving, it is possible to reach Spooner, from which camp transportation is available, by bus from Chicago, 
Duluth or Minneapolis. Accommodations at the camp are in rustic cottages and everyone shares the washroom; 
however, private rooms are available for married couples. No children under 18 are permitted. 
The camp provides a real education in natural history with field trips in the morning and afternoon; the evenings 
are devoted to seminars. A $20 registration fee (non-refundable) must accompany all reservations. For information on 
dates of the different sessions and more complete details write: Audubon Camps, National Audubon Society, 1130 
Fifth Avenue. New York, N.Y. 10028. The Society also operates camps in Connecticut, Maine and Wyoming. The 
Wisconsin camp is now under the directorship of Ed Brigham who was formerly a regional representative in northern 
Illinois. 

LUSK CREEK THREATENED BY STRIP MINING OPERATIONS 
This summer the Illinois Department of Conservation purchased a key tract in the Lusk Creek Canyon area, and it was 
hoped that this would be the end of plans to dam the creek for another recreation lake. However, the fight to save the gorge 
may not be over, even if the Forest Service abandons its proposal to dam the canyon, for now the increased demand for low 
sulphur coal has made it economically feasible to strip mine a small seam of coal that is apparently widespread throughout 
the scenic Shawnee Hills of southern Illinois. 
Strip mining is already underway near the beautiful Pine Hollow area east of Dixon Springs in Pope County. It is 
rumored that lands have already been purchased in the Lusk Creek watershed for stripping, and such mining will surely 
pollute the clear waters of the creek with silt, sulphur and other toxic wastes. 
Two other outstanding natural areas that were also purchased by the Conservation Department as nature preserves are 
Heron Pond in Johnson County and two areas in Monroe County: Fults Hill Prairie and Kidd Lake Marsh. The prairie, which 
is situated on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi south of St. Louis, is famous for several rare prairie plants. At the foot of the 
bluff lies the marsh, which is a haven for muskrats and many species of birds, including the common gallinule. 
John Schwegman, V.P. Southern Illinois Chapter 
Box 661, Vienna, Illinois 62995 
