
DAM THREATENS MIDDLE FORK OF THE VERMILION RIVER 
Despite the fact that it was recommended for wild river status to the Department of Conservation in 1970, the 
Vermilion River in the Wabash Valley Wathershed is now threatened by a dam proposed by the Division of Waterways in the 
Illinois Department of Public Works. This plan is beginning the land acquisition phase even though the Illinois State Water 
_ Survey has said privately that the Benefit: Cost ratio is unfavorable and the lake will be subject to heavy siltation. 
Unmentioned is the loss to those who enjoy canoeing and seeing a river in its natural state. On June 12 and 13 
conservationists participated in a weekend of canoeing at Kickapoo State Park in an event sadly titled: ‘Farewell to the 
Middle Fork”’. 
IS YOUR SCHOOL LIVING UP TO THE CONSERVATION EDUCATION LAW? 
if After the Enviromental clinic that | attended at SIU last fall, | came home and sent letters to 26 school principals. the 
| President of the Board of Education, and the Superintendent of Schools here in Galesburg. | asked whether they were 
' fulfilling the State law regarding conservation education in the schools. This law was enacted in 1965, but the state has done 
little to encourage its enforcement. 
| followed up my inquiry with information about the National Audubon Camps and listed sources where they might 
obtain environmental information. | met personally with local science teachers and several principals; and since then | have 
talked to four 8th grade. classes (40 minutes each); a high school Ecology Action class; and gone on a field trip to a privately 
owned (college) biological field station with 120 children comprising the whole sixth grade unit from one of our middle 
schools. | find that here in our school district, we are doing a very proficient job of environmental teaching as well as some 
active field work. The Environmental class has had several clean-ups of main artery streets in town, and a stream along a 
_ yhetto neighborhood which was formerly our city dump. 
Evidently the children were impressed with the talk and the Audubon material | distributed. In fact, one was the child 
of a member of the League of Women voters, who reported so favorably at their meeting, that | have been asked, and 
, accepted, several speaking engagements for this fall. | think that if each Audubon chapter or affiliate club would send a letter 
) to the local school district, it would prompt them to be aware, and perhaps to do something, if they are not already. 
2. Letters of thanks have been received from IIlinois Parks Department, Department of Conservation, National Audubon 
' Society, for our scholarship to a state employee of the Rock Cut State Park — Mr. David Salley. He will give a report of his 
| camp experience at any IIlinois Audubon meeting we designate. 
3. At the IAS State meeting | suggested that through our IAS President we propose to Mr. Henry Barkhausen, the 
_ Director of Conservation, that the Division of Waterways be transferred to the jurisdiction of the Department of Conservation 
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and that every project for damming, ditching or dredging any river in Illinois be reviewed separately and individually, with a 
trained biologist-ecologist to give advice and counsel. | suggested, also, that a copy of the proposal be sent to the Governor - 
Attention: John Daley; Mike Schneidermann, 189 W. Madison, Chicago, III. 60602; John McCarter, Bureau of the Budget, 
Capitol Bldg., and to Lt. Governor Paul Simon. 
The List of Illinois Rivers proposed for destruction under the combined resources of the Division of Waterways and the 
Army Corps of Engineers is heartbreakingly long - six full columns in small print in the Legislative Synopsis. We must stop 
them. This is under the archaic principal of the ‘best for the most’. How do ‘they’ know what is best for the most???? 
Alice Palmer, Chairman 
State Affairs Com. 
CONGRATULATIONS to IAS Board member, Pete Dring, who has been appointed Director, Little Red School House - 
Nature Center in Cook County. 

































