toro Ae Ue Le OU BROUNT BD Uli LA er sr N q 
1957. It is interesting to note that where fees are collected, vandalism has 
been reduced by over one-half. The small fees have brought much needed 
revenue to our state parks. 
ft fi al 
CONSERVATION CONFERENCE: The Natural Resources Council of Illinois will 
meet at Allerton Park near Monticello on Oct. 19, 20, 21. Among topics to 
be discussed are a Bi-Partisan Conservation Commission for Illinois; a 
more effective Hawk and Owl Law; creation of a State Scientific Areas 
Board; a forecast of proposed conservation legislation and the need for 
natural areas for public schools. 
ft ft ol 
ILLINOIS FOREST FIRES: The original forest area in Illinois was 15,000,000 
acres or about 40% of our total land acreage. Today, our state still has over 
3% million acres of timberland. Figures recently released by the U.S. 
Forest Service tell us that in 1954, over 390 fires caused 39,818 acres of 
woods to be destroyed. This is 15 thousand acres more than the combined 
total for Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Debris burning, game flushers, 
incendiarism, smokers, campers, railroads and lumbering are the major 
causes of woods fires. Over 90% of our Illinois timber is in private hands. 
ft fA 5 
AUDUBON SHRINE AND SANCTUARY: If you are vacationing in the East, be 
sure to visit Audubon, Pennsylvania and see the first home in America of 
this famous naturalist. The curator will be glad to show you some of the 
150 acres along Perkiomen Creek. Grand Mansion House, built in 1762, 
contains some of Audubon’s paintings. Across nearby Schuylkill River is 
famous Valley Forge. 
fi i ft 
NIKE UNITS ON LAKEFRONT: The Chicago Park District recently held public 
hearings on military installations made along Chicago’s lake shore in public 
parks. The park board has signed ten year leases with the U.S. Army for 
88.5 acres of lake front land for use as guided missile centers. The Army 
is paying the Chicago Park District one dollar for the ten year lease. 
Alderman Leon Despres and representatives of a score of organizations 
added their protests to this lake front grab. Lt. Gen. Arnold admitted the 
Army would prefer to have the missile centers about 7 miles out in the 
lake, but was forced ‘to construct them on public land because of the 
“emergency.” It appears this “emergency” will last ten years or more. The 
hearings made the park board more fully aware of the public’s attitude. 
fi fl fl 
FAcTts AND FIGURES: Among worthwhile Congressional bills now pending 
are: S. 890, a bill to extend the Federal Pollution Law; HR 103382, to create 
a Key Deer Refuge in Florida; HR 10635, to change the status of Dinosaur 
National Monument to a National Park. 
