14 THE AUDUBON’ SB UE Dehetre 
Conservation News and Notes 
By RAYMOND MOSTEK 
IF PART OF THE vast funds now being spent by the federal government on 
military aspects of its program were instead spent for needed conservation 
projects, what would we be able to accomplish in this country? Many con- 
servationists can only deplore the vast amount of land acquired and used 
by the military forces of the U.S.A.; we look with dismay upon the huge 
store of goods consumed daily by the Pentagon. If a greater share of funds 
were used to solve the social and economic problems of the world, and some 
of the expenses were diverted for renewing our natural resources, what 
wonders could be performed! Mi. Charles Stoddard of ‘Resources for the 
Future,” quoted in the July, 1958 issue of Outdoor America, has summarized 
some of the “unfinished business” before conservation agencies and suggests 
that these projects could be used to help counter the recession and employ 
150,000 men over a ten-year period: 
FORESTRY: Reforestation of 28 million acres and expansion of fire pro- 
tection on 200 million acres and related activities would cost $2.6 billion. 
SOILS AND WATERSHEDS: Revegetation of strip mines, purchase and retire- 
ment of 13 million acres of dust bowl lands and related activities, $5.1 
billion. NATIONAL PARKS AND FoRESTS: Improvements and added land pur- 
chases and related activities, $2.6 billion. FISH AND WILDLIFE: Improve- 
ments on Wildlife Refuges, expansion of research programs and purchase 
of added wetlands and related activities, $1.2 billion. POLLUTION CONTROL: 
Construction of modern waste treatment facilities, $5 billion. If other much 
needed conservation projects were added to the above list, it would total 
over $17 billion. Our 1959 military budget is expected to reach $42 billion. 
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ACCORDING TO MILTON THOMPSON of the Illinois State Museum, a rare 
Whooping Crane has been sighted in Southern Illinois. ... Trumpeter Swans, 
which are the largest and rarest of North American waterfowl, have nested 
successfully for the first time in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in 
Oregon. Officials had been attempting to establish a Trumpeter breeding 
population on the refuge for eight years. .., Illinois rural mail carriers 
have seen more pheasants in 1958 than during a similar observation period 
last year. Big counts were noted in Ford, Livingston, Kankakee, McLean, 
DeKalb, McHenry and LaSalle counties. 
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WHOOPING CRANES INCREASE: The National Wildlife Federation reports 
that 16 Whooping Cranes, including five young of the year, have arrived 
safely at the Wildlife Refuge at Aransas, Texas. Two other “baby” 
whoopers have been sighted en route, raising hopes that the remaining 
flock of the nation’s largest bird may be growing. Whooping Cranes have 
produced more than five young only three times during the past 20 years. 
Reports of whoopers this fall have come from far outside their regular 
migration route, including Montana, Missouri, and Illinois. If the returning 
birds do not suffer losses en route, the count may exceed 32 cranes. 
