die AU DIU BO N Bel iE anN 23 
flowering plants are found within the proposed conservation pool elevation 
of 636 feet. (Jones, 1967.) Another botany expert has said, “Some of the 
common flowering plants that will be largely or entirely lost to the Park 
with flooding include four to five species of violets, two species of Cardinal 
iowers, bluebell, putty root orchid, snow trillium, Christmas fern, green 
dragon, touch me not, and marsh marigold.” (Bliss, 1968.) One of the 
largest patches of showy orchids in Allerton will be destroyed by the 
“conservation” pool. (Stannard, 1967.) 
4c. Would the educational and research values of the Park be altered? 
Yes. With the destruction of the forest and the plant and wildlife, the 
educational and research benefits of the Park to all the people of Illinois 
would be greatly reduced. The natural area has been used by approximately 
300 public school teachers and their classes each year, and by nearly 3,000 
campers at the Illinois 4-H camp each summer for nature studies. (Root, 
1967), and by several hundred students annually in 21 University courses 
(Klimstra et al., 1967.) 
In addition, an estimate has been made, based upon questionnaires sent to 
scientists, of the research value of the Park. A minimum of $2,000,000 has 
been spent developing quality research in over 50 research projects by the 
University and the State Natural History Survey. (Stannard, 1967.) “In one 
research project (alone) there have been 16 Master’s theses prepared. This 
project along with another has involved a study of yearly changes in animal 
and plantlife since 1946. The scientific values of these studies increase 
exponentially with time, and have not been carried out elsewhere over so 
long a period (22 years).” (Klimstra, et al., 1967.) The Committee on Na- 
tural Areas has stated, “We know of no other floodplain forest of com- 
parable value within easy access to the campus—it is irreplaceable.” 
(Kendeigh, et al., 1966.) 
4d. Would the Park, as an example of landscape architecture, be preserved? 
No. “From his early youth it was Robert Allerton’s dream and as it now 
stands it is the product of his imagination. Land developed in this way 
is becoming rare. These woods and gardens are a gentleman’s estate, now 
maintained by the University as an outdoor museum piece where people 
may see a sample of landscape architecture of rare elegance.” (Danford, 
et al., 1951.) Mr. Allerton’s son, Mr. J. G. Allerton, a noted architect, has 
said “It should be regarded as a complete work of art and nature for 
the aesthetic enjoyment of the visitor ... the concept that my father had 
of a house and garden set in a wooded landscape would be destroyed. The 
trees in the bottomland do more to the beauty of the park than most 
people imagine, or will comprehend, until the trees are bulldozed out.” 
(Allerton, 1967.) 
4e. Would its value as a Public Park be altered? 
Yes. The Park was conceived as a whole with the gardens developed in a 
setting of trees. The Park is a place of refuge and quiet, and approximately 
100,000 visitors have come each year (Root, 1967) to enjoy and appreciate 
it as such. The essence of the Park has been described by Mr. J. G. Allerton: 
“Looking over the forest, or looking down into the deep shade is refreshing 
after the hot and flat prairies or city structure.” (Allerton, 1967.) With the 
bulldozing of 600 acres of the forest outright, and the slow loss of the trees 
that cannot tolerate flooding in the 193 acres above the conservation pool, 
the whole character of Allerton Park as “the Woodland Property” (Board 
of Trustees Minutes, 1946) would be lost forever. 
