Jers eure ONG Ba Le ker LN 23 
a es 
Now in the natural spring flooding and rise of Great Swamp water, 
some board walk trails in the diking pond area had floated apart. Others 
were submerged. It was glorious to see so much clear, blue water for 
wildlife, and we picked our way carefully. Overhead a skyful of swallows 
soared low, while shorebirds dabbled and waded in the brimmed ponds 
and marshes before our camera. 
In the wild spring woods the native dogwood and hawthorns were 
nm flower, bridal white in this wilderness hundreds of years old. The 
wildlife refuge will eventually encompass 6,000 acres of hardwood swamp, 
ipland timber, marsh and water, brush, grassland, pasture and cropland. 
Under management of the National Wildlife Refuge, this diverse habitat 
will become increasingly important for preservation of our natural environ- 
nent and protection of wildlife only 40 miles from New York City’s Times 
square. It will be a miracle in conservation education and recreation for 
generations to come. 
“The great beech tree,’ I suddenly called to our guide, “I must see 
hat 400-year-old beech tree that started soon after Columbus discovered 
America!” 
He stood as strong as an oak tree in his ten gallon hat. “If YOU could 
yet to that tree on the island in the middle of this swamp, so could the 
umberjacks in the 1800s, and they would have chopped it down long ago.” 
le smiled knowingly. “Always save something of today for tomorrow.” 
That evening on the porch as we watched the blue mists and purple 
wilight settle down over 6,000-acre Great Swamp, we stood in salute to 
he conservationists who saved the “great swamp” from a jetport ... from 
eing ravaged by bulldozers and scraped dry to the bone. Nature won this 
ime, and our outdoor American heritage was saved. Gift of the glacial 
ge, Great Swamp was probably 10,000 years in its creation. 
ole dedavelC fel OM IGE 
As you lie down to sleep at night 
You hear a noise that gives you fright. 
Outside the window peeping through 
See two bright eyes and ear tufts too. 
Away he flies without a sound 
‘To catch his supper on the ground. 
Patatamouse.a bird or bunny, 
“Tis better far to him than honey. 
Little screech owl, you look sleepy, 
Blinking in the sunlight there: 
Your round eyes and funny ear tufts 
Give you quite a surprised air. 
—Esther Ann Craigmile 
1874-1969 
