THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 
Published Quarterly by the 
ILLINOIS AUDUBON SOCIETY 
Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Ill. 60605 
Number 159 
September 1971 
BARKHAUSEN HAILS CONSERVATION ‘COALITION’ 
IN SUPPORT OF SCENIC RIVERS LEGISLATION 
House Bill 2659, the proposed 
“Scenic Rivers Act,’ is the most 
significant conservation legislation 
Illinois has seen in many years, 
Conservation Director Henry N. 
Barkhausen is saying now. 
Speaking to conservationists 
Barkhausen said the bill also is 
unique because it is perhaps the 
first legislation to attract support 
from all the conservation groups — 
active and passive recreation ad- 
vocates, preservationists, sports- 
men’s organizations, and environ- 
mentally-oriented citizens’ groups. 
The bill seeks to preserve por- 
tions of Illinois waterways possess- 
ing scenic, recreational, geological, 
faunal, floral and_ historical values. 
Passed by the House 145-20, it was 
consigned to a Senate subcommit- 
tee in the waning days of the past 
legislation session. It will be con- 
sidered again when the legislature 
reconvenes in October. 
Barkhausen described the Scenic 
Rivers Act as “a move to preserve 
some of this state’s natural values 
which simply will not be with us 
if we do not make some effort now 
to save them.” 
“There is no doubt in my mind 
that without efforts such as the 
Scenic Rivers Bill to preserve these 
rivers, or the modest segments of 
them that have been suggested, 
they will not only be polluted, 
they will be transformed from 
natural rivers into drainage ditch- 
es,” the Director told the assembly. 
John T. Case of Park Ridge, 
national treasurer of Izaak Walton 
League of America, Inc. and an 
outdoor writer, called the meeting 
of conservationists to discuss a 
campaign for passage of the Act. 
In attendance were representatives 
of the Illinois Audubon Society, 
Izaak Walton League, League of 
Women Voters, Illinois Wildlife 
Federation, Illinois Paddling Coun- 
cil, Illinois Natural History Survey, 
Students for Environmental Con- 
cerns, Independent Voters of Illi- 
nois, Conservation Coordinators, 
Inc., plus several school teachers, 
outdoor writers and a delegate 
from the Illinois Attorney Gen- 
eral’s Office. 
A documentary film _ entitled 
“Wild Rivers” was shown by 
Vaughn Hilty, Woodstock, for the 
American Fishing Tackle Manu- 
facturers’ Association, and _ slides 
contrasting scenic and channelized 
streams were presented by John 
G. Warren, supervisor of the Con- 
servation Department’s Education 
Division. 
Barkhausen said the “Scenic 
Rivers Bill” designation might be 
