Increase of United States Waterfowl

Forest and Bird, Issue 59, 1 February 1941, Page 7

Increase of United States Waterfowl

AN increase of 50 per cent, in the waterfowl population of the United States has been effected through Federal restrictions on shooting and establishment of bird refuges, according to Dr. Ira N. Gabrielson, Chief of the United States Biological Survey, in an address before the thirty-fifth annual convention of the National Association of Audubon Societies at the American Museum of Natural History.

The Federal programme for wild life conservation has made such progress during the last six years, he told the convention, that nearly 12,000,000 acres have been added to waterfowl refuges, which now cover 13,500,000 acres, as against 1,600,000 acres in 1933.

As a consequence, he said, the waterfowl population which includes ducks, geese, brant and other birds ha,-, practically doubled. To establish more units in sections where there is need, Dr. Gabrielson urged the restoring of marsh ground.

“One hundred million acres of marsh land has been destroyed in the United States in the last 50 years,” he declared. “If we can put back 7,500,000 acres, we will be doing well. We feel it is necessary to have at least 3,500,000 additional acres of marsh in strategic points before we can be absolutely assured of the safety of the migratory waterfowl population. This 3,500,000 acres of marsh, if and when it is restored, will also mean much to all of the nongames species which utilise such environment.”

(“Christian Science Monitor.”)

Poor Soil makes Poor Communities and Poor People —Patrick Henry