Omaha daily bee., 1910-09-17
CONSERVATION IN NEBRASKA
Scientists Would Have Forest Pre-
serves Along Missouri River.
WANT STATE PARK AT BELLEVUE
Committee f. Organized 20 Get state
Legislature Go Expend 100000
I'm Forest Conservation I'm
sRrpy County.

To get the state OF Nebraska into the
swing OF the conservation movement and
to give us forest reserve Of our own, an
association OF scientific men has been or
ganized and a government expert has made
an examination Of the land east Of SaFpy
county between Bellevue and South Omaha
+. w Morrell. assistant government
forester in the Denver office. has been in
Bellevue during the past week going over
the tract of wooded land that lies between
the village OF Bellevue and South Omaha,
north and south. and between the boulevard
road and the river. east and west. The
tract contains about 1900 acres Of steep
hills and bluffs covered with shrubbery
and trees and small parts of 1t are under
cultivation.
The plan for a state forest reserve Is
being fathered by an organization called
the Nebraska State Conservation commig-
sion and a committee of scientists, includ-
ing Prof @. Il. Condra and Prof. F. c.
Phillips Of the University of Nebraska and
Prof. A. A. Tyler Of Bellevue college. con-
templates the purchase of this land by
the state. 1t would probably cost between
100000 and $4,000, since it is worth all
the way from SIS ~ 500 an acre. The only
part under cultivation is mostly in truck
farms and no agricultural lands would be
sacrificed.
The commission believes that the land
would do the state more good IL allowed to
grow up in timber than Il ever would as
farm land, and according to the govern
ment forester. enough cord wood could be
sold from the waste every year to pay for
the maintenance OF the necessary care
takers.
Better for Forests than Farms.
The steep BANKS are not very available
for agriculture" said Mr.. Morrell, but are
well adapted to trees. There are about
900 acres with a good stand Of timber. The
principal varieties are oak, elm, Eastwood,
black walnut and hickory. The oak grows
In three varieties, burr, scarlet and red OF
which the burr oak is the best product
Il will report favorably on the plan and
will do everything l can to help. but of
course the government forestry service can
only give advice In the matter. There is
nothing to induce the government to take
an active interest in getting the park es-
tablished."
The strip OF bluff and hill land along the
bank OF the Missouri three miles long and
a mills in width has a great many natural
advantages for park and II the state
would take control by having a commission
appraise and purchase IT, the preserve
could be utilized for a great many edu-
cational purposes.
The friends of the scheme would favor
the establishment Of extensive horticultural
gardens and government fish hatcheries.
The agricultural and science departments
of the state university could bring parties
to this tract for experimental inRestiga-
tons. 1t would be traversed with fine boul-
evards and could be used as a recreation
park on a huge scale for people from all
over the east end OF the state All these
things are planned by the conservation en-
thusiasts.
There is added scientific interest in the
Indian mounds that exist along the tops
of the knobs everywhere in the bluffs
They are prehistoric dwellings and are full
OF relics OF value to anthropologists and
chronological investigators.
As soon as Mr.. Morrells formal report is
issued by the government 1t will be used
by the commission as a basis for the cam
paign Of education which is to awaken the
people Of the state to the fact that they
can at a small cost secure for themselves
q beautiful and well wooded preserve
which can be maintained profitably.
The university men are backed by num-
Der of professional men, including DIR. Her.
bert clifford OF Omaha and w. r. Patrick
and DR.. Belize of South Omaha The next
legislature will be asked to consider the
Immediate execution OF the plan.