The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1957-04-19
JUST ABOUT ALL KINDS OF GAME
HAVE GOTTEN SCARCE. RESULT OF
MANY FACTORS OF CIVILIZATION
There are Many Good Reasons For Strict Conservation OF Our Dim
inisbinq Supply Of WiIdEfe. If Thinking People
Would Only Heed Them.

at the rate of million acres q
year. The loss has since been re-
duced by half, thanks largely to
an aggressive program of the Soil
Conservation Service in the De-
partment of Agriculture. But the
present day equivalent of $500
2OO-acre farms being carried on
the winds and floating down our
rivers and streams is much too
great for public peace of mind and
sportsmen's comfort. There is
much yee that remains to be done.
"Our record of land mismanage-
ment in this country certainly isn't
the only answer to the game con-
ditions we find today as compared
with the lush past. But it's one OF
the main answers to what's hap
pened. And, also, happily, it can
be an invaluable clue to what we
should be doing for wildlife if we
will but take heed of the record.
IF destruction of soil fertility
and with it habitat for wildlife can
cut the props from under game
supplies, then shouldn't it follow
that restoration of the good earth
can shore up a tottering wildlife
resource? 1t doesn't only logically
follow; it's being done. And the OPP
portunities are endless for benefit
ting wildlife in this revolution Of
land use.
To-day the American rural
scene is undergoing notable face
lifting. Thousands of farms have
been replanned in accordance with
technical know-how to reduce ero-
sion and restore fertility. Some of
the innovations in farming will be
detrimental to game, but many
more will contribute directly to
wildlife interests. The net effect
should be decidedly in the sports
mems favor. And we haven't yet
begun to capitalize fully on all the
possibilities.
Modern day land planning rec
ognizes multiple values even on
private areas" said DR.. Linduska.
"And while primary uses may en-
phasize cash farming, the encour-
agement of wildlife crops is an in
tegral part of progressive land
management. Most farms have
problem areas either uneconomical
to use or the intensive use of
which would hazard erosion conse-
quences. These spots, in particu-
lar, can be intensively managed for
game.
1.-THE planned farm of today rep
resents a program which wildlife
interests can well afford to tie to.
And Remington Arms Company
is doing just that. On the newly
acquired properties near Chester
town, Md, 3,O00-acre unit of col
lective farms will be dedicated in
large measure to working out and
demonstrating methods for boost
ing game production on farm
lands. Working in close co-opera-
ton with the Soil Conservation
Service and other land-use special
lists, a practical program of game
management will be fitted into
sound farm procedures.
"In addition to evaluating and
demonstrating food and cover COM
binations for common upland spe-
cies of farm game, attention will
be given to adapting the farm en-
vironment to waterfowl production.
Nearly 2 million ponds have been
built on farms and ranches in the
United States in the past 20 years.
And several million more are in
the offing. With proper knowhow,
ND