The Independent-News, Volume 103, Number 33, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 19 January 1978 — Page 12

JANVARY 19. 1978 - THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS

WILDLIFE TODAY By Jim New Wildlife Biologist Indiana Division of Fish & Wildlife "A southwest wind stirred the forest cattails, purple-blooming pickeral weed and soft-stem bullrushes that surround a bayou of open water. The airboat’s clattering motor and huge propeller pushed it toward an expanse of yellow and white water lilies, some still sheltering delicate and brilliant flowers among their elephant-ear leases “Suddenly, the blue sky ahead was filled with an explosion of ducks, aroused from their hidden feeding areas in this watery wilderness. A shy Virginia rail was glimpsed momentarily streaking for a new hiding place. Two marsh wrens' nests swayed from clumps of cattails, each woven tightly from the stalks of the abundant sedge grass .... “In the distance, from our vantage point deep in the swamp, we were show n four separate stands of tamarack trees, a greater collection of the larch species than is found anywhere in the state ...” This is not a description of Georgia’s Okefenokee swamp, nor of Florida's Everglades National Park, but rather a description (by the editor of Rochester’s “The Sentinel’’ of the Lake Manitou Islands Wetland Area right here in Indiana. It is considered by state conservationists to be one of the most unique and valualble wetland areas remaining in Indiana. It is also one of the areas the Nature Conservancy, the Indiana Chapter of The Wildlife Society, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources are planning to protect from the developer’s bulldozer. At one time, Indiana had about three million acres of prime wetland areas. The Kankakee Marsh alone once contained over one and

OjyjnMWM OUR HOOSIER STATE ■IaKmUUSI beheath us INDIANA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES r jnF GLOLOGIC HELD MAPPING: Grassroots Geology Helps Solve Surface Problems and F ind Mineral Deposits

Geologists locate and study rock formations and unconsolidated materials throughout the slate to prepare maps and reports that show their location, describe them, and explain how they relate to each other. Hammer, hand lens, acid bottle, compass, and altimeter are among the basic tools used by the field geologist. Often he must thrash through briars, ford streams, and climb hills to reach, study, and identify a distinctive outcropping or

one-half million acres. Yet. today, we have only a skeleton of about ten thousand acres remaining, and appear determined to scrap the remains. It is ironic that the destruction of our natural wetland areas has taken place at such a rapid pace, especially in light of the fact that people spend literally millions of dollars to construct the very same things that wetland areas provide at no cost. Aside from the important fact that wetland areas produce more variety and number of wildlife than any other type of habitat, the public sen ice functions of wetlands are also substantial. Wetland areas provide a natural treatment of waterborne pollutants as well as a means to filter out excess nutrients from human wastes and farming. Thev also provide for the establishment of an area to rechard ground water for wells and a holding area for flood waters, which also carry silt and sediment, a major stream and lake polluting factor. In fact, when all of the benefits of wetland areas are added up. the societal purchase price is between $50,000.00 and $80,000.00 per acre. Another way of looking at it is that it would cost us at least $50,000.00 per acre to replace all of the functions that a wetland performs. It makes little sense to destroy a marsh just to create a fewmore acres of farm land or an area for a housing subdivision and then, in the next year, spend a million dollars to construct a levee to protect that very same area from flooding. We cannot, of course, undo all of the past destruction of our wetland areas, but we certainly can protect and properly manage the wetlands that remain in the state. In fact, each and every citizen of Indiana has a unique opportunity to play a direct role in this conservation project. The Indiana Chapter of The Wildlife Society and The Nature Conservancy will need help in purchasing the 107 acre Manitou Is-

exposure. Geologic maps define the limits of possibly hazardous foundation conditions, provide basic information needed for environmental, urban, and industrial planning, and show the most likely locations of commercial mineral deposits. Interpretative discussions and cross sections enable planners, architects, highway and construction engineers, soil scientists, and others to use geologic information on the maps and in the reports

lands Wetland Area. If the $20,000.00 purchase price can be raised, the TNC will turn this property over to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ Wetlands Conservation Program for perpetual protection and management. Our wetland’s wildlife productivity. their wide range of uses, and their critical hydrological value, justify every effort to conserve and manage this valuable resource in a proper manner. Support the Lake Manitou Wetlands Area conservation effort with your contribution today. Dean Jessup, RR 2. Box 395. Syracuse. Indiana 46567 will be handling any and all contributions sent his way addressed to Wetlands — Indiana Chapter of the Wildlife Society. For more information about this conservation project or any other aspect of our wildlife resources, contact Jim New, District Wildlife Biologist, 5344 South Hupp Road, LaPorte, Indiana 46350 or telephone 393-3612. LW ANNUAL DINNER SET The 64th Annual Meeting and Award Dinner has been set by United Way. The dinner is scheduled for January 24, 1978 at Hedwig Memorial Center. A no-host social hour will be held from 6:15 p.m. with a Polish Wedding Dinner, consisting of sausage, chicken, noodles and home made pies, at 7:15. The program according to Patrick L. O'Malley, Jr., president of the board of directors, will consist of three parts. Part one will consist of reports from the five divisions and committees from the past year, and include the annual meeting activities. Part two will be the presentation of awards to campaign volunteers and to the employee groups of the Fair Share and Merit Achievement companies. The final part of the program will be a musical presentation by the 50 member Bethel College Concert Choir under the direction of Pro-

fessor Elliott Nordgren. Annual reports on the activities on each of the five year 'round United Way divisions and committees will be given by: Campaign. Dr. George M. Haley; Labor Participation, W. Jack Richards; Planning. Dr. Thomas F. Broden; Communication, Paula Stott; and Evaluation and Allocations by Stanley B. Smith Awards will be presented to various volunteers including campaign workers on the Unit. Division and Section levels and Loaned Executives. Certificates of recognition will be presented to outgoing members of the board of directors and year 'round committees. Communication awards will be presented to Panel Ads of South Bend for the donation of space on the city trash cans. Frank E. Sullivan. Sr. for his participation in the campaign kick-off; to Governor Otis R. Bowen. Congressman John J. Brademas and Jack J. Colwell for their involvement in the Appreciation Dinner. Awards will also be given to the members of the St. Mary’s Marketing Gass and to Willie Fry, Joe Restic and Ken MacAfee for production of the Notre Dame football public service spots. New members will be elected to the board of directors. The organizational meeting of the board and election of officers will be held following the dinner. Invitations have been sent to 500 people, but according to O’Malley,

OUR POLICY News articles must be submitted by l:0U p.m. on luesdays. Display advertising must be in our office as follow^: Any size less than one page —by 11:00 am. Tuesdays Page or larger, less than a double truck —by 5:00 p.m. on Mondays Double Truck (2 pages) —by 11:00 am. on Mondays. Any advertisement on which proof must be supplied the customer —by 9:00 a.m. on Mondays. Proofs must be read in our office. Classified ads must be submitted by 1:00 p.m. on Tuesdays. Minimum charge $1.25 for first 25 words, 2c a word thereafter. Classifieds will not be taken over the telephone or will not be charged. Pictures submitted may be picked up following the edition that they appear in and should be black and white prints if possible. All notices stating a paying event will be a paid notice. (If you charge, we charge.) Cards of thanks, memoriums and Happy Ads arc SI.OO each.

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the meeting and dinner is open to anyone and reservations can be made by contacting the United Way. The cost is $5.25 per person. SERVICE NOTES January 8 — Marine Lance Corporal Raymond C. Price, son of Mr. and Mrs. Willis L. Price, of Walkerton, Indiana, has been promoted to his present rank while serving with Marine Barracks, Naval Activities. London. He joined the Marine Corps in January 1976. JAYCEE BASKETBALL LEAGUE STANDINGS Wolf’s Den 71 St. Joe County Merchants 6 3 Honey-Comb 5 3 Communitv State Bank 6 4 N & H Vending 5 4 Sam's Bar 5 3 Raiders I Norwesco 1 9 NEW DAWN To be successful in this life a man must forget his losses and setbacks and start over. REDUCE FATALITIES Even at this late date you can make 1978 better by driving safely on the highways. World peace consists of worldwide neighborliness.