Wilcox, A. N.

English

University of Minnesota, Morris (UMM): Digital Well

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science Volume 17 Number 1 Article 3 4-1949 Report From the Chairman of the Committee on the Preservation of Natural Conditions A. N. Wilcox Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/jmas  Part of the Life Sciences Commons, and the Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons Recommended Citation Wilcox, A. N. (1949). Report From the Chairman of the Committee on the Preservation of Natural Conditions. Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science, Vol. 17 No.1, 68-70. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/jmas/vol17/iss1/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at University of Minnesota Morris Digital Well. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science by an authorized editor of University of Minnesota Morris Digital Well. For more information, please contact skulann@morris.umn.edu. 68 THE- MINNESOTA AcA))EMY OF ScIBNCE REPORT FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PRESERVATION OF NATURAL CONDITIONS A. N. WILCOX The establishment of this permanent committee of the Minnesota . Academy of Science was authorized at the annual meeting in 1937. The original committee consisted of W. J. Breckenridge, R. L. Dono-van, T. B. Magath, H. E. Stork, Gustav,Swanson, and A. N. Wilcox, 1 chairman. In the iµtervening years the personnel of the. committee has undergone a number of changes. · · · Soon after the establishment of this committee, systematic_ inqui- • ries were made of persons in all parts of the state, including members of the Academy, county agricultural agents and other agricultural. extension. workers, and teachers in colleges and high schools con-cerning the location of tracts of land which ought to. pe considered for preservation, because of their natural history values, for scien-tific and educational purposes. These inquiries resulted in the loca-tion of _about thirty tracts, principally coniferous fore'st, deciduous forest, and prairie. Most of these were investigated further. In addition, a study was made of the Soil Conservation Service. ~erial . photographs of the southern part of the state where the deciduous forests had been indigenous, in orderto locate any large and-promis-ing tracts of that type which had not been reported. The most promising areas were then visited· by a subcommittee consisting of W. J. Breckenridge, L. M. Gould, C. 0. Rosendahl, Gustav Swanson, and A. N. Wilcox. . · . After these· .. sur"'eys had been made it was decided that the com-mittee might well direct its attention first to three projects: .(1) the establishment of a study area in Itasca State Park, (2) the preserva-tion of the Nerstrand Woods in Rice County, and (3) the pres-. ervation of Cedar Creek Bog and surrounding area in Anoka and Isanti Counties. The first of these was. undertaken because it offered the possibility of some immediate returns iri the way of facilities for field studies; the other two, beca_use the areas were threatened with the destruction <Jf their natural history values. It was recog-nized that there were other areas deserving. attention, particularly the Forestville Woods in Fillmore County, King's Bluff in Winona County, and ai:t area.of unbroken prairie, but it seemed desirable to concentrate on those with mqre immediate need or promise. It was hoped that the establishment of a natural area on land· already preserved in Itasca State Park, convenient to the Biological Field Station of the University of Minnesota and to the camping facilities in the Park, might encourage participation in coordinated biological surveys .that would increase in attractiveness and value with the-passage of time. In 1938 a subcommittee of A. M. Elliott, A.·A. Granovsky, J. Manweiler, C. 0. Rosendahl, A. C. Vogele, and : ' - ' \~ - - ' . -P~o~EiEDINGS, YoLUME SEV]!JNTEEN, 1949. 69 '.Gustav ~wanson~- chairman, .accord1rigly s~lected a ~'uitable area ·of 1900 acres across the lake from_ the Biological.Field. Station and pre-pared a, bJueprint' map. This_ was reported in the Proceedings for , 1939, . - - · - · · The Nerstrand Woods, about ten miles southeast of Northfield, in Rice. County, was selected for attentic:m -because it was both.de-sirable and threatened. Lying· GOnsiderably east of the Big Woods;. · it-was·probably a relict outpost of the fQrests which had extended · upward along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. At an early -date it· had been divided · into , small woodlots which' were· sold to far,mers living on the surrounding prairie. The individual l1~ldings . were too small to be _fenced and grazed,' with the result that the· · forest floor was remarkably preserv~d. The timber; p~incipally oak-. ·elm-maple~basswood forest, was about what would be expected from , good forest ma'nag~ment. A stream with an attractive waterfall. . · flowed through a r_ather deep valley with limestone outcrops. The proximity of this forest to Carleton College and St. Olaf Coliege 'at . Northfield and the moderate distance to Minneapolis al).d ·st. Paul· · : were factors incre,asing its potential _valu~ for scientific purposes. Al- .. , . though the value of this area 4ad long been recogniz~d and its pres~ : ervation -urged, certain -portions· were already being completely . cleared··and _others 'were being sold for that purpose, · ~ · The possibility 'of ownership by one or the other- of the colleges at Northfield was explored. Efforts were repeated to obtain a state -, appropriation to preserve the forest as a state park. Although this• · bill· was not passed, sufficient suppbrt was created so that much of what was desired was accomplished by other means. Through the , ipassage of a constitutional amendment and''an ennabling act, a mechanism w~s .provided for the exchange of lands _between .the State of Minnesota and the Federal Government. The National For-est R~servation Commission then bought 467.55 acres cif land in the.··• Nerstrand Woods and .transferred ownership to the State in return for other lands. The Nerstrand Woods State Park ,was then es,tab-lished by a1legislative act which.-provided that a 'portion of the la!id. included could be used for public recreational purposes, but·that a portio1_unust be reserved for forestry or other studies to be carried out with the approval of the Regents' of the University of Minne_sota, It should be pointed out that some of the most desirable parts - of this forest .have not _yet ·been acquired. It is recommended that , · · attention be given to the ne_ed of acquiring these tracts arid incot--. porating them as soon as· prai::tical into the Nerstrand Woods State -Park. · 1 • The preservation of Cedar Cr.eek For.est in Anoka and Isanti __ .- Counties was important because this was the southern relict outpost nearest to Minneayolis and St. Paul of the Canadian type of forest with its characteri~tic_plant an,d animal life. Red pine, jack pine,. ···and thick forests of white pine occurred on the hills with tamarack . , , and d~nse_ stands of white cedar a,nd black spru.ce in the swamps. • ' I • ,I 70 THE MINNESOTA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE Deer were plentiful and beavers were active along the.creek. Ruffed grouse, spruce grouse, the Canada jay and the arctic three-toed woodpecker were found there. Although fire scan; on some of the old' pipes revealed the invasion of -fire many years ago, the presence of large specimens -of prostrate junipers attested to the freedom from· fire which had been,enjoyed by other portions of the area. . It was concluded that the University of Minnesota would be the best possible custodian of this area. Correspondence begun in March, 1940, with President Guy Stanton Ford led to the drafting of an agreement between the Academy and the.University which was con-cluded on December 11, 1942, while Walter C. Coffey was president. It was recognized that the area to be preserved should be com-pact, should have easily defined boundaries, and should ·be· large enough not only ·to include the different types of vegetation and topography needed to make it the most useful but also to include an adequate range for the wild life and ~o minimize disturbance and undesirable migration. A size of at least 800 acres and possibly up to 1600 acres was recommended. . Contributions of land and of money for the purchase of land were . solicited from a variety of sources. Through the generous contribu-tions of many individuals and one charitable foundation, 320 acres have been purchaseq by the Academy and· deeded to the University. In addition, 130 acres were given directly to the University by indi- , vidual donors. A total of 450 acres in this forest has thus been pre-• Served. · It is recommended that fugi1s be sought as soon as possible to acquire other tracts as they come on the market, and particularly to acquire 260 acres which have been bought by-friends of the Acad-emy to be turned over at cost. It should be emphasized that the regular funds of the Academy have not been used for the purchase of_ land, for other costs, or for the development of Cedar Creek Forest. All the funds, the real estate, and legal services have been generous contributions, for which the committee tenders its grateful acknowledgement. It is important, however, for the Academy as a· whole to complete the fund-raising aspects of this project as soon as possible. · · Arrangements for the administration of this area have already been effected as reported .. by 0. T. Walter, chairman of the Academy's ~dvisory committee on the administration of .Cedar Creek Forest, and considerable progress has since been made in the development of facilities to aid in the conduct of research work there. It is recom-. mended that the chairman of the Committee on Preservation of Natural Conditions -prepare a report on the progress of the Cedar Creek -Forest project to be published in the 1950 Proceedings. A. N. WILcox, chairman · F. H. EYRE -w. J. BRECKENRIDGE H. E. STORK w. s. COOPER -o, T.:WALTER 

Report From the Chairman of the Committee on the Preservation of Natural Conditions

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Report From the Chairman of the Committee on the Preservation of Natural Conditions

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