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Show PROTECTING OUR WILDLIFE try out a sustainable Wetlands Conservation Saves Wildlife vided fencing and water development to ranchers who, in turn, agreed to divide pastures and rotate (NAPS) method of livestock grazing, Ducks Unlimited pro- Making a splash with many Ameri- cans concerned about saving wildlife-- as well as our health and our econo-my-a plan to preserve our wetlands. Wetlands-marsh- es and livestock to avoid overgrazing at specific sites. Rotating pastures allows grass to is swamps-a- re improve and helps retain moisture. Ranchers using this method report overall improvements in the quality of their pastures. In Californias Sacra- the single most productive source of life on earth, ecologists agree. Perhaps no other single natural resource provides us with so many benefits: Cleaner water in lakes and rivers. Drinking water, thanks to recharged groundwater. Protection from flooding and soil erosion. Commercial and recreational swimming. Boating, swimming and other outdoor sports. Habitat for 600 wildlife species, many endangered. Unfortunately, for the past 200 years, laws and policies which encouraged filling and draining wetland areas caused the destruction of more than 100 million acres of wetlands in the U.S. Wildlife numbers, especially waterfowl, have dimin mento Valley, Private farming methods heip for wildlife and wetlands landowners preserve well. as and profits improve productivity ished as wetlands have property for agriculture. Conservation-oriente- Lands biologists are working with rice farmers to demonstrate how flooding techniques will help them d gov- Hundreds of landowners enrolled in Ducks ernments and private orga- Unlimited's Private Lands disappeared. Federal and state nizations have tried to abate further losses by wetland acreage. Program have already enjoyed such welcome results as better weed pur-chasi- However, 74 percent of the build a rice roller" to flat- control, higher crop yields, remaining wetlands in improved grazing the continental U.S. are found on private property, primarily farm land. The cost of taking this land out of agricultural production is simply too high. Thats why Ducks ten rice stems into the mud after harvest. The pas- tures and more waterfowl such and wildlife-an- d projects can be implemented at little or no cost to the farmer. Successful g oup also assisted with the timing, duration and depth specifications to flood the rice fields during growing season. Winter flooding decomposes the rice stubble and at the same time creates needed habitat for water fowl. projects include: On the Great Plains, low annual rainfall can Unlimited, a conservation leave ranchers with organization with over one-ha- lf comply with new state environmental laws. To demonstrate an effective alternative to burning remaining crop stubble, Ducks Unlimited helped million members, parched, depleted grasslands and serious soil erosion problems on croplands. To enable land-owne- is working with private landowners to enhance their wetlands and ensure continued use of their rs in North Dakota to RV Travelers: Take These Safety Tips Driving an RV is only different, not difficult. By paying special attention to differences in RV vehicle size, RV height and weight, first-tim- e drivers can leam to maneuver an RV efficiently and safely. Here are some suggestions from the Shell Motorist Club (SMC) and the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) that will help you. Vehicle size. Because RVs are larger, drivers should practice handling the vehicle on a residential street or empty parking lot. After getting a better feel for RV size, drivers can avoid making too-tigturns, crowding other traffic and stationary objects. For maximum visability, adjust and use all ht side-swipi- rear view mirrors. Vehicle height. RV drivers must always check signs indicating road lower gears to slow the RV so only occasional braking is necessary. Shell Motorist Club is an indepenautomobile club dent, which provides nationwide coverage for all drivers and spouses in any passenger vehicle, including RVs and motorcycles. ducs-support- ed For more information on SMC or membership, call write P.O. Box 60199, Chicago, IL 60660. clearances under service station canopies and bridges. Its a good idea to measure the total RV height and clearly mark the information on the dashboard of the motor home and tow vehicle. Vehicle weight. The heavier Remember, RVs need more room. Moab. Utah f) weight of an RV requires more time and braking distance to come to a safe stop. To prevent brake overheat- ing while traveling downhill, use 17 Spanish explorers named the state of California after a treasure island in a popular Spanish tale. Southeast Utah Real Fistate Happenings |