Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1920 [PAGE 15]

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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

II

in use,—of which a copy is appended. It is the opinion of the Committee that the minimum of formality should attend the use of the woods for observational purposes, and we have so advised the Supervising Architect. Few permit cards have been issued this year, and it is not likely that the number called for will be large because of the difficulty of reaching the woods, but the Committee believe that the collection of specimens should be entrusted only to few and responsible people and that proper permits should be exacted whenever material is taken or disturbed. No improvements have been made, except for the installation of a Stile in place of the dilapidated gate giving entrance to the woods. The Committee recommends that, under, its direction, the large amount of brushwood which now constitutes a fire risk be removed as promptly as possible; but this should be done under proper direction, for dead standing or even fallen trees are valuable for the nesting of certain kinds of birds and the growth of fungi, mosses and other plants, and most of these, especially those that have begun to decay, ought to be preserved,—and protected against disturbance by students for the most part. It is desirable to cut six-foot paths through the woods in various directions, and to keep them mown down through the season. People who visit the woods for pleasure and casual observation always follow paths when they can, and a labyrinthine system of paths here will do much to keep the vegetation from being trampled and broken down in aimless wandering. We recommend that steps be taken at once for securing a large number of seeding or young shrubs for planting thickly about the borders of the woods. The selection should be made with reference to forming a thicket in which birds may nest, and from which they may derive food, especially, so far as this may be, in winter. The woods should be enclosed by a suitable fence. The Supervising Architect has samples of adequate fencing. At some time it will prove possible to make a partly persistent pond by a small amount of excavation in one of the low places, where water now stands far into the spring. Even though not permanent, such a reservoir will permit many plants and animals not now found there to be collected, especially in spring and early summer. As soon as the University acquired possession of the property Dr. McDougall began an ecological census of its vegetation. Thus far, more use has been made of the woods by him and his students than by any others, and certain of his classes meet there regularly when the weather permits. Except for occasional visits by instructors in the various biological departments and a field trip by a class now and then, little other use has been made of the woods this year. As you know, the only way of reaching the woods is by means of one of the interurban lines, from which a long walk is necessary. The work done by Dr. McDougall has entailed a great deal of hardship, because of the need of carrying instruments back and forth; his classes have been able to use the woods only through meeting on Saturday,—a day relatively free; and it would have been entirely impossible for me to take my own students out