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<br />exploited areas and each time that he moves into an unexploited
<br />habitat be produces new disturbances in the relationships between
<br />himself, the land and water and the native plants and animals. Use,
<br />abuse and destruction have gone on apace until now we are begin-
<br />ning to realize, almost too late, that there is something interesting
<br />and beautiful to be preserved, especially to be saved for posterity
<br />to enjoy. Before too long, most of the world's surface and much of
<br />its fresh waters will have been drastically changed and moulded by
<br />man. "America the Beautiful" may some day be an empty phrase
<br />unless we set aside and preserve the few remaining wilderness areas.
<br />The . attitude of Americans toward nature has been changing
<br />slowly, but steadfastly. More than a million people yearly visit
<br />such gralldeurs of nature as Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand
<br />Canyon. Unimpaired nature is thus being increasingly appreciated
<br />and increasingly needed by more and more millions of American
<br />families. Places that only a few years ago were regarded as expend-
<br />able wastelands and profitless deserts are scenic resources of incal-
<br />culable value as wilderness playgrounds which are being made more
<br />accessible without marring their solitude and spectacular scenery.
<br />We must seriously work for conservation today if those who
<br />follow us are to be given the same opportunity to enjoy the rich
<br />heritage that nature has provided. One of the rewarding experiences
<br />of our time is to be able to get away from it all, to have some respite
<br />from the hustle and bustle of civilization. The value of wilderness to
<br />man is for the revitalization of his outlook on life; the value of
<br />wilderness to science is in the study of areas of primeval conditions.
<br />One of the more recent detrimental results of man's activities
<br />in Utah has been the transfer of bait fishes to lakes and streams
<br />outside their natural distribution. The most obvious repercussion of
<br />this practice is the establishment and population explosion of such
<br />fishes as the Utah chub (Gila atraria) in certain reservoirs and lakes.
<br />This has necessitated costly and time-consuming control or rehabili-
<br />tation measures. More subtle but nevertheless important are the
<br />effects of introductions, changed environments, and fishery prac-
<br />tices on the native fish species. These factors have greatly modified
<br />Utah's original fish populations and are threatening to destroy some
<br />of its unique native fishes. Since biologists know so little of the
<br />life history of the native kinds it would be worthwhile to attempt
<br />to preserve these animals in natural reserves. By preserving them in
<br />some part of their native range future scientists would be able to
<br />study them and generations to come would have the opportunity
<br />to enjoy at least a remnant of this element of Utah's wildlife.
<br />
<br />28
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