II MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION COMMISSION HAROLD L. ICKES, chairman, Secretary of the Interior HENRY A. WALLACE, Secretary of Agriculture HARRY L. HOPKINS, Secretary of Commerce KEY PITTMAN, Senator from Nevada CHARLES L. MCNARY, Senator from Oregon JOHN J. COCHRAN, Representative from Missouri JAMES WOLFENDEN, Representative from Pennsylvania RUDOLPH DIEFFENBACH, secretary, Bureau of Biological Survey LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION COMMISSION, The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SIR: In accordance with the provisions of section 3 of the act of Congress approved February 18, 1929 (45 Stat. 1222; U. S. C., title 16, sec. 715b), I present the report of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1939. Very truly yours, HAROLD L. ICKES, Chairman of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. IIJ REPORT OF THE MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION COMMISSION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1939 At its only meeting during the fiscal year 1939 the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission considered and approved the program presented by the Secretary of Agriculture, as chairman, for the purchase and lease of lands for refuges for migratory waterfowl and other forms of wildlife as recommended by the Chief of the Bureau of Biological Survey. The program presented was largely a continuation of the policy of the fiscal year 1938, namely, the rounding out of existing refuges. Two new projects, however, were presented-Monomoy Island Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, in Barnstable County, Mass., and Brigantine Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, in Atlantic County, N. J. Lands necessary to round out existing wildlife refuges were purchased with funds from the unexpended balance of the $6,000,000 emergency appropriation made under the act of June 15, 1935. The Soil Conservation Service, in which the submarginal-land program formerly under the jurisdiction of the Resettlement Administration, is now handled, advised that it had been successful in closing certain pending condemnation cases, thereby adding lands to the earlier purchases made in that program for the Biological Survey. REFUGES APPROVED FOR PURCHASE The Brigantine Migratory Waterfowl Refuge is the first coastal refuge to be acquired in New Jersey and with its many ponds, salt meadows, and mud flats affords a wide variety of wildlife habitat. Some eelgrass is found on the flats and it is hoped that this valuable wild-fowl food will soon return to its former abundance there. The area approved for a refuge is a haven for waterfowl during the severe storms that frequently occur on this coast. In winter large numbers of brants, black ducks, and scaups concentrate there, as do Canada geese during migration. In summer it is an important nesting place for black ducks, and numerous shore birds, including terns, gulls, and skimmers, and for clapper-rails, herons, and other species. The Monomoy Island Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, which was conditionally approved and is not included in table 2, is at the southeastern tip of Cape Cod. This is the only Federal refuge in Massachusetts, and is well situated, being on the main line of the Atlantic flyway for migratory birds, and comprising ocean beach and brackish marshes. Shore birds congregate there, and in season, geese, brants, black ducks, eider ducks, scoters, buffleheads, old squaws, and mergansers. Since titles to the lands in the Monomoy Island Migratory Waterfowl Refuge are complicated, some being vested in the State, county, or town, protracted proceedings may be experienced in completing this refuge. 1 During the fiscal year 1939, the refuge system was increased by the two units just discussed, and besides this various existing refuges were increased by 145,643 acres, all of these involving purchases authorized or completed. In addition to these acquisitions by purchase, approximately 1,530,000 acres were set aside from the public domain, thereby establishing three refuges, and making slight additions to others. In carrying out the program for the retirement of nonarable lands, the Soil Conservation Service has acquired many areas found suitable for refuge purposes. During the past year, seven areas in seven States, comprising a total of several hundred thousand acres, were transferred to the Biological Survey, and refuges thereon were established by Executive order. FUNDS AVAILABLE The appropriations authorized for the acquisition of lands under the Migratory Bird Conservation Act of February 18, 1929, and the funds appropriated for the fiscal years 1930-39 are shown in table 1. Because of economic conditions the appropriations made under the $7,875,000 authorized for the 10-year period July 1, 1929, to June 30, 1939, have thus far amounted to only $1,454,299. TABLE 1.-Funds authorized and appropriated for migratory bird refuges under the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, fiscal years 1930-39 Two hundred thousand dollars of the revenue derived from the sale of stamps under the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act of March 16, 1934, were allotted for the purchase of lands for the fiscal year 1939. Funds for wildlife-refuge tracts and intermingled tracts on migratorywaterfowl refuges were also made available from the balance of the $6,000,000 emergency appropriation. SUMMARY OF THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE-REFUGE PROGRAM Table 2 shows what has been accomplished in acquiring national wildlife refuges under the provisions of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act. From the balance of the $6,000,000 emergency fund, 40,000 acres were purchased during the year. |