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~' ~' " 4 Wetlai~ds in :,
<br />I ' ,. Swltzerland.~:
<br />I fe that rem _agAjI/us..
<br /> the ~w 'i'"~' ?~'}~
<br />
<br />--racc~n, ~and .otfi~r~ni~ '
<br />.-. ma~ who~me on.~.~.-
<br />~ .' In :the' United~, S[~tff~
<br />"~-'50 ~r~nt Of the ~hole~:-
<br /> re~on's wetlands have dis:"
<br />.~. apiarY. ~nada ~a~ byx
<br />~" l~s than 10 ~n; but}:
<br />
<br /> 'her destructive at. thok~ are-~it
<br /> growing. Parts
<br />
<br />;-,~-States'were 90 perc,ng'd~.f~Po~.".:Illustrated
<br /> magazine reportea. Manv4~em xae.w, wet,
<br />
<br />,,f In me way or me]r mrm'equ~P,m._,ent~ ~gnorant
<br />
<br />% The hue and cry, h0wever;~o~.sage/~e wet7
<br /> land habitat of wildlife ~ today being sounded
<br /> 'loud and clear by concerned, individuals and
<br /> wildlife o{ganizatiom..:q'hg '.. 'th'61 Tare ab-
<br /> solutely crucial," said one concerned .official.
<br />
<br /> "."If we're going to' harbour, imy. 16fi'g:t~rm hope
<br /> ~f,o,r ducks,' we, must preserve ithe~..wetlands.,
<br /> Waterfowl areA baromet~:of~ th.,e ~ecological
<br /> mhealth of the continent,[', saidan, official, of the
<br /> ~.onservati°n organizafim4. Ducl~ Unii~."{ed.
<br /> 7 The magazine U~_,.~/__,e~,~ s~ &. World Report adds
<br /> its Voice: "[The ducks } dwind .lkn. g numbers re-
<br />t...flect g.ssaulk, on.the environment:om, many
<br />different fronts:..Acid rain, pesticides,, but
<br />'most.. of.. all, the destruction of. milliom of'
<br />facres'6f pn.'celess wetlandi?. -i '::i,: .-: :' .:~ ·
<br />.: :,.."Ninety percent of California's coastal salt
<br />_ marshes have .been destroyeckT.reported the
<br />: magazine.. California,.."and. every:, year. 18,000
<br />more acres disappear; The rule elk.survive
<br />... only in. a few scattered.places,.-Th~ ducks and
<br />:geese return in smaller numbers each year. to
<br />thek ever-shrinking wintering grounds. Many
<br />wetland species are close to extinction." In si-
<br />
<br />e. nce these,whose lives depend on the world's '~' ~'~.?
<br />,.w,e~l'ands fo~. survival cry out for help. ,~....,.-:..-,~ :~ ,
<br /> e ~ .-:~:.-.,'; - . ,'d~;'*'-t'~.~' '; ~.' L;. . ~",
<br />
<br />· ~ A .ternb?, thing'has happenb.~ on man's way ....
<br />~str63iriii ~rth'~ (i'etliinds. H~.li'/~ affecteg. :: ~'?
<br /> ~ ....... , ..... ,,,,-. .r,.-. - .... ,.. ,t, ,,;~. ~ ~.~,.'
<br />~ most valuable and critics] reso~wa.- .~.
<br />¥~'f::Water is essential for' every living' t~n~.
<br />.,M,~ of the ..world's scientists'h'ave,_predicted ~.
<br />~itime when pure water will be~earth.s scarces~
<br /> esource, )'Either we' manage"to ']fi~it the .....
<br /> ~ste of"{vater or b,y the. 5fear 2000 we shal{-l~
<br />
<br />'Confe?eiSce on Water in"1977j'-:::~,; f.L ."g-';-:..~-~'?.
<br /> '~-': :~:--~$'~z ' ' i'i?-''' :'
<br /> ,,, . . . .' ..! · L .....
<br />2o'~With these ormnous warmngs of the poten--.
<br />~1. -t. ~ '- ' · ' - 't':;" ' ' ~
<br />-,Ual. sho ge of this valuable resource, con-
<br /> wisdom sh%ld dimte a resp=trur
<br />~.anagement of earth's waters.' LA. man's race
<br />,t.9.: desti'0y:~etlands, hOv~eve.r, fie' fias' ~fibus-'
<br />'ly.jeopard'.LZed this most nece~ resource.
<br />.Wetlands help in the purification Of surface '
<br />,,water,rive. rs and str .ea~~. .Sgme aquifers are
<br />.ao_{,lqngeL being, recharg~i wi~.pure ,water
<br />~bu..tl ale now contaminated with.waste an.0, tx)l-
<br />l.utan~.all to man's detrim'eriL Wi~te? tha.t was
<br />once them in multitudes of...wctlapds iaas been
<br />d.rai~cd,, adding to the shortage.:, :. ?m
<br />-~ Will, responsible men hear-the frantic Cries
<br />for help of' wetlands-dependent, life?~Will
<br /> _- , e'-,..-'~<.7: ...~,w,. . ..
<br />
<br />Awake£: Januar~'22~ 1994-
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