From the vault Part 1: Wildlife Conservation for 4-H Clubs
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EmailMSU Extension has been publishing bulletins to educate the people of Michigan for decades. Join in as we take a look back at 4-H Club Bulletin 49 from 1954 called “Wildlife Conservation for 4-H Clubs.”
This is the first in a series of articles looking at old Michigan State University (MSU) Extension publications. MSU Extension has been publishing bulletins to educate the people of Michigan for decades. Some of these bulletins become outdated, but some of these materials are still relevant. It can also be interesting to learn how things have changed over time. Today we are going to explore 4-H Club Bulletin 49 from 1954 called “Wildlife Conservation for 4-H Clubs.”
A.G. Kettunen, namesake of Kettunen Center and state 4-H Leader at the time of print, wrote the introduction to the bulletin.
Here are some highlights:
- Simple project ideas for a 4-H member or club, including performing a lake survey, observing local wildflowers, or tree planting.
- A month-by month calendar of wildlife related activities that your 4-H group can do every month.
- Wildlife crop plantings – although more up-to-date information is available at http://ohioline.osu.edu/w-fact/0019.html.
- Information on feeding stations, which is no longer recommended because it may promote transfer of disease.
- Information on how planting can provide food and cover for wildlife. NOTE: some of the species mentioned in this section are now considered invasive and should NOT be planted, such as multiflora rose and honeysuckle. More up-to-date information is available from the Department of Natural Resources.
- How to build nesting boxes for wood ducks, squirrels, and raccoons.
- How to create rabbit habitat on your property.
- Wildlife photography tips.
- How to observe and improve habitat for songbirds, including an identification sheet and year-round birding activities.
- An outdated section on predator control, which doesn’t reflect current thoughts on how to manage predator populations.
Take an opportunity to follow up with this archived publication and discuss how our thoughts have changed and what might change in the future.
Other articles in this series include: From the Vault Part 2: Great Lakes 4-H Fact Sheets.
