The hardwood forests that grow on rich alluvial soil are our most valuable wildlife habitat. All states in the Southeastern Region and some other states were originally endowed with an abundance of this type of wildlife habitat. The soil which supported this habitat is also valuable for agriculture and this has caused the clearing of millions of acres. Shortly after World War II the rate of clearing of the bottomland hardwoods increased alarmingly. In the last ten years, the destruction of our most productive wildlife habitat has reached almost catastrophic proportions. A study of woodlands in the Delta Region of Arkansas, being conducted by the Arkansas Planning Commission in cooperation with the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, is revealing the extent of this rapid depletion of Delta timberlands. Further, the study is disclosing that this depletion is precipitating losses which extend far beyond what is generally considered to be the limits of conservation interests.
