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The Upper Brule 
 
 
  State acquisition of nearly 10,000 acres 
to be added to the Brule River State For- 
est in the upper reaches of the Brule river 
in Douglas county, believed by the conser- 
Vation commission to-be one of its most 
important land purchases, now gives the 
state control over much of the area that 
holds the key to the future character of 
the famed trout stream. 
  The new purchase adds to the land in 
the upper valley that had previously been 
state-owned and which was acquired a num- 
ber of years ago for similar purposes as 
shown on the map appearing elsewhere in 
this Bulletin. The vertical lines show the 
lands that were previously owned and the 
parallel lines mark the new purchases. The 
rest of the area is in private ownership. 
  The land was acquired from Douglas 
county for $27,489.16 and involves a total 
of 9,909 acres. The multiple purpose of the 
new acquisition is reflected in the method 
of commission payment, 25 percent of the 
money coming from the forestry fund, 25 
percent from the funds for public hunting 
grounds, and 50 percent from the sum set 
 
 
up for the purchase of cedar swamps im- 
portant as winter yarding areas for deer. 
All objectives in the valley tie in with the 
program of retaining the Brule as an ex- 
cellent trout stream. 
  The new acquisition enhances the possi- 
bility of an overall conservation manage- 
ment. It is planned to reforest all areas 
requiring such treatment and above all is 
the need for protecting the spring sources 
bog area that spells the difference between 
life and death for the famous stream. 
  Investigation has shown that a number 
of factors went into the making of the 
Brule and continue to maintain it as one of 
the best known fishing streams. 
  Commenting on the Brule land purchase, 
State Geologist E. F. Bean says: 
  "The Brule river rises in the marshy 
divide between that stream and the head- 
waters of the St. Croix river and flows 
north-eastward in a mile-wide trench 100 
feet below the level of the barrens. This 
gorge was eroded by the stream which was 
the outlet of a glacial lake. A continuous 
bog now occupies the bottom of the gorge, 
 
 
Brule river headwaters. 
 
 
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