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The Reference file series (Box 5-16) covers the years 1926-1975, although the bulk of the material dates from 1931-1960. This series was created to hold background material for Van Coevering's Free Press column and for his television program. Topics include Michigan hunting- and fishing-related subjects, along with information about Michigan parks and forests. There is also a substantial amount of information about Great Lakes water pollution and pesticide contamination in Michigan. A substantial file relating to the introduction of salmon into the Great Lakes in the 1960s and 1970s postdates the bulk of the material in the series.

There is considerable overlap among the various headings used in the series. Hunting and fishing material is found both under the headings "Hunting" and "Fishing" and under the names of species, e.g. "Deer" and "Trout." Material about the Michigan Conservation Commission and Department of Conservation is found under headings for those agencies as well as under most of the other topical headings. Material about DDT is found under the heading "Pesticides" and under the names of birds affected, especially "Robin."

When this series was received from Van Coevering it had been arranged using a very complex classification with many overlapping headings and separate alphabets for "Amphibians and reptiles," "Insects," "Plants," "Birds," "Fish," "Fishing," "Mammals," "Conservation," "Michigan," and "Miscellaneous." In processing, many duplicated headings were consolidated, collected material not related to Michigan conservation was eliminated, and the material was arranged into one alphabet.

Voluminous correspondence with P. S. Lovejoy appears throughout the Reference file series. Lovejoy seems to have been something of a mentor to Van Coevering and provided him with advice on many topics. Lovejoy's letters may be difficult to identify at first, as they are generally typed on poor quality paper (not letterhead), are usually unsigned, and are usually identified only by the typed initials "PSL" at the beginning or end of the letter. There is also correspondence with H. D. Ruhl, head of the Game Division of the Michigan Department of Conservation (under game-related headings), with archer Fred Bear (under headings relating to bowhunting and deer hunting), with G. Harold Earle of the Wisconsin Land and Lumber Company and Blaney Park resort (under deer- and land use-related headings), and with Carl T. Johnson, member of the Michigan Conservation Commission (under headings relating to the commission and Conservation Department).

Although little correspondence with outdoor writers Ben East and Albert Stoll is found in the collection, many clippings of their writings are found throughout the Reference file series.