Contacts
Don Hultman
507-494-6218
Scott Flaherty
612-713-5309
The U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service will kick-off a series of public workshops June 13 in
Winona, Minn., designed to get detailed ideas and suggestions on the draft
comprehensive conservation plan for the Upper Mississippi River National
Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Anyone with an interest in the future direction
of the refuge is invited to participate in the workshops.
The workshops
are in the wake of 11 well-attended public information meetings held from
Savanna, Ill., to Wabasha, Minn., which provided an overview of the draft
plan followed by a question and answer session with refuge staff.
The comprehensive
plan, when completed, will guide management and administration of the refuge
for the next 15 years, although periodic reviews will occur. Federal law
requires comprehensive plans for all national wildlife refuges.
Refuge Manager
Don Hultman said the eight public workshops will use a small group discussion
format where citizens will present and discuss their views and ideas on the
variety of issues and alternatives in the draft plan. All workshops will
begin at 5:30 p.m. and end at 9 p.m.
“ Our
11 public information meetings were designed to introduce the draft plan
to the public and to generate broad discussion on its objectives and management
alternatives,” Hultman said.
He said the
workshops are designed to let the public get into the details of the major
issues and concerns that have surfaced during the first round of public meetings.
Attendees will be divided into workgroups, choose the issues they want to
address, prepare a list of recommendations, and present those recommendations
to all. A copy of each group’s recommendations will be printed and
given to refuge staff at the end of the workshop.
Hultman said he expects the workshops to yield some detailed options and creative
ideas beyond those already expressed at public meetings or through written
comments to date.
“ I
think people will offer alternative language for objectives, offer different
regulations, suggest deleting some things, and mark-up pool-by-pool maps
showing various features such as proposed electric motor areas and closed
area changes. Everything will be on the table for input,” Hultman said
“ People
should come prepared to work cooperatively with other people who use and
enjoy the refuge, respecting the different perspectives and experiences they
bring to the table,” he said.
Persons interested
in attending the workshops are asked to register at least 3 days ahead of
a respective workshop, via phone or e-mail, to help staff ensure enough space
and materials. If any workshop reaches capacity (120 persons), an additional
workshop will be scheduled for the same area. Persons may attend as many
of the workshops as they want.
Persons can register by leaving a message with their name, phone number, and
workshop choice(s) at toll-free 1-888-291-5719, (507) 452-4232, or by sending
an e-mail to lee_donahue@fws.gov.
The list of
workshops, all 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., follows:
June 13,
Winona, Minn. Winona Middle School, 1570 Homer Rd.
June 14,
Wabasha, Minn. Wabasha/Kellogg High School, 2113 E. Hiawatha
June 16,
Prairie du Chien, Wis. Prairie du Chien High School, 800 E. Crawford
June 21,
Savanna, Ill House of Events, 108 Main St.
June 22,
Stoddard,Wis. American Legion Post 315, 414 Broadway
June 23,
Onalaska, Wis. Onalaska Middle School, 711 Quincy St.
July 12,
Lansing, Iowa Lansing (Kee) High School, 569 Center St.
July 14,
Cassville, Wis. Cassville High School, 715 E. Amelia Street
Hultman said
additional workshops or special topic meetings will also be scheduled as
needed throughout the formal comment period which ends August 31, 2005. He
said they will seek input at the scheduled workshops on additional meeting
needs.
With more
than 3 million visitors per year, the “Upper Miss” Refuge is
the most visited refuge in the country and has the added complexity of a
major navigation system, including 11 locks and dams within its boundary.
It is also a world-class fish and wildlife area which harbors 306 species
of birds; 119 species of fish; more than 130 active bald eagle nests; thousands
of heron and egret nests; spectacular concentrations of canvasback ducks,
tundra swans, and white pelicans; and several threatened or endangered species.
The U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving,
protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for
the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre
National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife
refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas.
It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management
offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal
wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory
bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and
restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments
with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance
program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes
on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
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