New Refuge Proposed |
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Hackmatack
National Wildlife Refuge
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Announcing the refuge proposal on April 27, 2010 |
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
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The following is partially paraphrased from the above web site: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is exploring the possibility of establishing a new national wildlife refuge in southeast Wisconsin and northeast Illinois. The Service released a news release (pdf, 32 KB) announcing the refuge proposal on April 27, 2010. The study area encompasses 350,000 acre, however this area is much larger than a refuge would be. If a refuge is established, it could improve or restore from 10,000 to 30,000 acres of drained wetland basins, historic prairie and forest habitats as well as linking existing conservation lands. Conserving habitat corridors between existing protected parcels would enhance the conservation value of those individual parcels. The proposed study area (pdf, 473 KB) encompasses more than 60 publically and privately owned parks, preserves, and conservation areas with natural ecosystems totaling about 23,000 acres. Many of the parks and preserves in the study area are oriented toward habitat protection rather than primarily recreation. The proposed study area provides habitat for 109 species of concern, including federally and state-listed threatened and endangered species and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Birds of Conservation Concern. The list includes 49 birds, 5 fishes, 5 mussels, 1 amphibian, 2 reptiles, and 47 plants. |
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OTHER WEB
SITES WITH MORE INFO ABOUT HACKMATACK
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Chicago
Tribune-North Northwest |
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The Hackmatack
info is provided as a public service by GoodHouses
LLC Jim and Nancy supports the proposal and hope Hackmatack is created. |