Contacts

Don Hultman 507-494-6218

Scott Flaherty 612-713-5309

Next Round of Public Input on Upper Mississippi Draft Plan Begins June 13

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.

-FWS-

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