Today my guest is Lenore Beyer-Clow, Policy Director of Openlands. Read about the incredible efforts made by a group of citizens to turn a piece of land near Chicago into a National Wildlife Refuge. Keep your fingers crossed; the decision will be made this fall. Log on to the link below for more information and to show your support. When habitats are protected, we all win.
Protecting Grassland Birds through the creation of the
Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge
By Lenore Beyer-Clow, Policy Director, Openlands
One of the most exciting land conservation opportunities to
come along in a long time is the possible creation of a new National Wildlife
Refuge on the Illinois- Wisconsin border, called Hackmatack. The name is
derived from a Native American word for Tamarack tree.
About seven years ago, a small group of local citizens, the
Friends of Hackmatack, talked about raising the importance of the unique
biodiversity, natural communities and plant and animal species of the area they
cared deeply about to national status by pursuing creation of a refuge. Bolstered
by regional and state organizations such as Openlands, Trust for Public Land
and the Sierra Club as well as local governments and environmental groups, the
group began by talking anyone who would listen about idea. In the fall of 2009,
with the support of the Burnham Centennial campaign and the governors, senators
and some representatives from both states, a request went to the US Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) to study the area for a potential refuge. In April of
2010 the USFWS drew a line around 350,000 acres from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin to
Woodstock, Illinois to study appropriateness for a refuge.
The study (Environmental Assessment) was released for public
comment in March of 2012 and recommended the establishment of a refuge focusing
on cores and corridors in a smaller footprint and protecting about 11,000 acres
of land. The primary goals of the refuge are to protect several migratory bird
species by establishing large blocks of protected grasslands, wet prairies and
natural stream watercourses. The Service
is especially interested in migratory bird species such as Henslow’s Sparrow,
Short-eared Owl, Upland Sandpiper, Dickcissel, Red-headed Woodpecker,
Pied-billed Grebe and Least Bittern. The area is also along the eastern flyway
of the Whooping Crane population. Whoopers have been spotted in wetlands in the
area. Other goals include recreational
opportunities and access to natural areas for urban populations in the
Chicagoland area. Public comment was overwhelmingly positive in support of the
refuge.
Now we wait for
the USFWS to make the final determination. Once the approval comes from the
Director of the USFWS in Washington, the Service must take ownership interest
in a parcel of land within the boundary for the refuge to be established. We
hope to hear by the fall of 2012 if the dream of Friends of Hackmatack has
become a reality.
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