NEWS RELEASE
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Mountain-Prairie Region
134 Union Boulevard
Lakewood, Colorado 80228
Audubon National Wildlife Refuge
3275 11th St. NW
Coleharbor, ND 58531
December 1, 2010
Nick Kaczor (303) 236-4387
Lloyd Jones (701) 442-5474, ext. 111
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Host Public Meetings Regarding the Proposed Dakota Grassland Conservation Area in the Dakotas and Montana
Public Scoping Comments Regarding This Landscape Conservation Effort Will Be Accepted Until December 31, 2010
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is proposing to accelerate the conservation of wetland and grassland habitats within the Prairie Pothole Region in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana through the use of conservation easements. The easements will be used to create the Dakota Grassland Conservation Area (Dakota Grassland). The proposed Dakota Grassland will be part of a landscape-scale, strategic habitat conservation effort to conserve populations of migratory birds by protecting the unique, highly diverse, and endangered ecosystem known as the Prairie Pothole Region.
Establishment of the Dakota Grassland would allow the Service to further the protection of wetland and grassland habitats by working with private landowners to develop conservation easement agreements. Conservation easements are voluntary legal agreements between landowners and the Service. The easements protect wetlands and grasslands from being converted to other uses, but allow for the continuation of traditional activities such as farming wetlands when dry from natural conditions and livestock grazing and haying in grasslands.
The Service wants to hear from the community and will hold several meetings about the Dakota Grassland Conservation Area proposal from December 14-16, 2010 at various locations (see meeting schedule below). At the meetings, you will be able to meet with Service personnel, learn about the proposal, and provide input. These meetings will be forums for sharing ideas and issues about proposed land conservation efforts. The Service also encourages the public to comment through letters, emails, and phone calls to the local or regional contact listed below. Comments and information received will help determine the appropriate level of environmental review required by the National Environmental Policy Act to develop the land protection plan for the proposed Dakota Grassland Conservation Area.
The Service encourages individuals or group representatives to call, write, or request information on upcoming meetings with Service staff to discuss this proposal and their perspectives on the future of the Dakota Grasslands. The Service will accept public scoping comments until December 31, 2010. However, there will be another opportunity to comment on the Land Protection Plan in the winter of 2011.
You can also visit the project website for more information – http://www.fws.gov/audubon/DakotaGrassland.html
All meetings will begin at 7:00pm local time at the following dates and locations:
December 14, 2010
Sleep Inn – Inn and Suites
2400 10th St. SW
Minot, ND 58701
December 15, 2010
Gladstone Inn & Suites
111 2nd St. NE
Jamestown, ND 58401
December 16, 2010
Crossroads Hotel
100 4th St. SW
Huron, SD 57350
For more information or to provide comments, contact:
Lloyd Jones, Wildlife Refuge Manager
Audubon National Wildlife Refuge
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
3275 11th Street NW
Coleharbor, ND 58531
DGCA_comments@fws.gov
701- 442-5474 x111
Nick Kaczor, Planning Team Leader
Division of Refuge Planning
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 25486, DFC
Denver, Colorado 80225
DGCA_comments@fws.gov
303- 236-4387
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation—known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.
-FWS-