Contacts
Nicholas Throckmorton, 202-208-5636
Rachel F. Levin, 612-713-5311
Michigan’s Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
will gain more than 400 acres of migratory bird habitat through land acquisition
approved by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission.
The commission approved the acquisition of the 409-acre Humbug Marsh, located
along the Detroit River and home to birds such as osprey and eagles, as well
as walleye and other fish. The marsh is also a key stopover for migratory waterfowl
and songbirds.
The commission also announced $5.9 million in grants for habitat
conservation to benefit migratory birds in the Midwest, in the states of
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. More information
about these grants is available on the Web at http://midwest.fws.gov/News/Release04-26.html.
The commission’s action, announced at its June 9 meeting
in Washington, D.C., funded grants to states and other partners through the
North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Small Grants program to
meet important habitat goals for migratory birds. More than $18 million in
grants were awarded nationwide.
The commission allocated revenue from the sale of the Migratory
Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp—also known as the Duck Stamp—to
purchase 3,500 acres of key tracts of land for the Service's National Wildlife
Refuge System in Texas and West Virginia, in addition to the acquisition
for Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, located in Wayne County,
Mich.
“ President Bush's support for wetlands conservation
was clearly evident when he approved the reauthorization of the North American
Wetlands Conservation Act, renewing that commitment and supporting increased
funding through this outstanding public-private partnership program,” said
Interior Secretary Gale Norton. “Wetlands provide excellent habitat
for wildlife, and provide millions of Americans with a broad range of outdoor
recreational opportunities.”
The NAWCA Small Grant Program funded 43 projects for nearly
$2 million in 22 states and Puerto Rico to protect or restore nearly 12,000
acres of wetlands and associated upland habitats. Project partners added
more than $11 million in matching funds. Since 1996, the Small Grant Program
has funded grants totaling $10.2 million for 239 projects to conserve some
81,271 acres of habitat in the United States. More than 665 partners have
added more than $69 million to those grants.
The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission also approved more
than $16 million for 19 projects in Canada. Partners will add more than $22
million to the projects, which will conserve more than 1 million acres of
wetlands.
Funding for this program comes from Congressional appropriations;
funds collected from fines, penalties and forfeitures under the Migratory
Bird Treaty Act; interest accrued to the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration
Act; and excise taxes paid on small engine fuels through the Dingell-Johnson
Sport Fish Restoration Act.
The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission also approved more
than $6.4 million in Federal Duck Stamp funds to acquire land for the National
Wildlife Refuge System. All acquisitions were previously approved by the
affected states.
Money raised by the sale of Federal Duck Stamps pays for these
land acquisitions. Since the first Duck Stamp sale in 1934, nearly $700 million
has been raised to purchase more than five million acres of wetlands for
the refuge system. In addition to approving the land acquisition for Detroit
River International Wildlife Refuge, the commission also approved acquisition
of nearly 3,000 acres on three national wildlife refuges in Texas, and of
155 acres for Canaan Valley NWR in West Virginia.
The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission meets three times
a year to approve funding proposals for the NAWCA Small Grants Program and
land acquisitions for the National Wildlife Refuge System. The Migratory
Bird Conservation Act of 1929 established the commission to approve land
to be purchased for the National Wildlife Refuge System with monies from
the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. The fund is supported by revenue collected
from Federal Duck Stamp sales, import duties collected on arms and ammunition,
right-of-way payments to the refuge system, and receipts from national wildlife
refuge entry fees. For more information about the Federal Duck Stamp program,
visit <http://duckstamps.fws.gov>.
For more information on the North American Wetlands Conservation
Act, visit <http://birdhabitat.fws.gov/NAWCA/grants.html>.
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 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small
wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national
fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources 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 and Native American tribal 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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