The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has tabled planning efforts on its proposal to expand the acquisition boundaries of Chickasaw and Lower Hatchie National Wildlife Refuges in western Tennessee.
The public meetings scheduled for April 29 and 30, in Ripley and Brownsville, TN, respectively, have been cancelled.
"After careful consideration, we will not pursue a major boundary expansion at this time," said David Viker, Southeast Regional Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System. "We will focus our talented staff on continuing to manage important habitat for hundreds of thousands of waterfowl and other wildlife for the enjoyment of the American people."
The proposal would have only allowed for the purchase of lands within those boundaries from willing sellers. It also would have enabled the restoration of bottomland hardwoods and helped connect several state and federal conservation areas together over time expanding hunting, fishing, and wildlife-related activities like photography and wildlife observation.
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