The Refuge System is managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), an agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior. The Service is the primary Federal entity responsible for conserving and enhancing the Nation’s fish and wildlife populations and their habitats. Although the Service shares this responsibility with other Federal, State, tribal, local, and private entities, the Service has specific trust resource responsibilities for migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, certain anadromous fish, certain marine mammals, coral reef ecosystems, wetlands, and other special aquatic habitats. The Service also has similar trust responsibilities for the lands and waters it administers to support the conservation and enhancement of all fish and wildlife and their associated habitats.

These are the steps that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service follows in comprehensive conservation planning; the step that Fergus Falls WMD has reached is step 7. The Comprehensive Conservation Plan will be revised in 2018. A copy of the Plan is available on-line at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/fergusfallswmd/index.html#status.

1.Preplanning: Plan the Plan
2.Initiate Public Involvement and Scoping
3.Review Vision Statement and Goals and Determine Significant Issues
4.Develop and Analyze Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action
5.Prepare a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and National Environmental Policy Act Document
6.Prepare and Adopt Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan
7.Implement Plan, Monitor and Evaluate
8.Review and Revise the Plan