Refuges 2003 - A Plan for the Future Public Meetings

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is about to begin work on Refuges 2002 - A Plan for the Future of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The National Wildlife Refuge System, with 467 refuges, totals over 90 million acres. In the year 2003 the system will celebrate its 100th anniversary. As it enters the 21st centruy, the system must deal with some difficult issues. Environmental contaminants, hunting and trapping, endangered species, livestock grazing and biological diversity are just a few.

Before planning begins, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking the public to help develop a good range of management options to consider. In order to provide public opportunity to participate in the development of a range of alternatives, a series of public meetings will be held nationwide, including three meetins in the Services eight state North Central Region at the following locations:

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Refuge Visitor Center
3815 E. 80th Street
Bloomington, Minnesota
Tuesday, April 23, 1991, 7:00 pm

Holiday Inn - Airport West
3551 Pennridge Drive
Bridgeton, Missouri
Wednesday, April 24, 1991 7:00 pm

Wildwood Metro Park
5100 West Central Avenue
Toledo, Ohio
Thursday, April 25, 1991, 7:00 pm

Those who wish to participate, but are unable to attend a public meeting, may contact:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Route 2, Box 67
McGregor, Minnesota 55760

Ask for a copy of Refuges 2003 Newsletter, Issue 2, which explains Refuges 2003 and provides a format for written comments.

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 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 530 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 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 governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our home page at: http://midwest.fws.gov