The Friends of the Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District will host a Wildlife Expo and celebrate the Centennial of the National Wildlife Refuge System Saturday, Aug. 23 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District office on North Tower Road in Detroit Lakes, Minn. The public is invited to learn about wildlife and outdoor recreation opportunities from the many exhibits and demonstrations that will be presented during the Expo. Admission is free.
Kids will enjoy the coloring contests, face painting, “Predator Plunge” dunking stand, pellet-gun shooting gallery, feeding the live ducks, and watching the antics of “Puddles” our Blue Goose mascot of the National Wildlife Refuge System. President Theodore Roosevelt will make a special appearance to help us celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Refuge System that he had a vital role in the creating as the 26th President of the United States.
Becker County Historian Dean Sather will discuss what life was like in the Lakes Area 100 years ago when the National Wildlife Refuge System was created. The grand opening of the Prairie Marsh Trail, with horse drawn wagon tours, will introduce hiking enthusiasts to the new interpretive trail that loops around and through the grasslands, marshes, and woodlands on the Headquarters Waterfowl Production Area. The Womens Chapter of Ducks Unlimited will serve a pancake breakfast from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m., and other refreshments will be provided for sale by the STARS Service Club during the remaining Expo hours. Federal Duck Stamps will also be on sale for $15.00. The Duck Stamp proceeds are used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to purchase habitat for wildlife.
To get to the Wetland Management District office from Highway 34, go 1.5 miles north on Richwood Road to Tower Road, then a quarter-mile west to the entrance. From Highway 59 north, take Township Road 131 to Tower Road, then a half-mile mile east. Look for the “Wildlife Expo” signs. For more information call 218-847-4431 or visit our website at: http://midwest.fws.gov/detroitlakes
The National Wildlife Refuge System is commemorating its 100th birthday during 2003. The refuge system began March 14, 1903 when President Theodore Roosevelt created the nations first sanctuary for threatened pelicans and other birds at Pelican Island. Since then, the refuge system has grown to a nationwide network of more than 540 refuges and 3,000 waterfowl production areas encompassing 95 million acres. To learn more about the refuge system and its centennial go to http://refuges.fws.gov or http://midwest.fws.gov/centennial
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 540 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource 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 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.
