The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is holding open houses for the Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for the Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
Service staff from the refuge and the Regional Office will share information, answer questions and take public comments about the draft CCP at the following open house meetings, which are scheduled for three consecutive days:
July 12, at the Hecla Community Center, Main Street, Hecla, SD, from 7-9pm
July 13, Columbia Community Center, Main Street, Columbia, SD, from 7-9pm
July 14, Community Room, Brown County Courthouse, 25 Market Street, Aberdeen, SD, from 7-9pm.
The Service welcomes anyone interested in the management of the refuge to participate in these meetings, and to take advantage of this opportunity to provide input into the development of the CCP for Sand Lake, which will govern operation of the refuge for the next 15 years.
The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 requires that all refuges be managed in accordance with an approved CCP which, once implemented, will achieve refuge purposes; help fulfill the Refuge System mission; maintain and, where appropriate, restore the ecological integrity of each refuge and the Refuge System; help achieve the goals of the Wilderness Preservation System; and, meet other mandates. The CCP will guide management decisions and set forth goals, objectives, and strategies to accomplish these requirements.
