Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge is planning for its future and is seeking community input into the goals that will guide the refuge for the next 15 years.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will hold an open house on Wednesday, January 25 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge Office for people to meet with Service personnel who have drafted a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for the refuge. This is a time for people to discuss and share any ideas, thoughts and concerns on the draft.
The Refuge Office is located 4 miles northwest of the town of Maxwell, New Mexico, off I-25.
The CCP formalizes management goals, long-range objectives, and strategies for achieving refuge purposes. The refuge was established for birds that migrate through the central part of the United States. Maxwell NWR is 3,699 acres and consists of 2,300 acres of grassland, 907 acres of lakes, 50 acres of wetlands, 39 acres of woodlots, 440 acres of croplands, several miles of irrigation canals, and approximately 10 acres of administrative lands. Management efforts focus on farming to provide food for migrating and wintering waterfowl, maintaining biological diversity, preserving native grasslands, and managing public use.
The CCP was prepared over several years with the help of local, state and federal agencies, as well as concerned private citizens. Your input is important to the development of a high-quality CCP and we would like to know what you think. Written comments and suggestions on the draft CCP will be accepted through February 24, 2006.
"The plan gives people a clear understanding of the desired conditions for the refuge and how the Service will implement management strategies," said Dom Ciccone, Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System in the Southwest Region. "There are many elements considered in the planning process, including habitat and wildlife management, habitat protection and acquisition, public and recreational uses, and cultural resources. Public input helps us to put the proper emphasis on the elements."
Specific objectives for realizing the CCP management goals include the following: continuing to monitor population status of resident and migratory birds and other wildlife; expanding the refuges biological program; enhancing and restoring native grasslands; continuing to provide forage crops for migrating and wintering birds; enhancing recreational activities and increasing educational programs and outreach to develop a broader base of public support and community involvement; and strengthening partnerships with other government, non-governmental organizations, and private groups. The goals and objectives of the CCP will be revisited and updated every 15 years, or more often, if necessary.
Copies of the CCP will be distributed at the open house or may be obtained by contacting:
Carol Torrez, Biologist/Natural Resource Planner, Division of Planning, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, NM 87103-1306; e-mail carol_torrez@fws.gov; voice (505)248-6821; fax (505)248-6874. The draft plan is also on the internet at http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/Plan/index.html. Click on Completed Plans and Drafts.
The National Wildlife Refuge System, begun in 1903, encompasses lands nationwide that are protected and managed by the Service specifically for wildlife. Refuges promote wildlife diversity and protect wildlife habitat and natural systems, like wetland habitat, that serve us by holding flood waters, filtering pollutants and cleaning our water. More than 35 million Americans visit national wildlife refuges each year.
-http://southwest.fws.gov-
