Plans for the construction of a new visitor center at Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin’s Juneau County continue to move forward. A planning meeting between U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff, the Friends of Necedah National Wildlife Refuge and representatives from the offices of Congressman Ron Kind and Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold was held in late July. Results of the meeting include a tentative ground breaking date in spring 2009 with completion the following spring.
The new multi-million dollar center will provide environmental education and highlight outdoor recreational opportunities and wildlife at the refuge and throughout Wisconsin. Necedah National Wildlife Refuge Manager Larry Wargowsky is excited about the new center and the opportunities it will bring to the local community and the visiting public. “When this center opens it will be a premier destination for wildlife enthusiasts, families, students, hunters, anglers and anyone who wants to learn about, or view, the wildlife of Wisconsin,” said Wargowsky. “This refuge, and this part of Wisconsin, has so much to offer and now we’ll be able to showcase it and share it.”
An initial appropriation of $3.5 million for the visitor center was presented to the refuge and its friends group by Congressman Kind on April 4, 2007. “The return on this investment will be invaluable to not only the community, but also to the state and the country, as Necedah raises its profile as one of the nation’s premier wildlife refuges,” said Rep. Kind, an avid sportsman and the founder and co-chair of the National Wildlife Refuge Caucus in Washington. “But more importantly, this center will help continue our proud tradition of conservation and recreation as it brings nature to more kids and families, and produces a new generation of conservationists and sportsmen and women.”
Friends of Necedah National Wildlife Refuge President Jan Crosby says their group is actively looking for additional funding opportunities as well as contacting groups, organizations and individuals willing to sponsor sections of the trails, educational exhibits, displays and other portions of the project. “This center will provide a great benefit to all of Juneau County and beyond,” said Crosby. “This is a community effort and community businesses, private citizens and local organizations want to be involved.”
Juneau County Economical Development Corporation Executive Director Terry Whipple also emphasized the economic boost to the central Wisconsin area the center will provide. “The refuge already attracts thousands of visitors to the county each year,” said Whipple. “This new visitor center will attract even more, and likely make them want to stay longer. The benefit this brings to local businesses helps the entire county.”
The 44,000-acre Necedah National Wildlife Refuge is home to whooping cranes, wolves, deer, waterfowl and many other species of wildlife, fish and birds. The refuge is open to hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and hosts environmental education and interpretation events throughout the year. Visitation to the refuge exceeds 160,000 annually.
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 97-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 547 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources 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 and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
