Corridor of land donated to Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge

Sussex, N.J. - Petrohawk Energy Corporation, through its subsidiary Proliq, Inc., has donated over 10 miles of abandoned railroad bed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The land has become part of the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) in New Jersey. The tract, which runs through the existing refuge including its recently approved Papakating Creek expansion area, amounts to about 100 acres of land in the SussexCounty in the townships of Vernon, Wantage and Frankford. The addition of this donation could provide additional public trail opportunities through parts of the Refuge resulting in increased public access. According to Acting Refuge Manager Mike Horne this tract provides a corridor of habitat connectivity into the recently approvedPapakating Creek expansion area. Surrounding tracts of land may potentially be purchased in the future to establish areas of meaningful wildlife habitat with the old rail bed serving as a connector. “There is definite habitat value along the old rail bed,” Horne said, “and great potential for expanding public use opportunities where they are compatible with the mission of the Refuge.” The Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge was established by Congress in 1990. The purpose of this refuge is to conserve the biological diversity of the Wallkill Valley by protecting and enhancing its lands and waters in a manner that will conserve fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats. The refuge puts a special emphasis on managing forest-dwelling and grassland birds, migrating waterfowl, wintering raptors and endangered species, while providing opportunities for scientific research and compatible public use.