Comment on Sugar Island and Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge info.

Comment period on draft compatibility determination for additional public use of sugar island unit, Detroit river international wildlife refuge

GROSSE ILE, MICHIGAN – A 14-day public comment period on a draft Compatibility Determination for additional public use of Sugar Island Unit, Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge (Refuge), begins May 2nd and runs through Wednesday, May 15, 2013. This draft Compatibility Determination is being issued to ensure that additional public use of Sugar Island is compatible with the Refuge’s purpose and mission. If any use is determined to be “incompatible”, it will not be allowed on Sugar Island. The Compatibility Determination will be available for public review and comment at the Refuge office located at 9311 Groh Rd., Grosse Ile, MI 48138 for the 14-day period identified above.

The public is invited to provide written comments to Steve Dushane, Assistant Refuge Manager of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge (9311 Groh Rd., Grosse Ile, MI 48138; steve_dushane@fws.gov) by 5 PM on Wednesday, May 15, 2013.

The Refuge incorporates more than 5,800 acres along 48 miles of the lower Detroit River and western Lake Erie. The Refuge focuses on conserving, protecting, and restoring habitat for a broad range of native fish and wildlife and their habitats. It is the first international refuge in North America and one of a few urban ones in the nation. Unique habitats being managed within the Refuge includes islands and shoals, coastal wetlands, wet prairie, and forest.

For more information, contact Assistant Refuge Manager, Steve Dushane (734-692-7604).

Also:
Partners and friends of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge are invited to celebrate this past year’s accomplishments at an annual benefit dinner on Saturday, May 18th, at 6:00 p.m. at the historic Edsel and Eleanor Ford House located in Grosse Pointe Shores. The benefit dinner will:


Celebrate major refuge accomplishments highlighted in the 2012 Annual Report (e.g., control of Phragmites on over 300 acres of Refuge wetlands, completion of $1.5 million in cleanup and restoration work at the Refuge Gateway, logging over 18,000 volunteer hours in support of the refuge; www.fws.gov/refuge/detroit_river/in_the_community/annual_reports.html);

Honor Ford Motor Company, Friends of the Detroit River, and Dorothy McLeer as the 2013 John D. Dingell Friends of the Refuge Award honorees in the business, nonprofit, and citizen categories, respectively; and

Make a major announcement about the next step in the cleanup and restoration of a former brownfield site into the Refuge Gateway for public use.

Individual tickets and sponsorships are available through the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance at: www.iwralliance.org or 734. 692.7671.­­ Proceeds from the annual benefit dinner and auction will go to support the ongoing restoration work, environmental education, and outreach activities of the Refuge that benefit our region’s quality of life. Please join Congressman John Dingell and U.S. and Canadian partners at the Ford House to show your support for building North America’s only International Wildlife Refuge.

The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge incorporates 5,800 acres along 48 miles of the Detroit River and western Lake Erie. The Refuge focuses on conserving, protecting, and restoring habitat for 29 species of waterfowl, 23 species of raptors, 31 species of shorebirds, over 100 species of fish, and over 300 species of birds. It is the first international refuge in North America and one of the few urban ones. Unique habitats being managed for conservation include islands, coastal wetlands, marshes, shoals, and waterfront lands. The Western Lake Erie Watersheds Priority Natural Area is the institutional mechanism for Canadian federal, provincial, and local partners to cooperatively work with U.S. partners on the International Wildlife Refuge.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is, working with others, to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

The International Wildlife Refuge Alliance is the Refuge’s friends group and a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. The Alliance’s mission is to support the first international wildlife refuge in North America by working through partnerships to protect, conserve, and manage the Refuge’s wildlife and habitats, and to create exceptional conservation, recreational, and educational experiences to develop the next generation of conservation stewards.

Contact: Joann Van Aken, Executive Director, International Wildlife Refuge Alliance (iwr_alliance@yahoo.com; 734.692. 7671), or John Hartig, Refuge Manager, Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge (john_hartig@fws.gov; 734-692.7608)

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