The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission on April 28 approved approved expenditures of $8.8 million from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to conserve 16,044 acres for nine national wildlife refuges, through fee-title land acquisitions and lease renewals.
These funds were raised largely through the sale of Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, commonly known as "Duck Stamps." For every dollar spent on Federal Duck Stamps, 98 cents go directly to acquire or lease habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System. The Duck Stamp program has been in place since 1934 and has raised more than $800 million to acquire more than 6 million acres for the National Wildlife Refuge System. The 2015-2016 Duck Stamp will go on sale June 26.
The commission-approved refuge projects are:
Cache River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) -- Cross, Jackson, Monroe, Poinsett, Prairie and Woodruff counties, Arkansas. Boundary approval to add 102,000 acres and price approval to acquire a 909-acre tract for $2,000,000.
Cat Island NWR -- West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. Price approval to acquire a 383-acre tract for $726,800.
Felsenthal NWR and Upper Ouachita NWR -- Ashley, Bradley and Union counties, Arkansas, and Union and Morehouse parishes, Louisiana. Boundary approval for the previously established Felsenthal NWR acquisition boundary of 96,561 acres and price approval to acquire a 2,244-acre property for $3,000,037. The property spans state lines and includes 1,383 acres in Arkansas (Felsenthal NWR) and 861 acres in Louisiana (Upper Ouachita NWR).
Laguna Atascosa NWR -- Cameron and Willacy counties, Texas. Boundary addition and price approval to acquire approximately 1,778 acres for $1,000,000.
Mackay Island NWR -- Currituck County, North Carolina. Boundary approval to add 1,358 acres and price approval to acquire a 288-acre tract for $944,900.
San Bernard NWR -- Fort Bend County, Texas. Boundary addition and price approval to acquire approximately 360 acres for $1,080,480.
Red Rock Lakes NWR, Beaverhead County, Montana. Price re-approval to renew five 10-year leases on 9,580 acres of state school section lands, for the annual lease fee of $53,562. The commission also approved an escalation clause to permit price increases of no more than 5 percent per year, for the duration of each lease, to accommodate annual variations in rental costs dictated by Montana law.
St. Catherine Creek NWR --Adams County, Mississippi. Price re-approval to renew a five-year lease on 502 acres of state school section lands, for the annual lease fee of $19,600.
The commission also welcomed new members: Sen. Martin Heinrich (NM) is a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, an avid sportsman, and a member of the Congressional Sportsman's Caucus. He was appointed to the commission in January. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA) was appointed to the commission in March, replacing Rep. John Dingell (MI), who served on the commission from 1969 until his retirement in 2014. Thompson was a co-author of NAWCA and was recently inducted into the California Waterfowler Hall of Fame.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information, visit www.fws.gov, or connect with us through any of these social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube.
