This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: Little Darby Wildlife Refuge

Jim and others,

The USFWS's preferred alternative is Alt #2 consisting of 22,783 acres of Voluntary Purchase Area (VPA) and
26,410 acres of Watershed Conservation Area (WCA).  Within the VPA the USFWS will purchase properties from
willing land owners.  Within the WCA the USFWS will purchase conservation easements, delayed mowing, protect
wetlands etc.  The acquisition of all property and easements will be on a voluntary basis only.  Within the
VPA there are 9,085acres of wet soils.  Primary objectives for the refuge include increasing grassland bird
habitat and protection of the Little Darby Creek watershed. The Little Darby Creek is home to several Federal
and State Listed species.  The refuge will work to restore large blocks of wet and mesic prairies.  The area
of the refuge referred to as the Darby Plains was historically a mixture of prairie, savanna and riparian
corridors.  The refuge proposal provides an opportunity to restore on a large scale one of Ohio's most
endangered ecosystems.  The USFWS will provide compensation to local governments in lieu of paying taxes. The
draft EIS estimates that compensation to be more than is paid by current land owners.

Obviously the refuge proposal provides a unique opportunity to restore and preserve the prairie habitat that
we all care about.  Your comments to the USFWS supporting this refuge proposal would be greatly appreciated.
As I stated in my previous email, the refuge is opposed by the Farm Bureau and local farmers.   So your
support is need.
Thanks again.
Tom Schneider

jemonaga@collins.rockwell.com wrote:

> Five alternatives are considered in the Draft Environmental Impact
>    Statement, including four Action alternatives and one No Action
> Alternative.
>    Two of the Action alternatives include both a Voluntary Purchase Area
> and a Watershed
>     Conservation Area; Alternative 4 includes a Voluntary Purchase Area, a
> Watershed
>      Conservation Area and a Private Initiative Conservation Area.
>
> Tom,
>
> Which of the five alternatives considered by the draft environmental impact statement are you supporting?
> What sort of "positive public comments" would be helpful?
>
> Jim Monagan
> Cedar Rapids, IA
>
> Tom Schneider <tschneid@offo2.epa.state.oh.us>@mallorn.com on 08/24/2000
> 02:42:13 PM
>
> Please respond to prairie@mallorn.com
>
> Sent by:  owner-prairie@mallorn.com
>
> >From foo@bar  Fri Aug 25 00:03:41 2000
> To:   prairie@mallorn.com
> cc:
> Approved: tolkien
>
> Subject:  Little Darby Wildlife Refuge
>
> This is a request for help and a little activism.  USFWS has proposed a
> 40,000
> acre Wildlife Refuge in central Ohio.  The is at the eastern edge of the
> prairie
> pennisula.  The refuge is aimed at protecting Little Darby Creek home to a
> number
> of state and federally threatened fish and mullosks as well as the
> restoration/protection of thousands of acres of prairie.  Also included is
> the
> placement of easements on farm land to maintain farm land and prevent
> development.  All land acquisition will be voluntary, no imminent domain.
> Substantial opposition to the refuge is coming from the Farm Bureau and
> local
> farmers.  I honestly can't undersand their arguments but none the less they
> are
> weilding substantial political clout.   Below is information on how you can
> support creation of this refuge.  Please help those of us struggling on the
> Eastern edge of the Prairie Pennisula to preserve and restore prairie in
> Ohio.
> Take  a moment and submit comments in support of creating the refuge.  For
> information on the proposed refuge go to
> http://www.fws.gov/r3pao/planning/top.htm
>
> Information on commenting on the draft EIS can be found below.
>
> Thanks for your help
> Tom Schneider
>
> Little Darby National Wildlife Refuge Public Hearings
>
> August 31st will be a formal public hearing, with testimony by citizens
> being
> recorded for the official public record.  It is anticipated that a speakers
> amount of time to talk will be limited.  (If you can't make this meeting -
> please send supportive comments to the address noted below)
>
> 8/31 Time:  6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.  (not necessary to stay whole time)
>
> Place:  Northwest Center, Plain City (Made From Scratch Conference Center)
> 7510 Montgomery Road - Just west of Dublin -
>
> Take
> first Right at the light (Eiterman Rd.), The Made From Scratch Conference
> Center (7510 Montgomery Dr.) will be on your right
>
> last
> light before Rt. 33), The Made From Scratch Conference Center (7510
> Montgomery Dr.) will be on your right
>
> FOR THIS PROJECT TO PROCEED, THE SERVICE MUST RECEIVE POSITIVE PUBLIC
> COMMENTS.  PLEASE ATTEND THE MEETINGS OR ANONYMOUSLY SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS
> TO
> HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
>
> August 30th will be a question and answer session regarding the recently
> released draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).   Same time and place
>
> Timeline of events for the Little Darby National Wildlife Refuge:
>
> August 30th & 31st :    Public hearings on the draft EIS
> September 25:       Written public comment period for draft EIS ends
> Comments can be sent to: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
>                   Attn. Thomas Larson (AP)
>                   Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building
>                   1 Federal Drive
>                   Fort Snelling, Minnesota  55111-4056
>
> Or comments can be submitted over the internet at:
> http://www.fws.gov/r3pao/planning/public.htm
>
> Based on the public comments, the Service will update the draft EIS into a
> final EIS.
> Final EIS released.
> Public review of final EIS.
> U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will issue decision whether or not to move
> ahead with project based on findings in final EIS.
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
> message text UNSUBSCRIBE PRAIRIE
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
> message text UNSUBSCRIBE PRAIRIE

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PRAIRIE
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index