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Re: Little Darby Wildlife Refuge

A (nearly always unjustified) complaint that I've heard is that prairies 
are a source of weeds that will infest adjacent farmland. This complaint 
was used in Iowa as early as the 19-teens and '20's to argue against 
preserving native prairies.
Deb Lewis
Ames, Iowa
At 03:32 PM 08/29/2000 -0500, you wrote:

>I don't understand why farmers would oppose something like this:
>
>1.  Land is purchased only from willing sellers
>2.  Refuge provides the locals with recreation, etc
>3.  The land taken out of production will reduce supply and slightly boost
>grain prices.
>4.  And the Feds are making payments in leu of property taxes.
>
>It seems that the only reason the Farm Bureaus would oppose these kinds of
>things is because there would be fewer farmers paying them dues, or
>because taking land out of production somehow runs against the farming
>culture.  I can't see how the local farmers would be harmed.
>
>Chris Hauser.
>
>On Tue, 29 Aug 2000, Tom Schneider wrote:
>
> >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.
> >>
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