Union Slough Prairies need your help

UNION SLOUGH PRAIRIES STILL NEED YOUR HELP

(And thank you for the help you've already given!)

Iowa prairie enthusiasts have responded generously to the urgent call for messages supporting prairie restoration work at Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge in Kossuth County.   The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has received more than 100 letters and email messages supporting the removal of invasive trees.

Because of the organized local campaign to stop or severely reduce the tree removal, the pro-prairie messages have been critical in retaining official support for prairie restoration and management on the refuge.   The pro-prairie messages sent to legislators have also been very important.

About 600 acres of remnant prairie with uncommon species are threatened by invading trees on the 3334-acre refuge, including the federally-threatened prairie bush clover (Lespedeza leptostachya).   Also at stake are prairie birds and other prairie wildlife.

The outlook is promising, but the issue isn't settled yet.   There is still considerable local opposition to tree removal, including opposition from local elected officials.   There is an obvious need for more public education regarding the value of prairies and prairie restoration. Meanwhile, the prairie remnants at Union Slough still need our help.

The current plan is for the refuge staff to present a management plan to continue most of the originally-proposed prairie restoration and tree removal, while saving some trees at the southern end of the refuge. The southern end of the refuge is the only area where oak savanna (about twenty acres) was originally found. However, it will be absolutely critical that the FWS receive public comments that support the prairie restoration plan after it is presented.

The plan will be presented at some time in the near future, and the public comment period will begin shortly afterward.   More information will be available at that time regarding what the FWS needs to hear and where messages need to be sent.

Please plan to help, even if you've already commented! To keep informed on this issue, you can do one of the following:

(1) Watch this listserve, where information will be posted as soon as it's available.

(2) Join the new national grassroots prairie coalition listserve, which is specifically dedicated to providing information on prairie issues of national significance that need public comments. This listserve will also provide information on the Union Slough plan and comment period as soon as it is available. To join the coalition, please send a request to Lee Stone at: leeprairie@austin.rr.com

(3) Sign up to receive emailed information about Union Slough (only) when it becomes available. To do that, please send a message to Cindy Hildebrand at: grantridge@aol.com

(4) Check the website of the Iowa Prairie Network, which will post Union Slough information when it becomes available under "Action Alerts." To do that, please go to:

http://www.iowaprairienetwork.org/

The future of prairie restoration at Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa is likely to be determined by how many messages in favor of prairie restoration are received by the refuge during the upcoming public comment period. Those messages will also help determine the future of ecological restoration efforts on National Wildlife Refuges around the country.

Thank you again for your concern and support!

Cindy Hildebrand
grantridge@aol.com
Ames, Iowa

Inger Lamb
ingerlamb3@mchsi.com
515-963-7681