Wildlife Refuge Approved on Wisonsin-Illinois Border

A National Wildlife Refuge that will straddle the Wisconsin-Illinois border is getting the go-ahead from Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.

Wednesday morning in Milwaukee, Salazar said he has authorized the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge in far southeastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois. “Hackmatack” is an Algonquin name for the tamarack tree.

Charlie Woolley of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the Hackmatack refuge is not a top-down project from the federal government. It is the result of a community effort that started six years ago, “A citizens based group who developed their own conservation vision for their backyard. They spent hours developing community support. They worked with the local communities. They worked with their county. They worked with the Wisconsin DNR, Illinois DNR to put together their vision.”

The interior department says no land has been dedicated yet for Hackmatack . Wednesday afternoon, Secretary Salazar is expected to announce a process for conservation easements and other land protection techniques. The Wisconsin communities of Lake Geneva, Pell Lake, and Genoa City are expected to be gateway communities near the northern end of the refuge.