U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service proposes expanding boundaries by 10%

Three of six refuges targeted in Georgia for

Expansion are in McIntosh County

Public scoping comments were requested by Thursday, Sept. 17, for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s proposal of major boundary expansions for National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) in Georgia and South Carolina.

The service proposes to expand six National Wildlife Refuges in the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex. Out of those six, three are in McIntosh County with Blackbeard Island NWR having 5,618 acres; Harris Neck NWR having 2,824 and Wolf Island NWR that includes Egg Island having 5,719 acres. That is a total of 14,361 acres owned by the federal government. (The last payment in lieu of taxes for those acres was $158,000, with $102,000 going to the Board of Education, and $54,000 going to McIntosh County.)

There are four NWRs in the South Carolina Lowcountry Refuges Complex.

The reason for the proposed expansion the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service states, “The natural and wild qualities of the South Atlantic region of the United States have been altered, fragmented, and significantly impacted for over 300 years. These impacts have entered a period of acceleration over the most recent decades, resulting in conservation concerns for imperiled wildlife species; the further fragmentation and reduction of connected habitats; the loss of truly wild, natural, and free functioning earth systems; and further loss or reduction of public access and the ability of people to access wild lands.”

The Service says it will work with partners to respond to the impacts and proposed to protect habitats including barrier islands, and beaches, salt marsh, maritime forest, forested wetlands, and pine dominated habitats; all are components of an interconnected and resilient ecosystem.

The proposal plans to expand the nearly 60,000-acres in Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex to between 150,000 and 200,000 acres.

The are highlights of the expansion proposal:

• Hunting, as well as other permitted recreational uses, will continue in the existing public recreational areas.
• It would not affect state navigable waters.
• “Being included within the proposed boundary expansion area would not affect how owners use their property or to whom they may choose to sell their property. The boundary expansion simply allows the Service to acquire lands that meet our conservation priorities through purchase from willing sellers or donations.
• “If finalized, the proposal would conserve about 10% of the outlines Conceptual Focus Areas.
• “The Service’s policy is to work with willing sellers.”

Comments must be received by Thursday, Sept. 17. The Service requests that comments be submitted in writing to either of the addresses with the subject line “Proposed NWR Expansions in GA and SC.”

Email to: Dorothy_Wells@fws.gov

Mail to: Nathan Hawkaluk, Project Leader, Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex, 694 Beech Hill Lane, Hardeeville, SC 29927