[SEMCO] TODAY-Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge Proposal Informational Meeting

[Sharl Heller]

Proposed Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge Informational Meeting

Today, Wednesday, March 2, 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (WBNERR)
131 Waquoit Highway, Waquoit, MA 02536

COMMENTS DUE MARCH 4

Take advantage of a unique opportunity to meet with Bill Zinni, Refuge Planner and Beth Goldstein, Natural Resources Planner, from the Northeast Regional Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Deputy Wildlife Refuge Manager Tom Eagle of the Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex and hear about the proposed Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge.

This is a multi-state proposal to restore and protect shrublands and young forest throughout the landscape of New England and New York, targeting two important areas in Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod. Specifically, the proposal seeks to add an additional 500 acres to the Massasoit National Wildllife Refuge (NWR) in Plymouth and 1500 acres to the Mashpee NWR spanning Falmouth and Mashpee.

Bill, Beth and Tom will give a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session and will be happy speak one on one with you as time permits.

This meeting comes just days before the close of the comment period on the Service's Great Thicket proposal (March 4). Even if you cannot attend please be sure to comment using the links below, and why not ask them to expand beyond the proposed areas to include more of the Pine Barrens?

This event is hosted by the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (WBNERR) Coastal Training Program (http://www.waquoitbayreserve.org/education-training/coastal-training-programs/) and the Southeastern Massachusetts Pine Barrens Partnership (http://pinebarrenspartnership.org/index.html). Refreshments will be served.

More about the proposed Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fws.gov/northeast/refuges/planning/lpp/greatthicketLPP.html).

The US Fish and Wildlife Service will accept comments on the Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge proposal through March 4, 2016.

Comments can be submitted by:

Email to northeastplanning at fws.gov with  Great Thicket LPP  in the subject line

Mail to Beth Goldstein, Natural Resources Planner, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, MA 01035-9589 

Fax to 413-253-8480

Thanks!

Submitted by Sharl Heller
Coordinator, Pine Barrens Partnership
http://www.pinebarrenspartnership.org