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Indiana
conservationists, environmentalists hail passage of Interior
Appropriations bill with funding for Patoka River National
Wildlife Refuge
$1.15 million will go toward land purchase, preservation of
habitats for rare animals
(Indianapolis,
Ind.) – Leaders from Indiana conservation and environmental
organizations hailed passage of the 2010 Interior Appropriations
bill, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama. The
bill includes $1.15 million in funding for land acquisition at
the Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge in southwest Indiana.
“We’re
thrilled that this appropriation will allow the Patoka refuge to
buy 1,150 acres of land that were at risk of being sold to
other buyers if federal funding was not available,” said Sue
Vernier of the Evansville Audubon Society. “This is a
critically-important wildlife area adjacent to the refuge,
containing upland and bottomland habitats where rare animals
live.”
“The hard
work of many people and groups was rewarded with passage of this
bill,” said Jesse Kharbanda, executive director of the Hoosier
Environmental Council. “Completion of the Patoka River National
Wildlife Refuge has been a conservation priority for Indiana for
many years.”
Susan
Haislip, of the new Friends of the Patoka River National
Wildlife Refuge, noted, “The residents of Pike and Gibson
counties, as well as Hoosiers throughout Indiana, deeply value
the Patoka refuge, and its great opportunities for outdoor
recreation and contributions to Indiana’s natural diversity.”
“Congressman Brad Ellsworth and Sen. Richard Lugar deserve our
sincere thanks for their determined support for refuge funding.
As a result, the Patoka refuge will be able to continue to
preserve precious habitats, allowing many generations of
families to educate, explore, and appreciate the treasure we
have in the Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge,” said Rachel
Lewis, of Pike Gibson Citizens for Quality Environment and the
Patoka Friends group.
The
conference report for the 2010 Interior Appropriations bill,
which passed both the U.S. House and Senate on October 29, also
contains $825,000 in land acquisition funding for the Hoosier
National Forest.
About
the Patoka River National Refuge:
Established in 1994 to restore bottomland hardwood forest
habitats, the refuge’s purchase boundary covers 22,472 acres,
including 30 miles of the Patoka River, and at least 7,000 acres
of bottomland forested wetlands, the most imperiled wetland type
in Indiana and the American Midwest. To date, 6,169 acres have
been purchased for the refuge. Over 380 wildlife species inhabit
the refuge’s boundaries, including the bald eagle, river otter,
bobcat, and endangered animals including the Indiana bat,
interior least tern, northern copperbelly watersnake, and
cerulean warbler. The National Audubon Society recognizes it as
an “important bird area.”
The list
of Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge supporters includes:
·
Evansville Audubon Society
·
Friends of the Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge
·
Hoosier Environmental Council
·
Indiana Wildlife Federation
·
Izaak Walton League, Indiana Division
·
Knox County Quail Unlimited
·
Pike-Gibson County Citizens for a Quality Environment
Contacts:
John Goss,
IWF,
317-875-9453
Susan
Haislip, Friends of Patoka,
(812) 479-0771, ext. 100
Rachel
Lewis, PGCQE, 812-455-3560
Tim
Maloney, HEC, 812-369-8677
Sue
Vernier, Evansville Audubon,
812-385-5058
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