PLANNED WILDLIFE REFUGE WILL BE FOCUS OF MEETING

Up to 16,600 acres of land in New Madrid County are part of discussions that may lead to establishment of a federal wildlife refuge in Southeast Missouri. The project manager for the New Madrid Refuge will be in Cape Girardeau Sept. 13 to discuss it.

Jim Salyer of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will speak at 7 p.m. at the Missouri Department of Conservation Headquarters in the North County Park.

The public is invited to attend the event, which is sponsored by the Trail of Tears Group of the Sierra Club.

The purpose of the refuge is to increase wetland habitat in the Mississippi Flyway, an area of importance to many migratory waterfowl populations throughout North America. Some concerns have been expressed that the planned refuge would interfere with current or future drainage activities.

Discussions between the Fish and Wildlife Service and regional drainage districts are progressing.