Welcome to Kenmare

Feature Stories (Vol. 109 No. 14--4/04/2007)

Lostwood Complex focuses on public input

By Caroline Downs

Employees of the Lostwood Wetland Management District Complex switched their focus from migratory birds to people during a public meeting held March 26th in Powers Lake to discuss topics for the draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP).

Dave Gillund, project leader for the Lostwood Complex, led the session after introducing staff members Chad Zorn, Tim Kessler, Elaine Hornaday, Mike Graue and Ken Maruskie to the group. "We’re interested in hearing what the public thinks is important," he said.

He explained the Complex included Lake Zahl and Shell Lake national wildlife refuges (NWRs), along with the Crosby and Lostwood wetland management districts (WMDs). "It also includes Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge," he said, "but the CCP for that refuge has already been completed."

With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation, Gillund offered a brief explanation of the CCP process, which results in a long-range management plan. The federal Refuge Improvement Act of 1997 mandated that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service write and implement CCPs for all refuges and WMDs. "The act also established six priority public uses," Gillund said. "Hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education and interpretation. They don’t occur on all refuges because they still have to be compatible with wildlife."

While many of the refuges in North Dakota were established in the 1930s, the wetland management districts were created in 1962 to manage Waterfowl Production Areas. The WMDs were then included in the refuge system in 1966.

"The CCP is in place so the management stays consistent and the objectives stay consistent," Gillund said, adding that one benefit of the process lay in how it defined a clear statement of future direction.

He reminded the audience that the USFWS was the only federal land management agency where wildlife was the first priority. "Most of our laws and policies come from acts of Congress," he said. "The management decisions will be based on the best available science. The public often doesn’t see this, but it’s our job to explain."

Before taking questions and comments, Gillund described the four entities to be included in this CCP process. The Crosby and Lostwood WMDs, which extend from just west of the Des Lacs NWR at Kenmare to the Montana border, and south from the Canadian border to the Missouri River, were established to benefit migratory birds. The two districts contain 152 waterfowl production areas, 31,234 acres in fee title, and 156,500 acres in wetland and grassland easements.

"The fee title acres were purchased with [federal] duck stamp dollars," Gillund said. "Hunting and fishing are allowed in those districts."

Wetland easements allow private landowners to retain the title to their land, while the USFWS manages the land cover for waterfowl. Typically, a wetland agreement prevents the intentional draining or pumping of a wetland. Grassland easements allow landowners to own and use the site for haying and grazing, but generally prohibit breaking the soil surface.

Shell Lake NWR, located almost a dozen miles south of Blaisdell, was created as a refuge for migratory birds. The refuge consists of 1,835 acres in fee title and easements.

Lake Zahl NWR, currently a dry wetland because of drought conditions in recent years, was also established for use by migratory birds in the Central Flyway. The refuge, located in Williams County along ND Highway 50, has 3,700 acres in fee title and easements.

"That’s two refuges, 152 WPAs and over 150,000 easement acres. That’s a large area," said Gillund. "We need to hear from our neighbors."

Weeds, endangered
species discussed
The audience, with only six members, discussed several topics with Gillund and other Service employees, ranging from the amount of input the Lostwood Complex staff would have in the final version of the CCP to benefits from fire and grazing for restoring native prairie within the Complex.

Jim Goettle, a landowner who shares borders with the Lostwood Complex, asked how noxious weeds would be addressed in the CCP, especially leafy spurge. Gillund said spurge would be managed according to state laws, and Zorn added that biological control with flea beetles had not been successful on a 400-acre section of the refuge that adjoined Goettle’s land. "We sprayed all the spurge on the [Lostwood] refuge last year," Zorn said.

Goettle nodded. "I can’t afford not to do it," he said. "That’s how I feel and I want you guys to feel the same way. I’d like to see the grass come back, instead of yellow."

Gillund agreed. "I’m very interested in targeting [noxious weeds] with surrounding landowners," he said. "We’re hoping our neighbors act as our eyes and ears."

Pat Tinjum, executive director of the Burke County Job Development Authority, raised the issue of endangered species present on the Lostwood Complex.

Gillund explained whooping cranes, an endangered species, sometimes use the Complex as a stopping point during their spring and fall migrations.

"We record and document and report any sightings," Zorn added.

Piping plovers, listed as a threatened bird species, nest in alkali sites on the Complex. "We survey all areas for piping plover," Gillund said, describing a 1.1 million acre project area in eastern Montana and North Dakota where the plovers are known to nest. "We monitor all of the known piping plover locations within that. It’s a nationally significant program."

The audience also talked about energy development. Kessler explained oil exploration was already taking place within the Complex. "We don’t have mineral rights for most of the wetlands," he said, "but we will go through a process to limit impact."

"I expect wind energy will be prevalent in this complex for the next 15 years, along with oil and gas exploration," Gillund said.

Kessler said the placement of wind turbines would not affect wetland easements because no areas would have to be drained, but grassland easements could come into question as service roads were constructed. "Landowners are allowed to place wind turbines on grassland easements," he said, "but we’d like to see them strategically place the turbines to reduce impact."

"That’s becoming a big issue all over North Dakota and South Dakota," Gillund added. "There’s a little bit of a process involved, but with the development of a wind farm there’s plenty of time to make that phone call to the Fish and Wildlife Service. And so far, the wind power companies have been agreeable. They want to be efficient, too."

One phase complete
Gillund explained the preplanning phase of the CCP process had been completed, with Kessler writing the vision statements and goals for the Lostwood WMD Complex. "We’re working on the biological information now," Kessler added.

Management goals, objectives and strategies will also be written for the two WMDs and the two refuges. Zorn mentioned habitat management as the priority of the draft CCP. "I want to see the habitat be the most productive it can be," he said.

"There are specific things we want to accomplish," Gillund said. "You’ll hear from us [again] about what we want the outcome to look like."

The draft CCP should be completed and ready for public review by the spring of 2008. In the meantime, Gillund invited the public to contact the Lostwood staff at any time to discuss the most important qualities of the Lostwood Complex and related issues. "This process allows for comments the entire length of the process," he said.

After the final CCP is completed by the summer of 2008, the document will be reviewed and revised every five years.

Gillund and Zorn repeated their requests for public participation, both in the CCP process and in simply visiting sites on the Lostwood Complex. "It’s often an uphill battle to get people involved," Zorn said, "to see why we’re here and what we do."

Persons or organizations with an interest in the Lostwood WMD Complex are welcome to contact any staff member with concerns, questions or issues they would like to see addressed in the draft CCP. The Lostwood personnel are available in person at the headquarters west of Kenmare on Highway 8 during business hours or by telephone at 701-848-2722.