For six-years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) toiled on long-range, comprehensive plan for the Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge in northern New Hampshire and Maine. That plan, announced last week, will expand the preserve, allow for construction of a visitor center and, oh yes, change the name, but just a little.
The new name of the Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge will be simply, the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge. The FWS dropped the “Lake” part, because the boundaries of the refuge will be expanded beyond the shores of Lake Umbagog itself. In fact, the Umbagog Plan adds 47,807 acres, all acquired from “willing sellers,” to the preserve’s current 21,650 acres.
The plan also calls for new and enhanced wildlife-related recreational programs and services, including the construction of a new headquarters and visitor facility.
“This plan represents six years of effort among agencies, communities and other stakeholders,” said Refuge Manager Paul Casey in a press release. “Of the alternatives we considered, this approach will best achieve the purpose and goals of the refuge by protecting the health and diversity of the wetlands and forests of the Umbagog Lake area.”
The Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge, spanning portions of Coos County, N.H., and Oxford County, Maine, was established in 1992 to protect wetlands, threatened and endangered species, and migratory birds in the area.
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Also See: Concealed Guns to be Allowed in National Parks (2008)
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