Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge Approved for North Suburbs, Wisconsin
The Chicago region gets its first national wildlife refuge, which runs from Wisconsin into northern Illinois, including parts of McHenry and Lake counties.
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has authorized the establishment of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin, eventually providing up to 11,200 acres of habitat for wildlife as well as outdoor recreational opportunities within easy driving distance of millions of people. “When President Obama unveiled his America’s Great Outdoors initiative two years ago, we set out to re-energize a conservation ethic for the 21st century and to help Americans reconnect to the natural world,” Salazar said at a gathering of conservation stakeholders. “Thanks in large measure to the work of local communities and stakeholders, the creation of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge will help conserve wetlands …
