On August 15, 2012, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced he has authorized the establishment of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois, 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 and prairies in Wisconsin and Illinois, while offering Americans a place to enjoy the great outdoors.”

Read the full story: www.fws.gov/midwest/news/Hackmatack.html

To learn more about the planning of Hackmatack, visit www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/Hackmatack/

To learn more about the National Wildlife Refuge System, visit www.fws.gov/refuges