Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1953 and contains
10,000 acres of marsh, bottomland hardwood forest and grasslands. It was
authorized by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission under the Migratory
Bird Conservation Act “...for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other
management purpose, for migratory birds.” Additional purposes designated under
the Refuge Recreation Act are “…incidental fish and wildlife-oriented
recreational development, the protection of natural resources, and the
conservation of endangered and threatened species.”

Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge is designated as an Important Bird Area
for its global significance to migratory waterfowl.

Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1953 and contains 10,000 acres of marsh, bottomland hardwood forest and grasslands. It was authorized by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission under the Migratory Bird Conservation Act “...for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds.” Additional purposes designated under the Refuge Recreation Act are “…incidental fish and wildlife-oriented recreational development, the protection of natural resources, and the conservation of endangered and threatened species.”Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge is designated as an Important Bird Area for its global significance to migratory waterfowl.

Bird's eye view of the park

Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge

The 629 acre Michigan Wetland Management District is part of the National
Wildlife Refuge System. These lands were put aside using the Waterfowl
Production Area Program which was authorized by Congress in 1958 by an
amendment to the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act. Since its initiation in
1961 it has been preserving natural wetlands that were rapidly being destroyed
nationwide by agricultural drainage, housing development and other commercial
land use practices.

Waterfowl production areas are comprised of small natural wetlands and
grasslands that provide breeding, resting and nesting habitat for millions of
waterfowl, shorebirds, grassland birds and other wildlife.

In 1980, with approval from then Governor Milliken and the support of the
Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service through a Memorandum of Understanding announced it was proposing to
acquire up to 30,000 acres of wetlands in a 14 county area of south-central
Michigan under the Waterfowl Production Area Program. The counties include
Kent, Ionia, Barry, Eaton, Ingham, Livingston, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun,
Jackson, Cass, Saint Joseph, Branch and Hillsdale.

In 2004, the Memorandum of Understanding between the two agencies was renewed
and resulted in the expansion of the wildlife production area acquisition area
from the original 14 county wetland management district to include all or
parts of 46 counties that lie within the primary focus areas of the North
American Waterfowl Management Plans, regional landscape ecosystem areas for
Michigan.

By 2020 Michigan Wetland Management District had five waterfowl production
areas in three counties with plans to expand as funding and lands become
available. Malan, Kinney, Schlee and Edger Waterfowl Production Areas are
within the original 14 county wetland management district, while the Schnoover
Waterfowl Production Area is located within the primary focus areas of the
North American Waterfowl Management Plans regional landscape ecosystem areas
for Michigan. All five waterfowl production areas in Michigan provide nesting,
resting and brood rearing grounds for various waterfowl, shore and water
birds, and other wildlife.

The 629 acre Michigan Wetland Management District is part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. These lands were put aside using the Waterfowl Production Area Program which was authorized by Congress in 1958 by an amendment to the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act. Since its initiation in 1961 it has been preserving natural wetlands that were rapidly being destroyed nationwide by agricultural drainage, housing development and other commercial land use practices.

Waterfowl production areas are comprised of small natural wetlands and grasslands that provide breeding, resting and nesting habitat for millions of waterfowl, shorebirds, grassland birds and other wildlife.

In 1980, with approval from then Governor Milliken and the support of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through a Memorandum of Understanding announced it was proposing to acquire up to 30,000 acres of wetlands in a 14 county area of south-central Michigan under the Waterfowl Production Area Program. The counties include Kent, Ionia, Barry, Eaton, Ingham, Livingston, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Jackson, Cass, Saint Joseph, Branch and Hillsdale.

In 2004, the Memorandum of Understanding between the two agencies was renewed and resulted in the expansion of the wildlife production area acquisition area from the original 14 county wetland management district to include all or parts of 46 counties that lie within the primary focus areas of the North American Waterfowl Management Plans, regional landscape ecosystem areas for Michigan.

By 2020 Michigan Wetland Management District had five waterfowl production areas in three counties with plans to expand as funding and lands become available. Malan, Kinney, Schlee and Edger Waterfowl Production Areas are within the original 14 county wetland management district, while the Schnoover Waterfowl Production Area is located within the primary focus areas of the North American Waterfowl Management Plans regional landscape ecosystem areas for Michigan. All five waterfowl production areas in Michigan provide nesting, resting and brood rearing grounds for various waterfowl, shore and water birds, and other wildlife.

Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge

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Michigan Wetland Management District