HENDERSON, Ky. - Just two months after its formal creation with a 10-acre tract of donated land, it was announced Tuesday that the Green River National Wildlife Refuge in Henderson County is now eligible for land acquisition funds from the federal Duck Stamp program.

Those stamps, which have been sold since the mid-1930s, raise up to $40 million each year for conservation efforts across the U.S.

A news release issued Tuesday morning said, "Gov. Andy Beshear and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell today announced the approval of federal Duck Stamp funding for land acquisition purposes at the newly established Green River National Wildlife Refuge in Henderson, Kentucky."

Michael Johnson, who is the refuge manager of the GRNWR along with the Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge in Kentucky, told The Gleaner that this action will allow himself and other federal officials to apply for funding from that pool of money when available and appropriate land presents itself here.

"We basically will identify a piece of property that is for sale by a willing seller -- we always want to stress that it comes from a willing seller -- and it would have to meet the criteria so that it would support migratory birds and waterfowl, so it would need to be the appropriate kind of property."

Then, he said, "It would compete with packages of land from other areas of the country" that are judged by the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund Commission.

"They look through all the projects that are submitted and try to pick out the best projects for the funding that is available for that year."

Johnson said the GRNWR refuge hasn't yet grown beyond its initial 10 acres because "it takes a while to get started." But he said officials are sending out information to landowners in the area, and are also open to those who would like to approach them.

Interested landowners can email at michael_johnson@fws.gov

Meanwhile, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service says on their "Duck Stamp Dollars at Work" web page that "For every dollar you spend on Federal Duck Stamps, 98 cents goes directly to purchase vital habitat or acquire conservation easements for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since 1934, 6 million acres have been acquired using Federal Duck Stamp revenues. More than 300 national wildlife refuges were created or have been expanded using Federal Duck Stamp dollars."

Federal Duck Stamps -- which cost $25 -- are purchased by hunters as a permit requirement to hunt waterfowl, as well as by conservationists and stamp collectors.

GRNWR born last year

The groundwork for the new federal wildlife refuge here took more than a decade.

But in November 2019, Sen. McConnell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials and their counterparts from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources officially announced the establishment of the Green River National Wildlife Refuge with the acquisition of the first tract, a 10-acre parcel donated by the Southern Conservation Corp.

The Green River National Wildlife Refuge is the 568th refuge in the National Wildlife Refuge System, and only the second one in the state of Kentucky.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans for it to eventually comprise 24,000 acres -- all within Henderson County and all open as public lands for hunters, anglers, birdwatchers campers, hikers and others to use.

Also in November, Sen. McConnell and then Governor-elect Andy Beshear discussed the use of federal “Duck Stamp” funding, which could support land acquisition to expand the refuge.

Gov. Beshear has since approved the measure, so that “Duck Stamp” funding can be utilized for these purposes, according to Tuesday's news release.

“We are thankful for Leader McConnell’s support of the Green River National Wildlife Refuge. Together, we are showing our commitment to long-term conservation and expanding access to our natural wonders in Western Kentucky,” said Beshear. “I fully support growing Kentucky’s cherished wildlife-related recreation, which significantly contributes to our local economies and provides our families with more opportunities to fish, boat, hunt and watch wildlife. We also appreciate state and federal fish and wildlife services for their contributions to helping us assemble the vast refuge."

“I’m grateful Governor Beshear answered the call to protect Western Kentucky’s outdoor heritage at the Green River National Wildlife Refuge,” said McConnell. “For years, I worked with local, state and federal partners to establish this refuge, and I’m proud of the enormous support we received from the Henderson community. Together, we’re preserving our Commonwealth’s wildlife habitats and providing new opportunities for hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation. With the Governor’s decision to take advantage of these federal resources, the Green River National Wildlife Refuge can grow to continue fulfilling its mission. Across the nation, refuges like this one have drawn new visitors and their dollars into local communities. I’m proud to partner with Governor Beshear as we conserve Kentucky’s natural beauty and our pastimes, and I look forward to further collaboration as we advance our Commonwealth’s priorities.”

In 2018, Senator McConnell secured a legislative measure directing the U.S. Department of the Interior to establish the new refuge in Henderson.

As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, McConnell shepherded his measure to passage and into law. In 2019, he also secured a provision directing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove regulatory barriers to expedite the establishment of the refuge, according to Tuesday's news release.

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