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We are a group of citizens dedicated to preserving and protecting the natural resources of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).  Mississippi River Wild’s objectives are to:
 
·        Enhance and preserve fish and wildlife habitat

·        Increase public awareness and support of the refuge

·        Advocate sound policy and adequate funding for the refuge

·        Provide educational opportunities for all ages and cultures

·        Promote volunteerism and partnerships to assist refuge staff

·        Assist the FWS in implementing refuge goals and objectives

·        Encourage diversity of native species and habitat
 
·           Encourage responsible recreation within the refuge
 
 
Current News
Volunteers organize to staff New Observation Deck
 
Over 30 volunteers met on the new Brownsville Observation Deck to learn about the Environmental Management Program island building project and obtain information about the many birds that use the Mississippi River corridor for their fall migration.  Volunteers will then be available on the deck to help visitors understand the construction project and to identify birds and wildlife.  The staffing hours will begin in early October during the peak of the migration and continue to freezeup.  For a calendar of staffing times, go to http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?pvttk=a696cf5dbea832c660d05f9a9292886b&height=600&wkst=1&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&src=13ufbntku9l2bhqkbah2ge0kec%40group.calendar.google.com&color=%23B1365F&ctz=America%2FChicago. 
 
MRW would welcome additional deck volunteers.  For information, e-mail Barb Hammes at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
 
POOL 8 ISLAND BUILDING BOAT TOURS
 

 

Mississippi River Wild along with the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Minnesota and Wisconsin DNRs will offer boat tours of the $9,500,000 island building project currently underway just south of Brownsville, Minn.  The tours will start at 5 P.M. on Tuesday, Aug. 19 at the lower landing at Wildcat Park, 1/2 mile south of Brownsville.  Tours will last about 45 minutes and will allow viewers to see, up close, the mammoth scale of this project.  DNR, COE, and USFWS personnel will be on hand to answer questions and provide detail.  The tours are free to the public.

 

Since the creation of Lock and Dam No. 8 in 1937, many of the natural islands in this area eroded and disappeared.  Island loss allows more wind and wave action in the backwaters, keeping sediment suspended (turbidity).  The suspended sediment in turn makes it difficult for sunlight to penetrate the water and reach aquatic plants.  All this results in the loss of valuable aquatic plant beds that migrating waterfowl and fish use for food and cover. 

 

To restore this valuable habitat, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and the public planned and designed this island construction project as a cooperative effort.

 

 

The objectives of the project are:

 

·         Increase and maintain quality dabbling  and diving duck habitat

·         Create habitat for neotropical migrants and shorebirds

·         Create turtle nesting habitat

·         Create backwater fish overwintering habitat

·         Enhance backwater fish spawning and summer habitat

·         Enhance channel habitat for riverine fish and mussels

·         Increase emergent, submersed and floating leaved aquatic vegetation

 

Twelve islands will be constructed with dredged material from Schnick’s Bay and the Above Brownsville placement site ( Crater Island).  To prevent the new islands from eroding, rock will be placed along sections of shoreline and vegetation will be planted.  These new islands will maintain and help reestablish aquatic plant beds and deepwater habitat.  Migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and mammals such as beaver, mink, and otter will benefit from this project. 

 

 

 
HELP TELL THE UPPER MISS STORY
 
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Mississippi River Wild is asking for Volunteers!   The new observation deck south of Brownsville is getting 50 to 60 cars/day stopping to view the island construction project.   Hundreds more are expected when the fall migration sets in.
 
Mississippi River Wild needs volunteers to help interpret the construction and the wildlife seen from the deck.  We hope to make this an ongoing program and we need your help!  It's our best opportunity to gain support for conserving the natural resources of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge.

You don't need to be an expert.  We will provide you with basic training and materials.  Just bring your enthusiasm for our refuge, birds and wildlife. 
We are asking you to attend a one hour orientation and training session either  on Aug 26th or Aug. 28th at 6:30 P.M. at the Brownsville overlook.  You need attend only one session (we scheduled 2 to allow for schedule conflicts).  We will have an alternate indoor site nearby so meet at the overlook, rain or shine. 

There is no mandatory time commitment for volunteers.   Give as much time as you can.  With enough help we will be able to reach out to thousands of visitors each year.   The Brownsville Observation Deck has become "the bird watching destination".  It's even a featured tour in the latest Elderhostel catalogue and, in the 3 weeks it was open last fall, received over 5,000 visitors. 
 
This a great chance to help others appreciate our wildlife, have fun, and give back to the Upper Miss.  If you are willing and able to volunteer, please let us know what training session you wish to attend.  
Contact Barb Hammes : 
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it     home: 507-895-6064  or cell: 608-790-2577
 
Thanks for helping Mississippi River Wild  care for your refuge!