WHO:

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

WHAT:

Public meetings to present a new management plan for the Summer Lake Wildlife Area, a 19,000-acre marsh area that is a major migration point for waterfowl and shorebirds and popular destination for hunters and wildlife viewers.  

WHEN/WHERE:

July 17, 7-9 p.m., Summer Lake Community Church, 84703 Thousand Springs Lane and Hwy 31, Summer Lake

July 18, 7-9 p.m., Eugene Water and Electric Board, 500 East 4th Street, Eugene

July 19, 7-9 p.m., Central Oregon Community College, 2600 NW College Way, Room 151 Boyle, Bend

INFORMATION:

ODFW is holding three public meetings to present and accept public comments on a new draft management plan for the Summer Lake Wildlife Area.

The plan takes a habitat-based management approach in keeping with Summer Lake’s primary goal, which is to provide wetland and associated upland habitat for the benefit of fish and wildlife.

Hunters, anglers, wildlife viewers and others that use the area are encouraged to attend to provide their input on a plan that will govern management for the next 10 years.

Among the changes users will see are ongoing restoration projects that will temporarily dry out marsh areas and reduce wildlife presence. These projects are intended to improve wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities in the long term.

Summer Lake averages about 6,500 hunter days and 5,000 wildlife viewing days annually. ODFW is hosting meetings in Bend and Eugene as well as Summer Lake to accommodate hunters statewide.

The draft management plan (pdf). Comments can also be emailed to ODFW.Comments@state.or.us by Sept. 14.