Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge Seeks Public Comments on Environmental Assessment for Continued Herbicide Application

Taking public comment til Aug 4th

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS, Service) has developed an Environmental Assessment for the use of herbicides on Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge (NWR, refuge) for vegetation management. The USFWS is proposing that both ground and aerial herbicide applications would continue to be used to control, prevent, and limit the spread of invasive species and other undesirable vegetation on the refuge. Herbicide application is often the most logistically feasible and cost‐effective management tool to control vast expanses of invasive and other undesirable vegetation located in remote areas of the refuge. Aerial herbicide application and prescribed fire are the only habitat management tools available on much of Big Oaks NWR due to the presence of munitions and unexploded ordnance associated with past land use on the former Jefferson Proving Ground.

This draft Environmental Assessment will be available for public review and comment for 15 days from July 20 to August 4, 2022. The draft document will be available at the refuge office (1661 West JPG Niblo Road, Madison, IN 47250), via email (BigOaks@fws.gov), and can be downloaded from the refuge website (https://www.fws.gov/refuge/big_oaks/). Comments can be sent by email to BigOaks@fws.gov or sent to the refuge office.

 A different or revised proposed action may evolve during the National Environmental Policy Act process as the agency refines its proposal and gathers feedback from the public, tribes, and other agencies. Therefore, the final proposed action may be different from the original. The proposed action will be finalized at the conclusion of the public comment period for the Environmental Assessment. The refuge would appreciate your comments regarding this assessment. We are especially interested in information you have or studies you are aware of regarding the use of herbicide and vegetation management.

Big Oaks NWR consists of 50,000 acres on the former Jefferson Proving Ground (JPG) located in Jennings, Ripley, and Jefferson Counties in southeastern Indiana. The local refuge is managed by the USFWS and provides excellent public use opportunities, such as hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, interpretation and environmental education. The refuge has one of the largest contiguous forest blocks in the southeastern part of the state as well as one of the largest grassland complexes in the state, both of which provide wonderful wildlife viewing opportunities to refuge visitors. Public use is allowed in the Refuge’s Day-Use Area from April thru November on Mondays, Fridays, and the 2nd and 4th Saturdays.

The USFWS is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 150-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses over 565 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts.