U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Accepts Donation of Dunn Property
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has officially agreed to acquire the Michael Dunn property in Derby, VT, as the Eagle Point Unit of Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, based in Swanton, in accordance with the terms of the Michael Dunn Trust. The 420-acre parcel, located on the shore of Lake Memphremagog, was offered to the federal government as a donation by the Trust.

The property consists of wetland, upland and lakeshore habitats and supports a diversity of wildlife species. It also offers wildlife-oriented public use opportunities.

The Service is developing a cooperative agreement with Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources’ Department of Fish and Wildlife for long-term management of the property in a manner similar to a wildlife management area.

Public use activities - hiking, limited primitive camping, fishing access, hunting and wildlife observation - will be more fully available once the Service takes title to the property and a management agreement with Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife is completed. Until then, the public’s traditional use of the property while under Mr. Dunn’s stewardship will continue.

The real estate transaction to transfer the property is under way, and will be completed by year’s end.

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New Problem for Pete the Moose
"This is a very serious thing that needs to be addressed," Vt. Agriculture Secretary Roger Allbee said.

The issue - Pete the moose's owner Doug Nelson has not given the state a management plan, even though he's had three months to do so after lawmakers passed a last minute plan to save the moose. Pete is living on an elk hunting preserve in Irasburg after being found mauled by dogs.

The Vt. Fish and Wildlife Department planned to kill Pete. It's against the law to keep wild animals in captivity because they could spread disease. But lawmakers turned Doug Nelson's preserve into a game farm under the jurisdiction of the Agency of Agriculture.

"We hope he will understand that there were several legislators that went to bat for him to put special provisions into the law to allow him to comply at this time, it seems quite unreasonable that he would ignore what is required," Allbee said. (more...)

Burlington Free Press article...

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