Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • 72

4 DETROIT FREE PRESS WWWYAKSCORNER.COM THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2003 5 4 ational wildlife refuges are wild, scenic places where spotting a factorv is about "We're unique," said Jim Pastyck, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages the system. as likely as meeting a Martian on a hiking trail. "There are some other refuges on large rivers, ryww cturm i V'' cut uetroits is the only International wildlife The Detroit River refuge also is one of only a handful of urban refuges, stretching for 15 miles from the mouth of the Rouge River, near Detroit's western edge, to Monroe, on the Ohio border. V- So you have to wonder about a refuge that overlooks two monster steel plants, three electricity plants and the downtowns of several small cities and Includes a contaminated Island.

Welcome to the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, the only refuge of its kind in the 535-refuge National Wildlife Refuge System. Technically, the 15-month-old refuge includes oniy islands, marshes, shoals and shoreline in U.S. waters. It's international because the eastern half of the river and its islands belong to Canada. "Hopefully, the Canadian government will designate lands on their side they feel are good The Trenton land is owned by Wayne County, which recently bought it from PaimlerChrysler, the car company.

"We want to put our office In there, and the county may put in a visitor's center" said Jim. Refuge officials also have their eye on the Humbug Marsh and Island Complex next door. The Humbug uplands, which climb gently to Jefferson Avenue, are the last major chunk, of untamed shoreline on the the U.S. side of the river. "The marsh has a lot of herons, egrets, gulls, swans and other shorebirds and waterfowl" said Jim.

"It's also a good nursery for a lot of our fish walleye, pike and other pan fish." The uplands are home to frogs, turtles, deer, rabbits, fox and many other animals not to mention some very old oak and hickory trees. It's hard to Imagine a refuge made of so many separate pieces, so Poiig Spencer, the refuge manager, took the Yak pn a boat tour. From Elizabeth Park Marina, i Trenton, he headed downriver to the marqh, a tangle of water, trees and brush that lioks very much as it must have when the first European settlers arrived. I On the south, the Yak could see some homes and a busy marina. In the distance, he counted eight radio towers.

Nearby was Calf Island, a acre refuge. Doug spotted two Canada geese, which were probably headed to the islands tiny wetlands. Then he headed back uprivfij- to take a spin around the 72-acre Grassy Island, the refuge's largest Island, off On the way, he passed the mostly submerged Mammajuda, a third refuge island, which looks like a pile of rocks. (The boat didn't get close enough for the Yak to see it.) In the 1960s and 70s, Grassy was used as a dumping ground. and oils -r j' i i ff- to protect, said Jim.

There aren't many wild places left on either side of the river. But there are more than you might think, Including about 10 islands mini Belle Isles and a large marsh where shorebirds and waterfowl nest. The refuge already has four islands only one of which is known to be contaminated, toother Is submerged, "but It makes an excellent nursery for fish," said Jim. The refuge also will soon include a pretty 100-acre chunk of wild land at Estral Beach owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

And refuge officials hope to manage a small wildlife habitat on the grounds of the Fermi II nuclear power plant, near Monroe, and a much larger one on the river in Trenton. PHOTOS BY AMY LEANG U.S. Fish and Wildlife staffers Stephanie Rastva. a pollution cleanup specialist, and Jim Pastyck, a biologist, accompanied the Yak on a boat tour of the new Petroit River International Wildlife Refuge. The Yak saw this Canada goose on Mud Island.

She was lying on the ground on top of her eggs. PHOTO FROM THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 5ERVICE A dense fern carpet coven the deep woods of Seney National Wildlife Refuge in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. THANK5 TEDDY Continued from Rage 3 Each refuge has a story. The first, on Pelican Island, was set aside by Roosevelt to protect the brown pelican's last breeding ground along Florida's east coast. That bird was endangered because of ladies' hats," said Hartwig, adding that the U.S.

Endangered Species Act had not yet been passed. "People killed the pelicans for their beautiful feathers and they were almost gone. Roosevelt, said, 'Gee, we need to do something about Thanks, T.R., for acting on behalf of future generations us. By Patricia Chargot Tp learn more and find a national wildlife refuge near you, visit the U.S. Fish and Midlife Service at www.fws.gov.

BILL'S FAVE5 Bill Hartwig, head of the National Wildlife Refuge System, has visited more than half of the 535 U.S. refuges. Here are some of his favorites: 1. Seney National Wildlife Refuge, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. 2.

Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, Minn. 3. K-odiak National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. 4. OkefenoV.ee National Wildlife Refuge, Ga.

5. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico. dredged from the Rouge Riverended up behind a clay-and-rock dike. But the area will have to be capped or cleaned up to protect wildlife and visitors. "You get out there and it's ke a little park once you get through the hot and sunny, and the wind roared through the treetops, as if the Yak were in the vortex of a friendly tornado.

He tramped around the Island's perimeter, following Poug and Jim as they cleared branches and posted signs that read "National Wildlife Refuge." (A larger "International Wildlife Refuge" sign will be added in June.) Poug found a nesting Canada goosel She lay beneath a tree, her beautiful body pressed tightly to the ground, her velvety black neck pillowed by leaves. The whole river was hers and the Yak's, too, foradayl "What we're thinking of doing to this island is putting In a trail system," said Poug. "There's already a primitive dock and some steps. We'd put in something nicer and some observation decks so you could sit and watch the birds. "An island like this, it attracts raptors hawks and other birds of prey.

You could even get an eagle out here." By Patricia Chargot phragmltes," said Poug, pointing to a wall of reeds that looked like vui uca lion a iana. i wuuw nau, uj tax, une soil, though. When you dig down, it smells like a 0 gas station petroleum products!" MICHIGAH'5 WILDLIFE REFUGE! Michigan has nine U.S. wildlife refuges five in the Upper Peninsula and four in the Lower Peninsula. Here they are': 1.

Huron National Wildlife Refuge 2. Gravel Island National Wildlife Refuge 3. Seney National Wildlife Refuge 4. Whitefish Point National Wildlife Refuge 5. Harbor Island National Wildlife Refuge 6.

Michigan Island National Wildlife Refuge 7. KJrtland's Warbler National Wildlife Refuge Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge 9. Petroit River International Wildlife Refuge He dropped anchor at Mud island, the last refuge island. Like the others, the 25-acre Mud was donated by National Steel Corp. in i nearby Ecorse.

The group clambered ashore, scaling a low, rocky bank and passing through a snarl of barrier trees Into a quiet woods carpeted with dried leaves. The Yak could hear the traffic on Jeffersonl Refuge manager Doug Spencer, left, and biologist Jim Pastyck clear branches at the edge of Mud Island so boaters will be able to see the signs Identifying the Island as a wildlife refuge. But he was in a different world. The day was.