Description
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is making available for public comment our proposed updated planning policies, 602 FW 1-4, for the National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System). The purpose of these policy updates is to modernize the Refuge System's refuge management by incorporating landscape conservation plans and consideration of climate change and other anthropogenic forces in refuge management. The policy also describes how the Refuge System coordinates with Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribes; Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs); Alaska Native Organizations (ANOs); the Native Hawaiian Community; territories; and other partners and stakeholders in refuge planning. While this publication opens the 30-day public review period, we also invite and encourage Tribes, ANCs, ANOs, and the Native Hawaiian Community to continue to review and submit comments within this review period. Comments are due October 16, 2023.