New wildlife management area dedicated

About 30 conservation enthusiasts and conservation organization officials gathered Friday afternoon three miles south of Hutchinson for the dedication of McLeod County’s newest wildlife management area.

The Mark and Ursel Smith Wildlife Management Area is an 80-acre tract of restored prairie and wetlands now owned by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. It was farm land until purchased more than five years ago by the McLeod County Chapter of Pheasants Forever and the Wildlife Habitat Conservation Society.

The Smiths have been leaders in the conservation movement for more than 20 years, he as president of Pheasants Forever and now the WHCS, and she as secretary.

Other groups that aided in the restoration of the wildlife habitat were the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which designed the wetland restoration; the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, which helped finance the prairie and wild flower restoration; the Minnesota Wild Turkey Hunters Association, which contributed toward trees and shrubs planted at the site; and the Conservation Partners of America. Mary Mueller designed the prairie restoration.

The site, one-half mile east of State Highway 15 on 145th Street, is open to hunting and for hiking by the public.

Read more about the event on the Outdoors page of the Leader’s Sept 11 print edition.

(Terry Davis is a Hutchinson Leader staff writer. E-mail him at davis@hutchinsonleader.com.)