SALEM, Ore –ODFW staff will share a draft management plan for Fern Ridge Wildlife Area on Thursday, November 7, 2019 at the Veneta public library, 88026 Territorial Hwy, Veneta. The meeting runs from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. After a short presentation, staff will answer questions and take public comments on the proposed plan. Read the draft plan. The ten-year plan will guide management actions on 5,831 acres. The draft plan calls for ODFW to: Manage habitats to attract and support waterfowl in the southern Willamette Valley; Protect, enhance, and restore habitat diversity for other wildlife present on the area; Provide a variety of recreational and educational opportunities to the public. Comments are accepted until November 21 by emailing David Speten at David.A.Speten@state.or.us. Fern Ridge Wildlife Area is primarily within the boundaries of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Fern Ridge Lake Project. ODFW and USACE co-manage the land under a license agreement with the current agreement expiring in 2033. Funding is provided through an annual federal grant under the Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration Program (75 percent) and state wildlife license funds (25 percent). Fern Ridge Wildlife Area is bisected by state highway 126 about 5 miles west of Eugene in Lane County.
