Waterfowl refuge area designated
<p class="p1">A popular place for hunting, fishing and nature viewing, Oakwood Bottoms Greentree Reservoir near Grand Tower was developed by the U.S. Forest Service/Shawnee National Forest over 50 years ago. </p><p class="p1">Today, the 3,600-acre bottomland hardwood forest serves as a critical waterfowl migration stopover and wintering place in the Mississippi Flyway. </p><p class="p1">The Forest Service said that with only 20 percent of the original bottomland hardwood forests in the lower Mississippi floodplain remaining, areas like Oakwood Bottoms provide vital resting and feeding areas for tens of thousands of waterfowl. </p><p class="p1">Because of this scarcity of quality waterfowl areas the Shawnee National Forest has designated a new waterfowl refuge area within Oakwood Bottoms Greentree Reservoir. </p><p class="p1">Beginning with the 2015 waterfowl season, the designated waterfowl refuge will be closed from 14 days prior to waterfowl hunting season to the end of waterfowl hunting season in the southern central zone. </p><p class="p1">No walking access or hunting will be permitted in the designated waterfowl refuge.</p><p class="p1">The U.S. Forest Service/Shawnee National Forest has designated this waterfowl refuge closure with the objective of increasing the number of resident and migratory waterfowl using Oakwood Bottoms and, therefore, increasing the recreation qualities of Oakwood Bottoms for nature viewing and hunting activities. </p><p class="p1">The annual closure of the designated waterfowl refuge area is set to begin with the 2015 waterfowl hunting season and last for a trial period of three to five years, with the possibility of becoming more permanent.</p><p class="p1">Metal signs mark the boundary of the designated waterfowl refuge area. </p><p class="p1">The area will be closed to all use, including walk-in visitors, so that all waterfowl species can go undisturbed and find refuge. </p><p class="p1">This season’s closure was set to begin Oct. 31 and continue through Jan. 12, 2016.</p><p class="p1">The Forest Service stated that violators found within the waterfowl refuge area between those dates will be ticketed. </p>