Detroit Refuge

By KEVIN DUFFY
Capital News Service
LANSING – What was once considered the ultimate paradox is now setting a precedent for urban development – a wildlife refuge along the Detroit River. “Bringing Conservation to Cities: Lessons from Building the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge” (Michigan State University Press, $39.95) is a new book about a public-private success story written by inland water scientist John Hartig. It traces the establishment of the country’s first international wildlife refuge. “The next generation of conservationists will come from urban areas,” said Hartig, who is the refuge’s manager. “An area, like Detroit, with 7 million people in the combined watershed, should be engaging them.”

Conservationists seeking field experience in the pristine wilderness might have a challenge, he said.