New wildlife management area created

Staff Writer

A conservation treasure in our own backyard will remain open to the public after two tracts of land that were recently sold were dedicated Friday at the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers.

About 1,000 acres of Ochs' Point and 500 acres of Neu's Point were officially declared the state's the newest wildlife management area.

Due to cool temperatures, several states officials, federal officials, conservation groups and members of the public crowded inside the Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center Friday, for the transfer of the property deed and the land's dedication as a wildlife management area.

Recognized as project partners were Tim Neu, Ed and Ann Ochs, Tom and Susan Ochs, North Star Caviar, the Williston Area Chamber of Commerce, the McKenzie County Commission, Conservation Fund, American Foundation for Wildlife, U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, North Dakota Natural Resources Trust, Northern Great Plains Joint Venture, United Sportsmen of North Dakota, Friends of Fort Union/Fort Buford, Ducks Unlimited Inc., North Dakota Game Warden Association, North Dakota Wild Turkey Federation and the North American Wetlands Conservation Council.

"The coalition of partners wanted to preserve the public hunting and fishing access in the confluence against out-of-state money putting it on lock and key," explained Greg Hennessy, president of the Friends of Fort Union/Fort Buford.

"We created a funding process with all of the partners and negotiated a sale price to buy the property and convey it to the American Foundation for Wildlife, who in turn, transferred it to the public trust of the Game and Fish Department.

"We have secured a habitat for several endangered species such as the pallid sturgeon and non-threatened species like migration water fowl and paddlefish in perpetuity along with the Lewis and Clark view scape. It should survive intact for the 300th anniversary of the Corps of Discovery II."

Friday's event was intended to celebrate the transaction by conveying the deed to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

He credited the Neu and Ochs families for their foresight in helping keep the valuable resource local and public.

"North Star Caviar was the lead broker in negotiating the purchase in conjunction with the Friends of Fort Union/Fort Buford and the Williston Area Chamber of Commerce along with the United Sportsmen Williston Chapter," Hennessy said.

"It is the single most complicated land purchase by the Game and Fish Department in the history of North Dakota. The confluence is rated as the most significant aquatic resource in the state of North Dakota," Hennessy said.