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Tamarac Interpretive Association
The Birth of Tamarac NWR
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The Birth of Tamarac

During the 1930’s, drought and economic depression made up the landscape of America. Concerned conservationists and individuals began to realize that people were not the only ones suffering hardship. They rallied in support of waterfowl and other wildlife through habitat restoration. One such conservationist was Emil Frank, proudly referred to as the “father of Tamarac.”  He was a local game warden who had  “intimate knowledge” of the area and who originally drew up the boundaries for the refuge. Nationally, with a Duck Stamp program to raise funds, seed money from Congress and the establishment of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the FWS was able to begin a “crusade” to restore the wetland homes of waterfowl and other wildlife species. One of those ‘homes’ was Tamarac.

“…..to bring back as near as possible, at least in this area those same abundant conditions of nature as they existed before the advent of civilization.”

These are the words of John N. Bruce, Assistant Civil Engineer in charge of the initial development of Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. It was in June of 1937, when a Civilian Conservation Corp camp was established and “Tamarac BF-2 was alive with action.” From this time until 1941, the northern half of the proposed refuge made great strides in development which included patrol roads, trails, bridges, buildings, fire towers, water control structures, and habitat improvements which among many included the construction and set up of 800 wood duck boxes!

The southern half of the proposed refuge was still in private ownership consisting mostly of holdings belonging to duck hunting clubs and individual hunters. The controversy over obtaining these lands would last over twenty years and would include many interesting key players.

World War II and the passage of the “governor’s consent” law put a long hold on any further land acquisition.  This law, preventing the federal government from acquiring land within the southern half of the proposed boundaries, was introduced by Senator A. O. Sletvold of Detroit Lakes who was said to be employed by the “Rice Lake Syndicate.”  Obviously, there was a lot of political maneuvering going on due to pressure from special interest groups, much as it occurs in today’s political arena.

 

 

In 1954, the future looked brighter thanks to State Senator Norman Walz and State Representative Harry Basford. They introduced a bill which would rescind the governor’s consent law. The gun clubs were caught off guard while the bill passed quietly without fan fare. Needless to say, they were– to put it mildly- very upset. But there was yet another stumbling block in the road for refuge supporters. Under a treaty with Canada, the Migratory Bird Commission was required to approve all land acquisitions for migratory bird refuges. At this time, the commission did not consent to the proposed land acquisitions.  It wasn’t until the death of an “influenced” Minnesota commission member and at the urging of Minnesota congresswoman Coya Knutson, that the MBC finally “ordered completion of the refuge.”  This was in 1958. Gun clubs retaliated stating that the refuge was “not a duck producer, was being mismanaged, and that there would be a great loss in tax revenue.”  They pressured government leaders into deciding that the land was only to be acquired if the owner requested the government buy them out.

During these years, U.S. Attorney, C. U. Landrum, a local supporter of the refuge, kept in close contact with Senator Hubert H. Humphrey and other democrats in Washington. He was assured by Humphrey that the acquisition of land would take place and if necessary through condemnation. The ball finally got rolling when the Kennedy Administration took over. It was on June 14, 1961 that the Regional Director of the FWS advised their realty officers to start negotiations with the gun clubs and other land owners. Several cases ended up in federal court. Finally in 1964 all private lands were acquired. In 1965, all other land acquisitions (county and state) were completed.

As we enjoy the beauty and wildlife of Tamarac today, we must reflect back on those people who made this refuge a reality. It wasn’t just the “movers and shakers” of state and federal government. It was citizens like you and me who made a difference because of their strong beliefs and perseverance. It was people like Emil Frank, a local game warden, and Otto Kalhe, a member of the Becker County Sportsman’s Club – one of the few local businessmen to publicly support the refuge no matter the consequences. It was people like F. C. Schraeder, who dedicated hours in writing detailed reports in support of the refuge to local and regional newspapers and politicians. He also led many “show me” tours of the refuge to convince officials and locals alike of the importance of saving this area for generations of all life to come.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are upholding a promise made by Teddy Roosevelt long ago. It is the promise to “preserve wildlife and habitat for its own sake and benefit of the American people.” And it’s you, the American people, who can support your refuge system so that this legacy for wildlife can and will continue.

Tamarac Interpretive Association, 35704 Co. Hwy. 26, Rochert MN 56578-9638