Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Summary
The Waterfowl Production Area (WPA) acquisition pilot program, a cooperative effort of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, resulted in the acquisition of 29 parcels or 1,365 ha (3,372 acres) of waterfowl habitat at a cost of over $1.5 million. The pilot program objective was to identify and acquire WPAs in the Waterfowl Production Unit (WPU) complexes. During 1977-79, a study was undertaken to evaluate WPAs within the WPU complexes at 2 major study areas. The Southern Study Area (SSA) consisted of 11 separate WPUs totalling 142.6 km² (55 mile²) in Columbia, Dane, Dodge, and Jefferson counties, and the Northwest Study Area (NSA), a 362.6 km² (140 mile²) block in St. Croix and Polk counties. This study was designed to provide the base data necessary for an evaluation of the WPA acquisition program under Wisconsin conditions, and to provide guidelines for waterfowl management schemes under the WPA concept.