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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate the Upper Mississippi 
4River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge on the occasion of its 
5100 years of service; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish 
7Refuge was created after a monumental movement of determined 
8citizens petitioned the United States Congress to create the 
9largest wildlife preserve ever in order to save the favorite 
10upper backwaters of the Mississippi River from being drained 
11and converted to farmland; spearheading the movement was the 
12charismatic Will Dilg whose organization, the Izaak Walton 
13League, championed the refuge as its first magnificent 
14achievement; and
 
15    WHEREAS, The Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish 
16Refuge has been a haven for fish, wildlife, and people since 
171924; the refuge stretches 261 river miles from Wabasha, 
18Minnesota to Rock Island, Illinois, protecting over 240,000 
19acres of the Mississippi River floodplain; the refuge hosts 
20over 3.7 million annual visits for hunting, fishing, wildlife 
21observation, and other recreational activities; and
 
22    WHEREAS, The Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish 
 
 
HR0806- 2 -LRB103 40474 ECR 72861 r

1Refuge is home to 306 species of birds, including over 300 bald 
2eagle nests, 50% of the world's canvasback ducks, and 20% of 
3the eastern U.S. population of tundra swans; the refuge is 
4also home to over 50 species of mammals and 42 species of 
5freshwater mussels that live throughout it while providing an 
6ecosystem for over 100 different species of fish; therefore, 
7be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
9HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
10we congratulate the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and 
11Fish Refuge on its 100th anniversary, and we commend its 
12lasting success in providing an ecosystem that supports large 
13amounts of wildlife and forestry; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That suitable copy of this resolution be 
15presented to the Izaak Walton League as a symbol of our esteem 
16and respect.