Restoring a forest legacy at Marais des Cygnes national wildlife refuge

This Project Design Document is prepared for the Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge Restoration Initiative to meet the standards of the Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Alliance. The Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge Restoration Initiative is a unique opportunity to restore native hardwood forests that will benefit fish and wildlife, enhance water quality along the Marais des Cygnes River, create new areas for public recreation, and trap carbon dioxide. On behalf of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the nonprofit Conservation Fund used donations from its Go Zero program to restore 776 acres of marginal land within the boundary of the Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge located in Linn County in eastern Kansas. The newly restored native bottomland hardwood forest will be managed by the Service to ensure its long-term protection and stewardship. The carbon offsets that are generated from this project are retired and cannot be sold or banked for future offset purposes.