Lake Erie. Within the authorized boundaries of the Refuge are several existing parks including Elizabeth Park, Sterling State Park, Lake Erie Metropark, as well as Pointe Mouillee State Game Area and Erie State Game Area. The headquarters of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge are in Grosse Ile Township, which is not officially listed as part of the refuge. In Canada, the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge does not have any formal boundaries, and no Canadian portions of the Detroit River or Lake Erie are officially included into the refuge. All properties and potential future land acquisition sites are within the United States and governed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Proposed expansion While the boundaries of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge encompass only 7.88 square miles (20.42 km2) of property scattered along the west coast of the Detroit River and Lake Erie, the Department of the Interior has approved of future land acquisitions by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service totaling 18.75 square miles (48.56 km2) of land and water. Expanding the territory through land acquisitions is a top priority for the refuge. The expansion of the refuge is limited due to finances and the fact that most areas within the proposed range are privately owned. Most of the land within the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is jointly operated by individual landowners and the federal government. The expansion could also include areas of significant permanent populations, such as the islands of Grosse Ile Township, the riverfronts of several Downriver communities, Berlin and Frenchtown charter townships, and Monroe. The proposed range stretches for 48 miles from the southern border of Detroit at Zug Island in the city of River Rouge south all the way to the Michigan–Ohio border. The expansion would not include any areas within the city limits of Detroit. Potential areas within this realm include Zug Island, Grosse Ile, Elizabeth Park, Pointe Mouillee State Game Area, Sterling State Park, and Turtle Island. Potential Canadian additions to the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge include the large Fighting Island, which has already undergone major recovery after serving as an industrial dumping ground for decades, Grass Island, Turkey Island, Crystal Island, and Bois Blanc Island. References External links Official website by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge by the Great Lakes Commission Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Establishment Act A Conservation Vision