U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service May/June 2010 | Vol 7, No 3 RefugeUpdate National Wildlife Refuge System www.fws.gov/refuges

INSIDE: Palmyra Atoll is part of the marine national monuments of the Pacific, which are like no place else in the National Wildlife Refuge System. See Focus section. (Kydd Pollock/The Nature Conservancy) Tulare Basin Is Latest Addition Looting’s Costly Aftermath he National Wildlife Refuge System grew by one this By Susan Morse T spring with the acquisition court award is only as good as your ability to spend it. That’s what Cypress of conservation easements on 777 Creek National Wildlife Refuge, IL, is learning after a federal court in Illinois acres to create the Tulare Basin Aawarded it $150,000 to mitigate archaeological losses and repair a looted site. Wildlife Management Area in central The looter ripped more than 13,000 ancient artifacts from the ground before he was California. caught in 2007. On March 21, perpetual conservation In January, the court found the man guilty of violating the Archaeological Resources easements were bought on two tracts Protection Act (ARPA), which makes it a felony to disturb, damage or remove historic of wetland habitat to create the new material from public lands. The court ordered him to pay the damages and serve wildlife management area, which 30 days in jail. But he claims no income, and few experts think the southern Illinois will be administered as part of the refuge will ever collect the $150,000. Kern National Wildlife Refuge in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Sadly, that’s typical in such cases, says Carla Burnside, an archaeologist at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, OR. Her investigation several years ago into thefts The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from federal lands out west helped break up a major archaeological looting ring. approved the creation of Tulare Basin In Operation Indian Rocks, cleanup costs and damage assessments just at Desert Wildlife Management Area in 2007. National Wildlife Refuge, NV, and other looted refuge sites totaled about $176,000, Plans call for eventual protection Burnside recalls. Court-ordered payments never materialized. of 22,000 acres between Kern and Pixley National Wildlife Refuges. “The guys who got convicted weren’t working,” she says. “There was no way to Ninety percent of the land in the recoup money from them. All my time and travel was paid by regional office law wildlife management area will be enforcement.” conserved through the purchase of easements from willing landowners. continued on pg 26 continued on pg 27 RefugeUpdate �

Ken Salazar Address editorial Secretary inquiries to: Department of the Refuge Update Interior USFWS-NWRS 4401 North Fairfax Dr., Rowan Gould Room 634C Acting Director, U.S. Arlington, VA Fish and Wildlife 22203-1610 Service Phone: 703-358-1858 Fax: 703-358-2517 Greg Siekaniec E-mail: Assistant Director – [email protected] National Wildlife Refuge System This newsletter is published on recycled President Obama, April 16, at the White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors. Looking on, Martha Nudel paper using soy-based from left, are EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, Editor in Chief Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. (Tami A. Heilemann/DOI) ink. Bill O’Brian Chief’s Corner Managing Editor C The White House Is Listening Could this be the effort to save the great redwoods of next chapter in California and the petrified forest of wildlife, land and Arizona, the great bird rocks of the water conservation Aleutian Islands and the Tongass of Inside history in America? Alaska. From that commitment sprang a After Rehab, Vessel Starts Over breathtaking legacy of conservation that in Alaska The White House still enhances our lives . . . and, no matter Conference on how long I have the privilege of serving The latest addition to the Refuge America’s Great System’s fleet of vessels in Alaska Greg Siekaniec as President, I know I can never match it. Outdoors, held But I do intend to enrich that legacy, and spent much of its life on the wrong side April 16, ignited hope in those of us I feel an abiding bond with the land that is of the law. Page 4 who have been waiting for years for an the United States of America.” administration to be this interested in the In Arizona, Refuges Are Oases Refuge System and conservation across The president spoke about the pursuit for Fish the landscape. and partnership of conservation outside of Washington – by state and local Fish in the desert? Yes. At San I was in the audience at the Department governments, by tribes and by private Bernardino and Leslie Canyon of the Interior when President Obama groups – “so we can write a new chapter National Wildlife Refuges, protecting talked of Theodore Roosevelt’s in the protection of rivers, wildlife fish is in the establishing mission. conservation legacy, saying, “From habitats, historic sites and the great Page 7 [Roosevelt’s] commitment sprang an landscapes of our country.” He promised continued on pg 27 FOCUS: Marine National Monuments The four marine national monuments are among the Refuge System’s most distinctive components. As such, they present special challenges, rare opportunities and unparalleled Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill beauty. Pages 8 to 17 As hundreds of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff work furiously in the wake of the oil spill threatening wildlife and habitat at national wildlife refuges and other Can You Hear Me Now? sensitive environments along the Gulf of Mexico, Americans are wondering what Looking for a low-cost way to connect they can do. To report oiled shoreline, call 866-448-5816. To report oiled wildlife, call with visitors? Try a cellphone tour. It’s 866-557-1401. To submit a claim for damages, citizens should call 800-440-0858. For easy to set up. Page 23 updated information, go to http://www.fws.gov/home/dhoilspill/index.html.

2 • Refuge Update Sandy Point: “A Maternity Ward for Sea Turtles”

By Bill O’Brian o refuge is an island, even when it’s on an island. Michael Evans, Nrefuge manager at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge on St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, knows that well. With the help of the West Indies Marine Animal Research and Conservation Service, the Virgin Islands territorial government, Earthwatch, the National Park Service, The Nature Conservancy, local volunteers and a cooperative public, Evans oversees the Refuge System’s most important nesting site for endangered leatherback sea turtles. In 2009, a record year, 202 individual females made more than 1,100 nesting activities that produced at least 37,000 hatchling turtles at Sandy Point Refuge. A leatherback sea turtle returns to the Caribbean after attending to her nest on Sandy Point National To attain that result on St. Croix, an Wildlife Refuge on St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. (Claudia Lombard/USFWS) 82-square-mile tropical island that is home to about 50,000 people, Evans, refuge biologist Claudia Lombard, their partners in late spring, they lead nocturnal turtle Older Than Dinosaurs and predecessors have employed a multi- watches that are open to the public. The species is at least 50 million years faceted, multi-year approach. Year-round, they publicize human-caused old. “Leatherbacks were leatherbacks hazards that turtles face, including before dinosaurs became extinct,” says They have conducted overnight beach people disturbing nests; horses trampling Evans. They are the largest, deepest patrols for decades. Annually, from April nests; adult turtles and hatchlings being diving and most migratory of sea turtles. through mid-July, teams of staffers and injured or pulverized by boat propellers An adult is four to eight feet long and can volunteers patrol from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. (especially during breeding season); weigh 500 to 2,000 pounds. Adult males They monitor and tag each nesting turtle and poaching, which is not a problem on never leave the water and stage offshore with a passive inductive transponder federal land but is an issue off the refuge. near nesting sites to copulate (randomly) (microchip) implanted as permanent with females. An average female lays five They help hatchlings. The leatherback ID. This permits researchers to track nests per season. females as they lay nests at Sandy Point incubation period is 60 days under sand, and elsewhere in the Caribbean. “It and each nest typically produces 60 to 70 “Nesting beaches are maternity wards enables us to put hard numbers behind hatchlings. After gestation, hatchlings for sea turtles. We know a lot about management practices,” Evans says. instinctively leave the nest at night, this one aspect of their biology, but we To avoid washout before incubation and head for the lightest horizon to find the have no idea about what happens out in increase the hatchling yield, the teams water line and then swim in a frenzy to the water,” says Evans, who has been also relocate roughly one-third of nests open sea. During this phase, they often involved with the 30-year-old program from erosion zones to stable beach areas. become disoriented and move toward for almost two-thirds of its existence. artificial onshore light, and, the next They close the refuge’s beach 24/7 for four morning, when they should be miles Evans is proud that Sandy Point Refuge months annually – usually from late April out in the ocean, they are just offshore, has been so successful with relatively little through August. Even though Sandy Point exhausted and vulnerable to predatory funding and just a two-person staff. “It’s has one of the most spectacular beaches fish. To counter this and increase a very lean operation, and it doesn’t need on St. Croix, residents and tourists alike viability, staff members sometimes to be much more than a lean operation. I support the closure, Evans says, because manually disperse the hatchlings along a think that’s pretty neat,” he says. � they realize that “we’re not doing it to say wide expanse of beach. And, to this day, the enormous turtles ‘no’ to people; we’re doing it to say ‘yes’ remain surreal to him: “I’ve been watching to turtles.” “The whole goal of our management is to end up with as many hatchlings as leatherbacks for 17 years, and I still get They involve the community. At the possible,” says Evans. excited each time I see one.” height of the leatherback nesting season

RefugeRefuge UpdateUpdate •• 33 After Rehab, Vessel Starts Over in Alaska �

By Mike Boylan ere’s what we know about the Caroline, the latest addition Hto the Refuge System’s fleet of vessels in Alaska: It was built in 1979. It spent much of its life on the wrong side of the law. After it was seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration in a late- 1990s bust, the DEA used it undercover for a decade. In 2009, knowing that 30 is prime age in some careers but old in the drug trade, the DEA let the Caroline go. Soon, despite its shrouded past, the Caroline will be ferrying biologists, conservationists and law enforcement officers around the rugged mountains, volcanoes and turbulent seas of the Alaska Peninsula and Becharof National Wildlife Refuges to inventory islands The latest addition to the Refuge System’s Alaska vessel fleet, the Caroline, overwintered in Juneau. and shorelines that have not been fully (Helen Clough/USFWS) explored since the two refuges were established in 1980. be modified to accommodate a dozen He and the others left Southern crew and passengers. Two large winches California on August 25. Basically, they “To me, the coolest thing is that we’ve could hoist field supplies. Even a tuna sailed 24 hours a day until reaching been talking about having a presence tower designed for spotting fish could Bellingham, WA. They sailed mostly in on the north Pacific coast for a long find new life surveying seabirds and daylight through Inside Passage to avoid time. Now, we will,” says Bill Schaff, marine mammals. logs, whirlpools, other ships, debris and, refuge manager at the Alaska Peninsula/ in Wrangell Narrows (a.k.a. “Christmas Becharof complex. “We’ll be able to use So, after Schaff got an appraisal, secured Tree Alley”), abundant navigation this vessel as a mobile camp” for staff the vessel at no cost from General markers. On September 9, they reached and researchers. Services Administration surplus, paid Juneau, where, because of a storm, the about $100,000 to have the foredeck and Caroline was secured to overwinter in And they’ll be able to do it for a fraction motors refurbished, Refuge System now the Fish and Wildlife Service dock. of what it might otherwise have cost the owns a seagoing craft with a replacement Refuge System, thanks to Schaff and value of $2.5 million. Schaff hopes to have the vessel up to the Northeast Region property acquisition Alaska Peninsula/Becharof complex in specialist Lloyd French. The Voyage to Alaska time for law enforcement duty on the Late last summer, Schaff, who is an spring bear hunt and to provide logistical In August 2009, French notified U.S. experienced boat handler who teaches support for a three-year seabird colony Fish and Wildlife Service offices that the motorboat operator certification courses, monitoring project at Paule Bay that Caroline was available in San Diego. He and a small crew sailed the vessel begins in June 2010. noted that “this is a nice looking vessel; it more than 2,000 miles from California won’t last.” to Alaska. The crew included Marion But, first – as the final chapter in the Burgraff, a maintenance worker at the Caroline’s makeover from drug runner Schaff recognized that the 63-foot Alaska Peninsula/Becharof complex, who to conservation vessel – he is planning a Bertram sport fishing boat had the right holds a 100-ton Coast Guard license; the rename-the-vessel contest. stuff for Alaska’s coastal waters. At 76 Caroline’s DEA skipper; a special agent tons and 16 feet wide with a six-foot with a Coast Guard 150-ton license; and “I’ve been with the Service for 32 years, draft, its twin 675-horsepower diesel another law enforcement officer. but I’ve never done a ‘name-the- engines gave the Caroline a cruising anything’ contest, so I’m trying to track speed of 10 knots. Its 1,500-gallon “That was probably the longest single down the rules and regulations on that,” fuel tank gave it a range of 600 to 700 voyage I’ve ever gone on,” says Schaff. he says with a laugh. miles, ideal for surveying the hundreds “The fun thing was just hitting some of miles of rugged coasts. Its three beautiful days out there and learning Mike Boylan is one of two Alaska Region bedrooms and three baths (heads) could about the vessel.” refuge supervisors.

4 • Refuge Update Phosphorus, Sediment and the Power of Persuasion �

By Bill O’Brian art sewage treatment facility. Even because it dramatically reduces with these improvements, there was equipment fuel, maintenance and Q. What do a knowledgeable and still a lot of phosphorus and sediment purchase costs. personable USDA retiree, a dairy coming from non-point sources, mostly and cheese products manufacturer, a agricultural land. “I think we’re within 35 to 40 percent of wastewater treatment plant and the staff doing what should be done out there” at Horicon National Wildlife Refuge, WI, “The Perfect Person for the Job” to protect the marsh, Lesczynski says. have in common? Meyers and Partners for Fish He estimates that the measures have and Wildlife Program staff tried cut phosphorus entering the marsh by A. They all have played vital roles in communicating directly with landowners, 95 percent from point sources and 30 dramatically reducing the amount of but without much success. She soon percent from non-point sources – and phosphorus and sediment entering realized that she needed help. Enter the sediment by 1,100 tons per year. Horicon Marsh. personable retiree. “He is just the perfect person for the job,” The marsh, a shallow, peat-filled lakebed In mid-2006, Meyers turned to Erv says Meyers. “People have come to trust formed by the Wisconsin glacier 12,000 Lesczynski, a native Wisconsinite who that he is not going to shove anything years ago, has long been recognized as a had recently retired from the local USDA down their throats. He’s just going to Wetland of International Importance by Natural Resources Conservation Service provide them with information” and let the Ramsar Convention. It is the kind of office after 39 years. Under a contract with them consider their conservation options. place that makes sunrise special. “That’s Fond du Lac County and funded by the when the marsh wakes up,” says Horicon U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lesczynski What makes him so persuasive? First, he Refuge manager Patti Meyers. “It is just was hired to meet one-on-one with says, because he has lived and worked in incredible to hear all the critters at that landowners to encourage them to devise the community since 1975, he knows most time of day.” individual conservation plans and install of the farmers personally and conservation practices on their farms. understands their needs. He also deals But in the mid-1990s, not long after with people on a case-by-case basis Meyers came onboard at the refuge, Since then, according to Meyers and because “landowners are very located about 70 miles northwest of Lesczysnki, he has met with about 450 independent to their own operations.” Milwaukee, she noticed something was landowners. He has accounted for 35,000 And, finally, he respects the farmers and wrong with the 32,000-acre marsh. acres of new general conservation plans, appeals to their ideals. “By far, the “The diversity of plants wasn’t there,” including 23,000 acres of new nutrient- majority of landowners have a great land she says. Phosphorus-loving cattails management plans. He has facilitated the ethic,” he says. “They really do.” were crowding out native plants. Local planning of 55 miles of new grass buffers. residents would tell her of former fishing He and staff from holes that had been filled in by sediment the National Wild to the point “that they couldn’t support Turkey Federation, any fish, except maybe carp.” Pheasants Forever and Wings Over Meyers initiated a study, with support Wisconsin have from the state of Wisconsin, which encouraged manages the southern one-third of the reduce-tillage or marsh. The study, conducted by the U.S. no-till regimens in Geological Survey (USGS) from 1998 to which local corn, 2000, determined that roughly 60 percent soybean, alfalfa of the phosphorus was coming from point hay and large dairy sources, primarily a dairy factory and a farmers turn over wastewater facility in Waupun, WI, and soil as little as that the rest was coming from non-point possible. The latter sources, mostly adjacent farmland. practice minimizes In short order, the two major point sediment runoff, sources cleaned up their acts, Meyers “keeps the soil says. The dairy factory modified its where it belongs, operation to release wastewater with on the farm,” less phosphorus content, and the city and benefits the farmers The marsh at Horicon National Wildlife Refuge has been well-served by of Waupun installed a state-of-the- refuge manger Patti Meyers’ decision to enlist the help of local resident Erv economically Lesczynski. (Ryan Hagerty/USFWS)

Refuge Update • 5 Sprucing Up the Forest �

By Karen Leggett “simply providing an emergency recently de-listed Virginia northern measure to stabilize the soil, not planting flying squirrel rely on mixed spruce anaan Valley National Wildlife strategically,” says Canaan Valley Refuge forests, where Sturm says wildlife Refuge, WV, and its multiple wildlife biologist Ken Sturm. populations are limited and often fragile C partners are using the principles due to the fragmented and limited nature of strategic habitat conservation as they More than 26 partners have been of the current spruce ecosystem. conserve high-elevation forests and involved in collaborative efforts since restore spruce forests, which once may 2000 to restore and conserve the red Mapping the Forest have covered nearly 1.5 million acres in spruce and northern hardwood forests A regional approach is essential to the state and are now down to 30,000 and the wetland ecosystem in West address fragmentation and create a more acres. Red spruce and spruce hardwood Virginia. The Central Appalachia resilient forest community, one better forests cover just 2 percent of their Spruce Restoration Initiative (CASRI), adapted to buffer impacts from climate original range in West Virginia. which includes Canaan Valley Refuge, change. CASRI has created conceptual the Department of Agriculture maps for spruce forest management and The hardwood forests literally fueled (Monongahela National Forest), The restoration throughout the mountain the West Virginia economy in the 19th Nature Conservancy and several state region of West Virginia. Since 2005, the and early 20th centuries, from their agencies and nonprofit conservation group has planted trees on more than 175 use in tanneries and coal mining to organizations, was formed in 2007. acres of refuge lands in West Virginia. logging. Civilian Conservation Corps This year, 200 acres will be planted in crews replanted the forests above CASRI members recognize the Monongahela National Forest and 60 Canaan Valley in the 1930s with non- importance of the high-elevation conifer acres on Canaan Valley Refuge. native Norway spruce. But they were ecosystem. “West Virginia has more acreage above CASRI will exist as long as members 4,000 feet than find it useful. That could be a long time, Vermont and because overall there are an estimated New Hampshire 16,750 acres to be restored, including combined,” says about 2,300 acres within the refuge. Sturm. “These The restoration work is funded through large ridges grants and money from member agencies provide ecological and organizations. corridors that are important CASRI uses computer models developed refugia for by the refuge, The Nature Conservancy northern species. and the West Virginia Division of Natural As the climate Resources to identify where to protect warms, these habitat that matters most and then design areas may become restoration projects accordingly. In one increasingly case, the top criterion might be to create important for connected corridors of habitat by reducing maintaining the distance between existing forest connections among patches. In another case, the model might other patches list salamander or brook trout habitat of similar forest as the top criterion so that patches for communities.” restoration are identified near streams or occupied salamander habitat. The spruce forest provides habitat “We want to develop cross-regional for a variety of dialogue for working on these issues on wildlife species, an even larger scale than CASRI,” says including fisher, Sturm. “You can’t just think inside your snowshoe hare, blue goose sign.” saw whet owl and Karen Leggett is a staff member northern goshawk. of the Refuge System Branch of The threatened Communications. Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge and multiple partners are using Cheat Mountain principles of strategic habitat conservation to restore high-elevation spruce salamander and forests in West Virginia. (Marquette Crockett/USFWS)

6 • Refuge Update In Arizona, Refuges Are Oases for Fish �

By Bill O’Brian actus in Alaska? No. Snow in the Keys? None on record. Manatees C in Maine? Nope. Fish in the desert? Absolutely. San Bernardino and Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuges, AZ, are two of at least three national wildlife refuges in the desert Southwest whose establishing mission is to protect fish. According to a 2009 annual narrative report, “the primary role of the two refuges is the A male beautiful shiner displays an orange-blue body hue with bright orange fins during breeding sustainability and recovery of native fish season. (William R. Radke/USFWS) in the Rio Yaqui Basin.” 11 years before Radke became refuge to avoid being eaten. (In the wild, the fry The refuges, whose combined 5,100 manger. About 900 beautiful shiners were separate themselves by hiding in shallow acres hug the U.S.-Mexico border in collected from a Rio Yaqui tributary in water that adults can’t get navigate.) Mexico. Those fish were propagated at southeastern Arizona, currently support An Ongoing Challenge six species of native fish: beautiful shiner, Dexter National Fish Hatchery in New Mexico, and 300 beautiful shiners were Restoring wild habitat where the Yaqui chub, Yaqui catfish, Yaqui topminnow, beautiful shiners and other desert fish Mexican longfin dace and Mexican reintroduced into San Bernardino Refuge ponds in 1990. can thrive is an ongoing challenge. stoneroller. Additionally, the Mexican Since the 1800s, agriculture, mining and round-tailed chub and Yaqui sucker are “If that hadn’t occurred, we still wouldn’t cattle-ranching interests have coveted found just across the border in Sonora. have shiners,” says Radke. the basin’s water. Today, subdivisions as far away as Tucson (150 miles) and The star of the show is the beautiful As it is, all beautiful shiners in the United shiner. Sierra Vista (50 miles) could try a water States are living and reproducing in grab from the Rio Yaqui. Because 98 “It’s just a pretty fish,” says San refugium populations: in four ponds on percent of the watershed is in Mexico, Bernardino/Leslie Canyon refuge San Bernardino Refuge that overflow agricultural practices and dam diversions manager Bill Radke. “Even for people into the Rio Yaqui Basin; at the Arizona- there influence the flow and temperature who don’t like fish that much, this is a Sonora Desert Museum; at the Dexter of the river on and off the refuges. beautiful fish with all of its colors. It’s a hatchery; and at the National Aquarium Finally, some Rio Yaqui tributaries flow charismatic fish. People like things that in Washington, DC. Researchers recently less than year-round – and, says Radke, grab their attention.” have learned that, to raise the fish in “if you’re a fish, and you have one dry artificial settings, the shiners use plastic day out of the year, you’re dead.” The beautiful shiner, which grows to plants as a place to lay eggs and the babies just four inches, is an iridescent silvery (fry) must be separated from the adults continued on pg 25 olive color until breeding season (late February to summer), when males display an orange-blue body hue with bright orange fins. The species was extirpated from the United States in the 1960s, is still found in Mexico and is listed as threatened in both nations. The goal of Radke and refuge staff is to protect existing fish in the watershed’s oasis-like wetlands, streams, ponds and springs and to restore habitat so that beautiful shiners and other native fish can be self-sustaining. With beautiful shiners, that effort began in 1989, seven years after San Rio Yaqui headwaters are on San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge, whose establishing mission is Bernardino Refuge was created and to protect native fish in the desert. (William R. Radke/USFWS)

Refuge Update • 7

Focus . . . Marine National Monuments �

Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge is part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. (Kydd Pollock/The Nature Conservancy) Sprawling Across the Pacific, Refuges Unlike Any Others �

By Bill O’Brian seals and land birds, millions of seabirds, within one nautical mile of 21 designated and plant species found nowhere else on volcanic sites. The Trench Unit includes t is hard to get to the National Earth. It is cooperatively managed by the submerged features of the Marianas Wildlife Refuge System’s four the state of Hawai‘i, the National Oceanic Trench itself, which, at 35,840 feet, is I marine national monuments. It can and Atmospheric Administration and the the deepest point on Earth. No waters be almost as hard to get a handle on what Refuge System. are included in the Volcanic and Trench exactly they are, too. So let’s begin with Units, and the Commonwealth of the the basics. The other three marine national Northern Mariana Island maintains monuments were established in authority for everything above the mean Some of the individual refuges that make January 2009. up these far-flung monuments in the low water line in the Islands Unit. Pacific date back decades. One, Hawaiian Rose Atoll MNM, the southernmost of The Volcanic Unit is an arc of undersea Islands National Wildlife Refuge, has the monuments, is one of least visited mud volcanoes and thermal vents that been a refuge for more than a century. areas of the world. Its marine and supports unusual life forms in highly But, as collective entities, the marine terrestrial communities provide an acidic and boiling waters. The Island national monuments are less than five extraordinary opportunity for research Unit includes biologically diverse reef years old. and an invaluable scientific baseline for habitat that is home to marine life that is biological and geological studies of the dependent on basalt rock foundations. All four were established by President low Pacific islands. George W. Bush. The land and water they Pacific Remote Islands MNM, which protect totals more than 335,000 square Rose Atoll, which has been managed as sprawls across the central Pacific, is miles – an area almost six times the size a national wildlife refuge in cooperation composed of seven national wildlife of Alaska. with the government of American Samoa refuges: Palmyra Atoll; Kingman Reef; since 1973, is known for the pink hue of The largest and oldest is Johnston Atoll; Howland Island; Baker its fringing reef, caused by the presence Island; Jarvis Island; and Wake Atoll. Papahanaumokuakea Marine National of crustose coralline algae, one of the Monument (MNM), which includes The monument comprises the most atoll’s primary reef-building species. widespread collection of coral reef and Hawaiian Islands Refuge and Midway Coral communities at Rose Atoll include Atoll Refuge. It was established in June seabird and shorebird protected areas 113 distinct species. The atoll also on the planet under a single nation’s 2006. It is composed of a chain of 10 supports 270 species of reef fish, nesting islands, atolls, submerged banks, shoals, jurisdiction. Palmyra Atoll Refuge alone sites for green and hawksbill turtles, and is habitat to 418 fish species. reefs and associated waters stretching important seabird colonies. more than 1,200 miles – roughly the All told, the four marine national distance from San Diego to Seattle. The Deepest Point on Earth monuments are among the most Marianas Trench MNM, which is closer Papahanaumokuakea MNM holds cultural distinctive components in the Refuge to Japan than it is to Honolulu, consists System. As such, they present special and spiritual significance for native of three units. The Island Unit includes Hawaiians, and the monument provides challenges, rare opportunities and the waters and submerged lands of the unparalleled beauty. habitat for hundreds of unique marine three northernmost Mariana Islands. species, endangered Hawaiian monk The Volcanic Unit is the submerged lands

8 • Refuge Update

A Signature Spectacle

signature phenomenon of the young when they Pacific ecosystem is known can find food close Acolloquially as the “bait ball to their breeding feeding frenzy.” colonies. The phenomenon works something like The phenomenon is this: Large underwater prey (typically also integral to the tuna) chase small underwater prey 50-mile protective (typically small fish and squid), forcing zones in waters them to close ranks into a protective of the recently school, or bait ball. The continued threat established from the large prey pushes the small marine national prey en masse toward the surface of monuments that the open ocean. Once the small prey are surround existing pinned at the surface, seabirds begin national wildlife their feeding frenzy. refuges. Those zones protect The phenomenon “captures the essence As fish are pinned at the surface, birds hover and dive to feed. (Kydd Pollock/ the large prey The Nature Conservancy) of the tropical Pacific and how it from commercial works,” says Beth Flint, wildlife biology fishing, which supervisor for the Pacific Remote Islands They haven’t lost their minds … Each means adequate densities of tuna survive Marine National Monument. individual is doing something in a very to force the small prey to close ranks calculated and skillful way.” But she doesn’t particularly like the regularly near islands and atolls; the term “bait ball” because, she says, the Whatever you call it, the phenomenon seabirds survive; their guano replenishes participants “are not all generic bait” is vital to seabirds’ survival because nutrients in coral reefs; one-celled algae – they are a lot of different species during breeding season a bird’s success thrive; the food web is fueled; and the functioning and coexisting independently. depends on it occurring regularly within ecosystem functions naturally. And it’s not a really “feeding frenzy,” 300 miles of the colony. Birds can forage “It’s a really interesting and complicated she says, but rather “a lot of really throughout their pelagic ranges, which world that humans don’t know as much dramatic, prey-capture and foraging encompass the entire tropical ocean, but about as they know about land,” Flint … These organisms are really focused. they are most successful at feeding their says.

You Say Hawai‘i, I Say Hawaii … �

enerally speaking, we at Refuge with pronunciation. To omit them is The name of the first marine national Update follow the Associated considered a misspelling. monument, Papahanaumokuakea, contains Press style on how words are two kahako (one does not add an “s” to G According to the Hawaiian dictionary, rendered in print. That style favors the end of Hawaiian words to make them mainland U.S. English usage. the ‘okina is a glottal stop, and the plural). This makes the third and fifth a’s word actually contains an ‘okina at its different from the other four. Thus, the However, in a respectful bow to the beginning. The kahako represents a name is pronounced something like “Pa- culture and language of Hawai‘i, in this slightly longer vowel. The word kahako, pa-hah-now-mow-coo-ah-kay-uh.” Focus section about the marine national too, contains a kahako over the last letter. monuments of the Pacific, we are using “Hawaiian,” by the way, is an English the precise diacritical marks on some Hawai‘i contains a glottal stop word and thus does not contain an ‘okina. place names. represented by an ‘okina and is pronounced either “Hawai-ee” or “Havai- Aloha, y’all. In the Hawaiian language, these ee,” depending on whom you ask. marks are used to assist the reader

Refuge Update • 9

Focus . . . Marine National Monuments � By the Numbers �

The marine national monuments dwarf the continental United States in terms of expanse. (USFWS)

arry Stieglitz, project leader of • The monuments encompass 215 • More than 90 percent of the Hawaiian the Hawaiian and Pacific Islands million acres, 54.7 million acres in population of green turtles nests in one BNational Wildlife Refuges, has national wildlife refuges. locale, the French Frigate Shoals. compiled the following factoids relating to the Refuge System’s four marine • Approximately 28 million seabirds of • Sooty terns, which rely on the national monuments. some 23 species use the refuges of the monuments’ ocean ecosystems, spend tropical Pacific as their nesting site, 91 percent of their lives at sea. • The monuments span more than five including the largest nesting albatross time zones. colony in world. • 12 national wildlife refuges form the core for marine conservation in the • The monuments protect parts of six • 98 percent of the world’s population of monuments. major Pacific archipelagos. both Laysan and black-footed albatrosses nest within Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

10 • Refuge Update

Challenges Abound in Refuges So Remote and Unfamiliar �

By Barry Stieglitz $10,000 per day for passenger n 2005, I leapt at the chance to join vessel contracts. the small but passionate ‘ohana Think $40,000 I(family) of National Wildlife Refuge or so for flights System conservationists in Hawai‘i and from Honolulu to on a handful of fragile Pacific islands. Midway or Palmyra There were 19 Refuge System units Atoll National across the Pacific then, covering about 1 Wildlife Refuge. million acres. “Junket Stigma” Imagine my great surprise in June One way to 2006 when the President established drive home the first marine national monument – these points is to Papahanaumokuakea. In partnership provide firsthand with NOAA and the state of Hawai‘i, experience to my colleagues and I were suddenly decision makers. responsible for 140,000 square miles of However, decision marine protected area, the largest in makers often are With settings like this one at Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, it’s the world – eclipsing even Australia’s reluctant to visit easy to see why the marine national monuments suffer from what the author calls “junket stigma.” (Kydd Pollock/The Nature Conservancy) Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. For because of the reference, Papahanaumokuakea is larger expense and what I than all but four U.S. states. Finally, we face the challenge of global call “junket stigma.” Trips to Hawai‘i are climate change. Given that the maximum Then, in January 2009, three more seen as vacations rather than business elevation on the majority of our island monuments were established. In less than trips, and decision makers will not come refuges is less than 30 feet, sea-level rise three years, our responsibility had grown to where we live and work every day. is a more pressing concern here than it from 1 million to 54 million acres, more From the beginning, funding has been a might be in, say, Kansas. than one-third of the Refuge System. challenge. The outgoing President did Our colleagues sometimes joke that so Since then, we have faced an array of not include budgets to implement the much of our “lands” are underwater that obstacles, in part because the refuges monuments. We receive about 3 cents sea-level rise should not be an issue. of the Pacific are unlike most mainland per acre of land and water under our However, many corals have narrow refuges. For instance: Midway Atoll jurisdiction. And we in the Pacific often environmental requirements, including National Wildlife Refuge is the only unit must try to explain why our stations depth and light. These corals may not to operate a fully equipped (albeit lightly are different from more-familiar be able to keep pace with sea-level rise used) airport. Most of our refuges can be models to decision makers who have no while also facing ocean acidification. If reached only by seagoing vessels – and experience here. the corals were to go, the habitat they on trips that take days or weeks, not Partnerships can be a challenge, too. create for so many species of fish and hours. Impoundment management in the The proclamations establishing the four invertebrates would follow. Pacific differs from almost anywhere else monuments also established several Most things worth having are also worth because a 12-month growing season means government partnerships by fiat. Some constant mowing and habitat management. fighting for. We are stewards of a are natural relationships; others are not. significant marine protection legacy for And the cost of living and doing business in Differing agency missions sometimes Hawai‘i is astronomical. These differences which we are grateful. We have create tensions in accomplishing a common significant challenges to overcome in the can make it difficult for many people to goal, with little time to climb the learning fully understand our needs. next few years, not the least of which is curve before results are expected. Many garnering enough support to implement The very thing that keeps the Pacific of the Pacific refuges are not in a state and the vision that inspired creation of the refuges suitable as cores for marine thus lack congressional representation four marine national monuments. national monuments – their remoteness altogether. Not surprisingly, it also can be – also works against them. It balloons difficult to find partners when there are Barry Stieglitz is project leader of the the costs of getting there, even to no “neighboring landowners” for literally Hawaiian and Pacific Islands National conduct basic refuge management. Think hundreds of miles. Wildlife Refuges.

Refuge Update • 11

Focus . . . Marine National Monuments � Understanding a Last Frontier

By Jennifer Anderson More Resources Yield More he answers to how quickly and Results severely climate change, ocean The benefit of acidification, sea-level rise and other T multiple partners global threats could affect us all may lie in becomes clear the least understood places on Earth. at Palmyra Atoll “The truth is, we know more about the National Wildlife moon than we do about some of the Refuge. At this remote areas in the Pacific,” said Don string of islands Palawski, deputy project leader for the a thousand miles Hawaiian and Pacific Islands National south of Hawai‘i, 10 Wildlife Refuge Complex. scientific research institutions joined The National Wildlife Refuge System has the Refuge System long recognized that it cannot begin to in 2005 to form comprehend the resources of the Pacific the Palmyra on its own. For decades, partnerships on Atoll Research all levels of exploration – from NASA Consortium. The satellite systems recording changes partners, including in currents and water temperature to The Nature volunteers gathering data on the ground Conservancy and – have played a vital role. Scripps Institution Volunteer Ruth Brown, left, and wildlife refuge specialist Paula Hartzell of Oceanography, Still, our knowledge of one of nature’s adjust a band on a Laysan albatross at Tern Island Field Station, part of final frontiers amounts to what Palawski Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. (Pete Leary/USFWS) maintain a field called “a snapshot.” presence there, Modern-Day Exploration using a kitchen, The lens may broaden under a new push laboratory, sleeping quarters and small Sporadic exploration of the Pacific’s coral by the Refuge System to inventory and boats. monitor (I&M) the nation’s natural, reefs dates at least to the 1920s, initially historical and cultural resources, including to monitor seabird colonies. Consistent “At Palmyra, we can do more focused those in the marine national monuments. efforts began in 2000, Palawski said, studies, looking at climate change and The I&M initiative will bring additional when the Refuge System teamed up at all parts of the ecosystem and how resources, although exact allocations have with National Oceanic and Atmospheric they and the different species interact,” not been determined, said Mark Chase, Administration to visit locations in the Palawski said. chief of the Refuge System’s Natural Hawaiian Islands and Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuges. Exploration of the natural world is Resource Program Center. just one way partnerships are vital, Even with additional funding and possibly Known as RAMP – Reef Assessment explained Susan White, who, along with staff, new partnerships should be pursued, and Monitoring Program – the representatives from the Department of Chase said, and those already in place partnership helps both agencies, with Commerce and state of Hawai‘i, manages – with other agencies, individuals, the assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard, Papahanaumokuakea Marine National state of Hawai‘i and non-governmental to inventory and monitor coral species, Monument. In one partnership, with organizations – must continue. algae, fish and invertebrates. Similar Friends of Midway Atoll, Dow Chemical assessments are done every two years and the National Fish and Wildlife “Through partnerships,” Chase said, at refuges in the Pacific Reefs National Foundation, the Refuge System and “we can develop protocols and leverage Wildlife Refuge Complex. volunteers monitor another threat – resources across the various agencies marine debris. and organizations to build an integrated Because scientists typically are able monitoring system that would provide to spend just four days at each place, To understand cultural significance, native scientific information that transcends the “we get a snapshot of what’s out there,” Hawaiian practitioners and researchers Refuge System and provide insights into Palawski said. Under the I&M push, he visit an island to survey heiau (shrines) the Pacific marine environment as a whole.” said, longer stays may be possible. that were built by ancestors with large, continued on pg 26

12 • Refuge Update

Two Hazards to Habitat: Shipwrecks and Yellow Crazy Ants

By Mary Tillotson Institute of Marine Biology found that the infestation initially fed by the eafarers have always known wreck “may now be caused by a critical shipwrecks can be hazardous to mass of animals … reproducing and Shuman health. Now scientists essentially running amok.” If that’s the are discovering just how damaging case, the study continued, removing the shipwrecks can be to the health of the wreckage may not solve the infestation marine environment. There are two clear problem: “Additional management examples in the Pacific Remote Islands intervention” may be necessary. By 2008, Marine National Monument. study published on the Public Library In the spring of 1991, a Taiwanese fishing of Science Web site concluded that the boat ran aground in about 20 feet of infestation at Palmyra “is beginning to water off Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife reach catastrophic proportions.” Refuge. The 121-foot boat is intact, but it But so far, the Refuge System has not cannot be towed because it would likely found funding to cover the cost of both break up. The wreck is metal-hulled; wreck removal projects, estimated at $8.4 dissolving iron from the wreck is leaching million, including monitoring the sites into the surrounding water. Scientists after removal. think the iron has contributed to the rapid growth of corallimorph that now infests Habitat restoration throughout the more than 250 acres of nearby coral. Pacific Remote Islands MNM could Dissolving iron from this wreck has been leaching benefit from other projects not yet in the A corallimorph is a relative of true coral, into the surrounding water since 1991. (Jim budget, says Barbara Maxfield, external Maragos/USFWS) but it has no hard skeleton and produces affairs chief for the Pacific Islands. Those a dense carpet that smothers and kills projects include reducing the number islets and the airstrip built on Palmyra other reef organisms. of the coconut palms that have been during World War II, when the atoll was Andrew Gude, formerly with the Refuge introduced to the atolls by humans. The a link in the allies’ supply line for the System marine program, says the coconut palms do not provide habitat Pacific campaign. The construction so wreckage at Palmyra needs to be cut up for nesting birds and compete with the vital to the war effort nearly 70 years ago in place and removed for proper disposal. native pisonia beach forests, which do, serves no purpose and now interrupts the says Maxfield. circulation of water in Palmyra lagoons. A second shipwreck at Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge represents a Beth Flint, wildlife biologist at the Pacific Staff at the Pacific Remote Islands MNM different but related threat. The fishing Reefs National Wildlife Refuge Complex, point with pride to successes in habitat boat that ran aground at Kingman in says ants – another invasive brought to the restoration on the islands. Invasive rats 2007 – a wooden-hulled vessel about 84 area by humans – are also a threat to the and feral cats that were destroying native feet long – burned to the waterline. But pisonia forests and other native species in species have been controlled on every the hull, propeller and other heavy parts the Pacific. For example, yellow crazy ants refuge but Palmyra Atoll. But other of the boat are intact in shallow water, (named for their frenetic activity) have invaders brought by humans to these battered by surf and at risk of breaking infested Johnston Atoll in the past two remote areas still threaten the up, scattering and damaging the reef. As years, she says, and are wreaking havoc, “intrinsically elegant and beautiful at Palmyra, rusting metal from the wreck spraying acid into the eyes of birds, forcing ecological balance” that existed before is feeding fast-growing blue-green algae them to abandon nests. man came, says Flint. Restoring that that can block sunlight and smother the balance, she says, “is what the American “Nothing can withstand them,” says public has charged us with doing.” coral. Gude says this wreck, too, needs to Flint. She adds that such invaders can be be cut up and removed. “devastating” in a Pacific environment Mary Tillotson is frequent contributor to Reproduction Run Amok where they have no natural enemies. Refuge Update. A 2007 study by the U.S. Geological Flint and Maxfield also would like to see Survey and the University of Hawai‘i removal of the causeway between the

Refuge Update • 13

Focus . . . Marine National Monuments �

Clockwise from left: Massive plate corals are among the 130 species of coral on the reef at Palmyra Atoll. Butterfly fish, tangs and parrot fish reflect a neon look. A red-footed booby adopts a courting posture in a pisonia tree.

PAGE 14-15 PHOTO CREDITS: Plate coral and butterfly fish, Kydd Pollock/The Nature Conservancy; red-footed bobby, USFWS; all others, Jim Maragos/USFWS.

14 • Refuge Update

Above: At Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge, where coral reef space is a precious commodity, adult giant clams are an ideal growing surface for other young clams. Left: A coconut crab can break open a fresh coconut, or snap off a human finger, with its pincers. Right: A crown-of-thorns starfish feeds on coral polyps.

Refuge Update • 15

Focus . . . Marine National Monuments � Paradise Threatened by Rattus rattus

By Mary Tillotson almyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge may be the nearest thing Pto Eden left on Earth – a ring of some 50 low-lying islets (at most about seven feet above sea level; many of them connected at low tide) that have developed atop a submerged volcano and are now fringed with majestic pisonia trees that are a haven to nesting birds. The emerging islets are encircled by 15,000 acres of coral reefs, turquoise water where the reefs are shallow, shading to darker cobalt where the reefs lie deeper. But this tropical paradise halfway between Hawai‘i and American Samoa is threatened by its own “serpent.” It’s not reptilian, though. Unfortunately, the humid pisonia forests of Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge are welcoming to It’s an invasive mammalian species – the invasive rats. (Jim Maragos/USFWS) black rat (Rattus rattus). refuge the next year and became part Why the struggle to restore the delicate The warm, moist climate that makes of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine ecological balance on Palmyra Atoll Palmyra Atoll Refuge an ideal breeding National Monument in 2009. Invading Refuge? This speck of land is the only ground for seabirds and a winter-feeding rats have been brought under control breeding site within 450,000 square ground for migratory shorebirds, home in every other national wildlife refuge miles of ocean for migrating seabirds. to towering stands of pisonia beach in the Pacific Remote Islands, but they Maxfield says six species of seabirds forest and native ferns and shrubs, has still threaten native species of birds, that once nested at Palmyra no longer unfortunately been equally welcoming to invertebrates and plants on Palmyra. do, and are declining in numbers non-native rats. The moderate climate worldwide. The atoll is also home to the and abundant food supply (turtle and Eradication Begins Next Year largest land invertebrate on Earth – the Barbara Maxfield, external affairs chief bird eggs and chicks, crabs and plants) coconut crab. And threatened green sea for the Pacific Islands, says the U.S. mean the rats on Palmyra Atoll Refuge turtles nest on its beaches. All of these Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature are capable of producing several litters Palmyra natives are delicacies to the Conservancy and a second private group, of up to seven rats every year and ravenous rats. Island Conservation, are working on are substantially changing the atoll’s a plan to rid Palmyra Atoll Refuge of Perhaps as important, Palmyra’s history ecological balance, says Beth Flint, its non-native rats – an important step has been so relatively free of human wildlife biologist at the Pacific Reefs in restoring the atoll’s native habitat. influence, it may be the best laboratory National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The current budget includes $1 million left on Earth in which scientists can Occasional fishing vessels and pleasure for the project. Maxfield expects an study coral reef development, how to boats visited Palmyra Atoll before Environmental Impact Statement maintain a clean ocean environment, and World War II. The war brought the U.S. to be completed soon; Palmyra’s rat precisely what impact human activity has Navy, 6,000 military personnel, and the eradication program should be initiated on such near-pristine environments. construction of an airstrip. The Navy by June 2011. If the pollution-afflicted urban areas of installation was temporary. But invasive Because the tropical rainforest jungles of the world provide snapshots of “after,” rats, insects and plants that had hitched a Palmyra are too lush and dense to make Palmyra Atoll may be the closest we ever ride with the ships and boats of an earlier trapping the rats practicable, Maxfield come to a picture of “before.” era took up permanent residence. predicts the eradication regime will likely Mary Tillotson is a frequent contributor The Nature Conservancy purchased employ rodenticides specifically targeted to Refuge Update. Palmyra Atoll in 2000. The atoll was to kill the invading rats without harming established as a national wildlife such native species as crabs.

16 • Refuge Update

“Unusual” Doesn’t Begin to Describe Mariana Arc of Fire �

By Bret Wolfe happens 400 million miles away – on Io, a worms’ blood to break down the sulfides. moon of Jupiter. he Volcanic Unit of the Marianas Most of the Volcanic Unit has never seen Trench Marine National “The Volcanic Unit supports unusual life the light of day. However, the peaks of T Monument might be the most forms in some of the harshest conditions some seamounts come close enough otherworldly place on Earth. It is imaginable,” says the Marianas Trench to the surface for photosynthetic life the most extraordinary habitat in the Marine National Monument Web site. to flourish. At Maug Crater, coral reef National Wildlife Refuge System. “Here, species survive in the midst of ecosystems overlap with hydrothermal hydrothermal vents that produce highly vents. This is one of a handful of places Where else in the Refuge System could acidic and boiling water.” on Earth where photosynthetic and life thrive without photosynthesis? chemosynthetic communities are known Where else could you find submerged hot Unlike most ecosystems, where the base to coexist. springs that produce almost pure liquid of the food chain is sustained by plants carbon dioxide? Where else could you and algae that obtain energy from the But don’t plan on visiting the Volcanic find a submerged volcano that churns out sun through photosynthesis, the food Unit anytime soon. It is accessible only a pool of molten sulfur? chain of some deep sea vent communities by the most modern submersibles and are dependent on bacteria that obtain remotely operated vehicles. Just eight The Volcanic Unit, also called the energy directly from chemicals in the scientific research expeditions have been Mariana Arc of Fire National Wildlife environment through chemosynthesis. made to the region, all since 2003. Refuge, stretches for 750 miles along Before these chemosynthetic Although the public may never get to see the Northern Mariana Islands in the communities were discovered in the this refuge in person, an important western Pacific, where its status as 1970s, scientists assumed that all life mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife a monument precludes any future on Earth obtained energy directly or Service is to provide opportunities for economic exploitation. The entire unit indirectly through photosynthesis. national and international scientific is on the ocean floor several miles below exploration. And the public benefits the surface. Pressure there can exceed Creatures of the Deep from that. 400 times that at the surface. The unit Massive mats of these bacteria provide is composed of 21 undersea volcanoes, food for various familiar animals, Bret Wolfe is a marine biologist in the hydrothermal vents and other volcanic including shrimp, crabs and mussels, Refuge System’s Branch of Wildlife features along the boundary where which possess adaptations that allow Resources. the Pacific tectonic plate subducts (or them to survive near the vents. Perhaps slides under) the Mariana plate. One the most unusual submerged volcano, or seamount, is 31 creatures of deep miles in diameter and a mile high. ocean vents are giant tube worms. The Volcanic Unit includes vents called These worms, smokers that spew superheated water some reaching rich in dissolved minerals. When the eight feet in length, spring water comes in contact with the do not appear to cold ocean water, the minerals precipitate have mouths or to form a chimney-like structure digestive tracts. resembling a cave stalagmite. At the Instead, their Champagne Vent, which bubbles liquid insides are lined carbon dioxide, venting fluids have been with bacteria that measured at 217 degrees Fahrenheit and digest hydrogen the surrounding water at 36 degrees. sulfide, which The most unusual geological phenomenon is toxic to most in the Volcanic Unit occurs at the Daikoku other organisms. volcano. There, during a 2006 National The bacteria Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration benefit from (NOAA) expedition, scientists observed a the relationship because they use At Champagne Vent, superheated spring water spews into cold ocean black pool of liquid sulfur churning in the water to form bubbles of liquid carbon dioxide. (Pacific Ring of Fire 2004 crater. The only other known occurrence hemoglobin in the Expedition/NOAA)

Refuge Update • 17 Around the Refuge System �

Pennsylvania For the first time, bald eagles have successfully nested and hatched two chicks at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, just across Interstate 95 from Philadelphia International Airport. It is the only active bald eagle nest in Philadelphia, where two years ago a chick fledged at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and in 2009 another hatched at Pennypack Park. When the Heinz Refuge nest was first built in 2008, the eagles were young. “For the first two years they were just playing house like a couple of teenagers in love, with no eggs, as is typical of young eagle behavior,” says refuge manager Gary Stolz. The eagle pair fixed up the nest last fall and built a second partial nest as well; This bald eagle nest made history at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, PA. Left to right: the chicks hatched in early April 2010. the male, the two eaglets and the female. (Bill Buchanan/USFWS) “With a cleaner environment and a March 26 opinion, denied a motion by regional importance for shorebirds by the protected habitat, bald eagles are Defenders of Wildlife and other plaintiffs Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve now making a wonderful comeback to set aside the plan because it permits Network (WHSRN). The salt flats section throughout the Refuge System,” says indefinite feeding of elk, a practice of the refuge in southwestern Puerto Rico Stolz, who, in early April, did not yet the plaintiffs maintained will lead to supports 5.3 percent (80 individuals) of know the sex of the eaglets. the spread of disease and disrupt the the world population of the tenuirostris California biological integrity of the refuge. subspecies of snowy plover and 2.5 Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge percent (151 individuals) of Wilson’s That the refuge seeks “to avoid losses has been awarded a competitive allocation plover, according to the WHSRN. The of bison and elk caused by the lack of of $1 million to eradicate the highly site, which is also an Important Bird Area, winter habitat is hardly contrary to the invasive Spartina densiflora, a perennial hosts 28 shorebird species. conservationist provisions of the [National grass, from the refuge. Commonly known Wildlife Refuge System] Improvement Florida as dense-flowered cordgrass, this plant is Act or the overarching purposes of the A juvenile manatee rescued at native to South America and should not refuge,” Judge Richard J. Leon wrote. Chassahowitzka National Wildlife be confused with Spartina alterniflora, “And while the threat of disease is real and Refuge has been named “Hamilton” in or smooth cordgrass, which is native to must be addressed, it makes little sense to honor of late director of the U.S. Fish the eastern United States but is highly avert population decline caused by disease and Wildlife Service Sam Hamilton. The invasive on the West Coast. Dense- only to bring about population decline young manatee, which measures 5 feet flowered cordgrass probably arrived in caused by starvation.” Humboldt Bay in the 1800s with the solid ballast of ships carrying lumber, but it Under the supplemental feeding was not recognized as a non-native species program, which runs for about 75 days in until the 1980s. It now has invaded an late winter, elk and bison on the refuge estimated 90 percent of the salt marshes are fed alfalfa pellets until natural forage at the refuge. is exposed by receding snow in spring. The program supported 5,500 elk and 760 Wyoming bison this past winter. A U.S. District Court judge in Washington, DC, has ruled in favor of the Puerto Rico Department of the Interior regarding A 1,249-acre area of saline lagoons, salt the supplemental feeding program and flats and mangrove swamps at Cabo the Bison and Elk Management Plan Rojo National Wildlife Refuge has been This rescued manatee has been named in honor of at National Elk Refuge. The judge, in designed as the Caribbean’s first site of Fish and Wildlife Service Director Sam Hamilton. (Stacy Dunn)

18 • Refuge Update 8 inches, was found in February, injured Refuge System’s and on its own with no mother, at Three deferred Sisters Springs near Crystal River on maintenance Florida’s Gulf Coast. A manatee rescue backlog as a team composed of refuge staff and result of federally volunteers transported the 205-pound declared natural animal to the David A. Straz Jr. Manatee disasters. This is in Hospital at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo for addition to damages rehabilitation. The manatee responded from localized well to care, was relocated to the natural disasters, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio such as flooding and for housing for the next year or two, and storm damage, that probably will return to Tampa for release were not eligible conditioning prior to reintroduction into for emergency Florida waters, according to a Lowry supplemental Park Zoo spokeswoman. funding. The deferred Missouri maintenance The Conservation Fund’s voluntary Humbug Marsh on Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is Michigan’s first Ramsar site. (Gary Muehlenhardt/USFWS) backlog stood at carbon offset program, Go Zero, reached $2.7 billion as of a milestone in March when it planted its 1 September 30, 2009. millionth tree – as part of a 367-acre forest Texas restoration project at Mingo National The U.S. Supreme Court on February 22 California Wildlife Refuge. Working with the Refuge let stand a lower court ruling upholding A ghost town that was once a weekend System and Environmental Synergy Inc., the creation of the Neches River National getaway for Bay Area residents is slowly Go Zero partners planted 100,000 native Wildlife Refuge in east Texas. The Neches sinking into marshland at Don Edwards walnut, hickory, oak or cypress trees at River Refuge was established in 2006. San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Mingo Refuge. The Conservation Fund The decision was challenged by the Texas Refuge. About 20 buildings remain estimates that as the forest matures it will Water Development Board and the City from the town of Drawbridge, which trap the equivalent of 100,000 metric tons of Dallas, claiming the refuge could have was established in the late 1800s and of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. hurt the economy and water supply of had its heyday in the 1920s. The town Go Zero is jointly funded by corporations, north Texas. Dallas had identified the is “a landmark, so we’re not going to foundations and individuals. same site as a potential location to build do anything to accelerate its decay, but a dam and create a lake to supplement we’re not going to prevent it, either,” Don Michigan the city’s water supply. The refuge Edwards Refuge manager Eric Mruz Humbug Marsh on Detroit River now includes one acre donated as a told the San Francisco Chronicle. “We’re International Wildlife Refuge has conservation easement by a landowner letting the buildings return to the marsh.” become Michigan’s first Wetland of and 30 acres donated in 2008 by The The ghost town is accessible only by boat, International Importance under the Conservation Fund. The refuge’s eventual and it is closed to the public, Mruz said. Ramsar Convention. Humbug Marsh is acquisition boundary is more than 25,000 the 27th Ramsar site to be listed in the acres in the Neches River watershed. Virginia United States and joins approximately Jenny Somers of Pocomoke City, MD, 1,880 sites listed worldwide. The Washington, DC won the 16th Annual International Ramsar Convention is an international Over the past five years – fiscal 2005 Migratory Bird Celebration art logo treaty signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971 through 2009 – the Refuge System has contest at Chincoteague National Wildlife to encourage voluntary protection requested $498 million in emergency Refuge. This is the second time in 10 of wetlands. Countries that sign the supplemental funding to repair damages years that Somers, a renowned artist and treaty demonstrate their commitment from federally declared natural disasters, owner of an art studio on Chincoteague to conserve wetlands as a contribution according to an analysis by the Refuge Island, has won the contest. Her winning toward sustainable development System Division of Budget, Performance entry, a line drawing of blue birds nesting throughout the world. Humbug Marsh is and Workforce. However, Congress in a box, adorned program flyers, T-shirts a vital habitat for 51 fish species, 90 plant has appropriated only a fraction of and other items for a May 8 International species, 154 bird species, seven reptiles that amount, about $257 million, in Migratory Bird Day celebration at and amphibian species, and 37 species of supplemental funding. Therefore, more Chincoteague Refuge. dragonflies and damselflies. than $241 million has been added to the

Refuge Update • 19 Thinning Pines and Wasting Nothing �

By Catherine J. Hibbard then, it needed treatment,” he said of Products Inc. – compensates the refuge overstocked pines that competed with based on stumpage prices in the form of verything that comes into one another for light. materials or services. For example, in a this [logging] landing goes second phase of the project, Isle of Wight “Eout,” forester Bryan Poovey The refuge did not actively manage the will grade and restore a refuge road. said of a project to thin pine trees at stands in the early 1990s because the James River National Wildlife Refuge in trees were too small to be commercially Thinning and Burning Virginia. “It’s the cleanest thinning job marketable and a historical/cultural Not only will the project reduce fire I’ve ever seen.” resources plan needed to be worked out. risk, it will release loblolly pines and In 2006, after years of meetings among help them become future old growth The project, which began last summer, is state and federal officials who became trees suitable for bald eagle nesting and an important step to provide rooting and increasingly aware that the densely roosting. It will increase biodiversity, too, nesting habit for bald eagles, reduce fire packed pines were a fire hazard, timber especially for rare plants. “It will also risk, increase biodiversity and restore harvest standard operating procedures improve habitat for animals and improve ecological health to the 4,200-acre refuge were approved, giving the refuge the visibility and access for deer hunters and along the James River about 30 miles green light to thin the stands. By then, the wildlife observers,” said Cyrus Brame, southeast of Richmond. pines had grown to a commercially viable outdoor recreation planner at the refuge. diameter of 6 to 10 inches, and eventually The refuge was created in 1991 because Tim Craig, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife the riverfront is one of the largest Poovey, who had helped administer an Atlantic white cedar salvage project at Service fire management officer who summer roost areas for bald eagles east oversees Virginia and West Virginia, said of the Mississippi River. Before then, Great Dismal Swamp Refuge, was named to oversee the project. that the project is an initial step to restore the property had been managed for habitat to more than 2,000 acres of forest commercial timber production. Hundreds Thinning operations began in July 2009 at James River Refuge through thinning of acres had been clearcut and then under a special use permit authorizing and prescribed burning. “This is a good densely reseeded with loblolly pine. the removal of 30 percent to 40 percent example of an integrated project. The Poovey, then an employee of Great of pines in selected stands at James thinning does no good without prescribed Dismal Swamp National Wildlife River Refuge. The permit outlines a burning, and the prescribed burning does Refuge, VA, first evaluated the stand goods-for-services agreement whereby no good without the thinning,” he said. at James River Refuge in 1992. “Even the permittee – Isle of Wight Forest “You have to have both, or you’re just wasting time and money.” Poovey praised Isle of Wight Inc. for its eco-friendly thoroughness. Because the company uses a tub grinder, it can make mulch out of waste from a chipper. “They have the right equipment to get the job done effectively and efficiently,” Poovey said. “Usually contractors pile and back- haul this material [into the forest], but Isle of Wight sells mulch, so instead of waste, this too becomes a forest product.” “This really is a win-win situation,” said Joe McCauley, refuge manager of Eastern Virginia Rivers National Wildlife Refuge Complex. “Working with partners, we have developed procedures to protect sensitive historic and cultural resources while improving migratory bird habitat, reducing the potential for catastrophic wildfire, and producing forest products.” Catherine J. Hibbard is a wildlife refuge Bryan Poovey in a thinned stand at James River National Wildlife Refuge, VA. Removing 30 to 40 percent of the trees promotes tree growth, increases diversity and reduces wildfire hazard. (Gerald specialist in the Northeast Region’s fire Vickers/USFWS) management program.

20 • Refuge Update Harmony From Discord �

By Shawn Gillette and his group cut view windows in he adage that a picture is worth a the vegetation. thousand words can be turned on He recruited 12 Tits head. Sometimes thousands of volunteers, all words can make great pictures. photographers, That’s just the outcome of what began as to hand-cut eight a heated orientation session about refuge spacious view resources between Bosque del Apache windows through National Wildlife Refuge, NM, staff and swaths of cattail, veteran photographers. coyote willow, phragmites and Bosque del Apache Refuge is a mounds of kochia. photographer’s dream. Each year, Visitors used thousands come to photograph the windows wildlife on the refuge; many of throughout their photographs have appeared in 2008 and 2009. prestigious magazines and books and on “Their work was Web sites. Among the thousands are a phenomenal,” handful of professional photographers Vradenburg says. Volunteers helped cut view windows in vegetation at Bosque del Apache who conduct commercial workshops. “Not only did National Wildlife Refuge, NM, to enhance photo opportunities such as this As a requirement of their special use they hand-cut one of a heron. (Steve Garner) permits, the commercial photographers some tenacious and their groups must attend an vegetation, but hand-cut a dozen more view windows in orientation about refuge resources. their work was so much better than 2009, in addition to dressing up many of the 2008 windows. Generally, the sessions are interactive, we could have done if we had to cut it but in the fall of 2007, many popular mechanically.” “One of the benefits was the opportunity impoundments were in their final growth Extending the Partnership to spend time during the cool morning rotation. Much of the vegetation had The partnership extended to the hours, taking photographs,” says grown higher than in previous years, neighboring community of Socorro. Rouleau. An exhibit of the team’s resulting in poor wildlife viewing and Thanks to Morris’s coordination, several photography is planned for the refuge photography opportunities in some areas. restaurants provided free meals to the visitor center in 2010. Moreover, refuge staff was concentrating volunteers and local hotels gave free “I’m retired,” says Garner, “and on priority tasks that ranked higher rooms. “It was amazing to see just how photography is my passion. I can spend than mechanically cutting the emergent much the community supported the my time anywhere, but my love for the vegetation. It all led to friction between efforts of these volunteers,” says refuge Bosque runs so deep that I came back to the refuge and some visitors. manager Tom Melanson. assist with the work.” Garner donated Some folks who had been coming to the Long after the others went their some of his photography to the refuge, refuge for years complained about what separate ways, five volunteers remained which recently used one of his pictures they considered “neglect” of refuge in close contact, often visiting each other for a Comprehensive Conservation Plan resources. Arthur Morris, a passionate for photography opportunities. Gary update. Debbie Stevens, an accomplished commercial photographer whose work Rouleau from New Mexico, Debbie and artist, uses her photos as the basis for has been exhibited around the world, Jerry Stevens from Texas, Steve Garner her entries in the annual Duck Stamp and his group got into a heated exchange from Wyoming and William Lloyd from competition. with refuge staff. The verbal exchange California formed the nucleus of the team Thousands of visitors have been able to continued until John Vradenburg, that returned in 2009. view, photograph and enjoy wildlife Bosque del Apache Refuge’s senior thanks to the efforts of the biologist, offered Morris the chance to be On September 26, 2009, Rouleau and the photographers and the partnership that part of a solution. To the refuge’s delight, others – nicknamed “The Animals” by grew out of a heated debate on a cool fall he accepted. Morris – returned to Bosque del Apache Refuge to assist with view window day in 2007. Working with refuge staff in September improvements. Morris again coordinated Shawn Gillette is supervisory outdoor 2008 to select locations for optimal with hotels and local restaurants to recreation planner at Bosque del Apache wildlife viewing and photography, Morris provide free meals and rooms. The team National Wildlife Refuge.

Refuge Update • 21 Boosting Visibility by Reaching Audiences �

By Jennifer Anderson community will be inspired to visit. Youngsters may even consider pursuing ith few visitor centers careers in conservation. nationwide and sometimes only W kiosks to welcome visitors, Moving West it’s no wonder national wildlife refuges In 2006, Utah’s Box Elder School District can project the image that they are little adopted as part of its curriculum an interested in human visitation. environmental educational program that Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge To change this perception, several helped develop, says Kathi Stopher, national wildlife refuges are launching instructional specialist at the refuge. training programs in hopes of boosting visibility, and educating and involving As the refuge was contemplating ways to neighbors in their missions. educate residents about the watershed, she explains, Hardware Ranch wildlife At Mississippi’s Dahomey National management area in the northern Wildlife Refuge, the catalyst to launch Rockies proposed a partnership targeting a training program came in 2006, when elementary school students. The union graduate students of sociology professor was ideal: “They are in the mountains, Alan Barton at Delta State University and we are at the end of Bear River, so questioned residents about the refuge as we could connect the two ecosystems.” part of a study on sustainable development. With funding from the federal Challenge Several neighbors thought of the refuge Cost Share Program, the partners each as a mysterious landscape, quick to ward semester help educate fourth-graders. off trespassers. Barton, who also is vice Field trips include visits to Hardware president of the Friends of Dahomey Ranch to study the riparian zone and National Wildlife Refuge, traced those plants and animals in high elevations, misperceptions to the land’s history as a and to the refuge in the spring to study private, all-white hunting club before it An elementary school student at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, UT, studies data he and water quality and wildlife and plants in became a refuge in 1990. his classmates collected about water quality, the wetlands. plants and wildlife. (USFWS) So, in January 2009 the Friends launched Students wade into creeks that drain a one-credit course for high school science Barton, who coordinates the class, into Bear River to collect dragonflies and teachers, “Seminar in Environmental arranged for representatives from other macro invertebrates as they study Education,” which meets for an hour each various agencies, businesses and water quality. They also are encouraged week. Barton visited with teachers at the organizations to lead discussions. to think about human impacts: This year, area’s two high schools to share course Among them, a representative from they will stencil storm drains with “No information and sent a press release to the Audubon Society discussed private Pollution–Drains to Refuge.” local newspapers, which published articles land management; the refuge manager about the course. Barton also sent flyers talked about the history of the refuge In the winter, lessons learned outside are to area schools advertising the opportunity and its mission; a Delta State professor reinforced with classroom instruction “for high school teachers interested in the of geology covered the area’s ecology; provided by the partners, Stopher environment and the outdoors” to earn and a timber company biologist shared says. One lesson might cover shorebird continuing education credits. information on management of the dependency on wetlands while another region’s bottomland hardwood forest. might teach students to identify animal Of the 20 people enrolled, four were high and plant habitats in both elevations. school science teachers, three taught at Each lecture seeks to familiarize teachers the elementary or community college with environmental education and the “Our lesson plans correlate highly to level, one was a Delta State University resources available at the refuge. Course state science standards,” Stopher says. student, several belonged to the Friends requirements include three visits to the “It was a perfect union of partners, group and two are U.S. Fish and Wildlife refuge; next fall, five field trips have been funding and the willingness of school Service employees. scheduled for high school students. district to provide teachers to attend trainings.” The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation As students become familiar with the funds the course, including field trips to refuge, Barton others in the Friends Jennifer Anderson is a regular the refuge and stipends for guest lecturers. group believe more people in the contributor to Refuge Update. Teachers pay a nominal fee.

22 • Refuge Update Can You Hear Me Now? At Montezuma Refuge, the Answer Is Yes

company called These interpretive messages can be Guide by Cell and recorded as often as desired, unlike start a cellphone expensive signs that, comparatively tour. speaking, are set in stone. The audio messages also can be used to disseminate Andrea had news, promote upcoming events and read that Upper collect comments and suggestions from Mississippi River visitors. Additionally, because there is no National Fish and limit to the number of destinations on a Wildlife Refuge tour, a refuge can incorporate as many implemented a locations as it can manage. similar program. She wanted to At Montezuma Refuge, audio tour usage bring one to varies with the season, with the highest Montezuma during the summer and peak migration Refuge because seasons and the lowest during winter it is an innovative months. feature that would make a visit Easy Setup more memorable. Setting it up wasn’t difficult. All I had She liked that to do was contact San Francisco-based interpretive Guide by Cell to learn the procedures of messages could getting a cellphone tour off the ground. change with the Montezuma Refuge is part of a wetlands seasons, and she complex composed of lands owned by the believed that the New York Department of Environmental The Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge cellphone tour, which cost $900 to cellphone tour Conservation and the Audubon Society. install and runs about $200 a month to operate, includes walking and auto would appeal to So, we decided to partner with these portions. (Andrea VanBeusichem/USFWS) technologically organizations in starting the tour. I presented a proposal to the Friends of the By Ashley Hodges savvy visitors. Montezuma Wetlands Complex, and the ike other refuges, Montezuma Ultimately, however, Andrea wanted to Friends immediately approved funding. National Wildlife Refuge is always maximize limited resources. Guide by Cell, whose service cost $900 looking for ways to engage visitors L “We don’t have the staff to give daily or to install and runs about $200 a month, at a low cost. even weekly tours. So, this is one way to taught all visitor services staff how to The nearly 10,000-acre refuge, located have personal contact with visitors and record messages, upload messages, on the northern end of Cayuga Lake in tell the story,” Andrea said. “It’s more monitor visitor usage and access visitor the Finger Lakes region of New York personal than a sign or brochure.” comments. The final step was to order state, is a major resting area for Canada and post signs and rack cards instructing A cellphone audio tour allows visitors to geese, snow geese, mallards and American visitors on how to use the cellphone tour. call a local number at various locations black ducks on their journeys to and from around the refuge and listen to an The hardest part was setting deadlines nesting areas in eastern Canada. It is also interpretive message. The messages and maintaining communication with home to nesting bald eagles, osprey, black typically last one minute, and they use partners during the busiest seasons of terns, black-crowned night herons and the landscape as a springboard for the year. I learned that it is important to great blue herons. It is always seeking to interpreting biological phenomenon, be flexible and patient. expand its environmental interpretation facts, and refuge history. For example, component to help visitors appreciate its among the 13 messages on the But the payoff was worth it. The tour importance to birds and waterfowl. Montezuma Refuge tour, one explains the went live just in time for the spring 2010 migration. So, last summer, when I was working concept of emergent marshes, another as a Student Cooperative Education details the refuge’s role in recovering Ashley Hodges is a student at Howard Program (SCEP) intern at Montezuma bald eagle populations, and a third University and an intern in the Division Refuge, visitor services manager Andrea presents the history of a branch of the of Visitor Services and Communication. VanBeusichem asked me to research a Erie Canal that runs through the refuge.

Refuge Update • 23 CARE Honors Four Members of Congress �

he Cooperative Alliance for we are all indebted to and of which his Refuge Enhancement (CARE) constituents can be very proud.” recently recognized four federal T Rep. Jim Moran of Virginia lawmakers for their service to the Refuge System and conservation in general. replaced Dicks as chair of the House Appropriations subcommittee in March Rep. Norm Dicks of Washington after Dicks was elected chair of the House state, the former chair of the House Appropriation Defense subcommittee. Appropriations subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Inouye is chair of the Senate Agencies, received a lifetime achievement Appropriations Committee. In that award. CARE also cited Sen. Daniel position and previously as a senior Inouye of Hawaii, Rep. Frank LoBiondo member, CARE noted, Inouye has helped to secure significant increases for Rep. Norm Dicks of Washington state, the former of New Jersey and Rep. Ed Perlmutter chair of the House Appropriations subcommittee the operations and maintenance of the of Colorado for their environmental on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, stewardship of national wildlife refuges. Refuge System nationwide. And last year received a lifetime achievement award. (Tami A. Inouye secured more than $8 million of Heilemann/DOI) “With at least one refuge in every state federal funding for four national wildlife and within an hour’s drive of most refuges in his home state of Hawaii. secure an increase of nearly $70 million, major U.S. cities, it is safe to say that The funds were part of the American almost 16 percent, for Refuge System Chairman Dicks has improved the lives Recovery and Reinvestment Act of operations and maintenance over the and surroundings of literally millions of 2009 and went toward energy efficient past two years. Americans across the entire country,” infrastructure projects. “With three wildlife refuges in my said Evan Hirsche, president of the district, I am keenly aware of the National Wildlife Refuge Association LoBiondo and Perlmutter are vice co-chairs of the Congressional environmental and economical benefits and chair of CARE. “At a time when the they provide to local communities and National Wildlife Refuge System was Wildlife Refuge Caucus. LoBiondo and Perlmutter have helped to raise South Jersey at large. Given that New reeling from funding cuts and being Jersey is the most densely-populated considered for downsizing, Chairman awareness of the Refuge System, support adequate Refuge System budgets and state, I continue to support our national Dicks stepped in to resurrect this unique wildlife refuge network as a critical tool system of conservation lands, leading the ensure the sustained growth of the System for future generations, CARE to preserve pristine space for future way to securing a total increase of $105 generations,” LoBiondo said. million . . . He leaves behind a legacy that said. In addition, they have helped to

CARE Seeks $578 Million for Refuges in 2011 �

he Cooperative Alliance for provides “essential habitat for migratory that an additional 209 are needed at an Refuge Enhancement (CARE) birds and other wildlife, a safe haven for additional annual cost of $31.4 million to T has urged Congress to increase endangered species, $1.7 billion annually protect visitors and respond to various Refuge System operations and to local economies, and compatible legal violations. maintenance funding to $578 million in recreational opportunities such as fiscal year 2011. That is $78.5 million hunting, fishing, wildlife watching, and On the subject of invasive species more than President Obama’s 2011 environmental education for more than eradication, the CARE report said, budget request. 41 million visitors each year.” “approximately 2.3 million acres of refuge lands are overrun with non-native invasive In its annual report, CARE expressed “Every dollar invested in the Refuge plants, while more than 4,400 invasive concern that the President’s request of System returns, on average, $4 to local animal populations ravage millions more $499.5 million will undermine progress, communities,” said Evan Hirsche, acres.” The report estimated that the particularly in matters related to law president of the National Wildlife Refuge Refuge System needs at least $25 million enforcement and invasive species Association and chair of CARE. per year to treat just one-third of its eradication. infested plant acreage and begin low-level Regarding law enforcement, the CARE control of invasive animals. In recommending the funding increase, report said, 213 officers patrol the Refuge CARE noted that the Refuge System System’s more than 150 million acres and

24 • Refuge Update University of Alaska Is Site of First DOI Climate Science Center

he University of Alaska cornerstones of our efforts to integrate Anchorage has been chosen as “With rapidly melting our science and management expertise T the site of the first of five regional Arctic sea ice and across bureaus and with our outside Department of the Interior Climate partners,” the Secretary said. Science Centers (CSCs) to be created permafrost, and threats this year and next, Secretary Ken to the survival of Together, the CSCs and LCCs will help Salazar announced this spring. the Interior Department develop and Native Alaskan coastal share on-the-ground strategies needed “With rapidly melting Arctic sea ice and communities, Alaska to tackle climate change, and they will permafrost, and threats to the survival is ground zero for enable the Department to better deliver of Native Alaskan coastal communities, science and adaptive-management Alaska is ground zero for climate climate change.” strategies for critical cultural and natural change,” the Secretary said. “We must resources at the regional and landscape Interior Secretary Ken Salazar put science to work to help us adjust to levels, the Secretary said. the impacts of climate change on Alaska’s resources and peoples.” The CSCs will synthesize the climate- impact data and management strategies In addition, very shortly the Interior that Interior Department bureaus and Department will be requesting grant outside partners have developed. At proposals for locations to establish the the same time, the LCCs will focus on next four CSCs – this fiscal year in the impacts that typically extend beyond the Northwest and Southeast regions and next jurisdictional borders of national wildlife fiscal year in the Southwest and North refuges and other Interior Department Central regions – the Secretary announced. lands – including invasive species, fire, The climate centers’ authorizing drought, wildlife and changing document – Secretarial Order No. 3289 water supplies. issued in 2009 – mandates their creation “This integrated approach will improve our in tandem with a network of landscape ability to understand and forecast which conservation cooperatives (LCCs) resources are most vulnerable to climate- covering the entire nation. All told, the change impacts and how to make them Interior Department plans to have eight more resilient in the face of those impacts,” regional CSCs and 21 LCCs up and Secretary Salazar concluded. running by 2012. A polar bear saunters along the coast at Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, AK. (Susanne Miller/ “With their distinct yet complementary USFWS) roles, CSCs and LCCs are the

In Arizona, Refuges Are Oases for Fish — continued from page 7

The secret to improving habitat and “That is key, so that we don’t have all desert region. And, by eating mosquito stabilizing native fish population is of our eggs in one basket, so to speak,” larvae, the fish control mosquitoes and to encourage water conservation says Radke. provide a direct benefit to human, and wetland development by private especially when something like West Nile landowners. So far, 25,000 private It’s a lot of work, but the beautiful virus breaks out, as it did near the acres are protected under conservation shiners and other fish are worth it, Radke refuges last decade. easements, and some adjacent ranchers says. Among the reasons he cites are: have agreed to raise threatened native Roughly one-fourth of Arizona’s native fish in private ponds under safe harbor species are found on the refuges’ agreements that indemnify them against relatively tiny acreage. The native fish negative legal action. contribute to general biodiversity of the

Refuge Update • 25 Looting’s Costly Aftermath — continued from page 1 Burnside, who now teaches a course on for the court. prosecuting looters at the Federal Law (Reburying Enforcement Training Center, says it’s looted artifacts hard to fight looting on refuges. She and is not an other experts say Refuge System data option; this understate the scope of the problem would further because many thefts go undetected. compromise the From 1996 to 2005, the Refuge System integrity of the documented between one and 19 archaeological looting incidents per year and reported site.) 26 percent as solved, according to research published by Todd Swain, a • Consult native special agent with the National Park tribes about the Service; there were no arrests and no return of human felony convictions. In fiscal 2006 and bone fragments again in 2007, six incidents resulted in found with the These objects were among the artifacts found in the house of an Illinois man who was convicted of violating the federal Archaeological Resources three felony convictions. artifacts. Under the Native Protection Act. (Geoff Donaldson/USFWS) Enforcement Staff Stretched American Graves Even in documented incidents, experts Protection see them go to either the Illinois State say, few looters are brought to trial and Repatriation Act of 1990, federal Museum or Southern Illinois University, because law enforcement staff is agencies must turn over Native both of which meet federal guidelines stretched thin, the evidence-gathering American human remains and and have curation agreements with the process is arduous, and many prosecutors burial or sacred items to their tribal Service. “We’d like to keep the collection are reluctant to take ARPA cases. descendents. in the state,” Kluth says. Paying cleanup costs is only one Cypress Creek refuge manager Mike In mid-April, dialogue about the Native challenge facing Cypress Creek Refuge Brown says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife American human remains had not after the theft. The refuge must also: Service regional office is handling yet begun. Shawnee National Forest much of this work. An added challenge archaeologist Mary McCorvie, co-author • Decide the best way to cover and for Brown and another Service point of the refuge’s damage assessment restore the looted site, to protect it person – Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region report, suggests interested parties may from weather and further vandalism. archaeologist David Kluth – is that include the Peoria tribe, which once The disturbed site appears to have neither assumed his post until after belonged to the Illini (who ceded area been a Native American settlement the investigation had closed. Kluth, the land to the federal government in the from about 6000 B.C. to 400 A.D. closest regional archaeologist, is based 1800s), and the Shawnee in Oklahoma. • Find a permanent home for the man- 700 miles away in Fort Snelling, MN. He The Cypress Creek case marked the first made artifacts recovered. These traveled to Cypress Creek Refuge this successful prosecution of a looting on include: flint grinding tools, spear winter to inspect the recovered artifacts. federal land in Illinois. heads, axe heads, pottery sherds and The recovered artifacts are in temporary pieces of clay figurines, some dating as Susan Morse is a writer-editor storage at Crab Orchard National in the Refuge System Branch of far back as 3000 to 1000 B.C., according Wildlife Refuge, IL. Kluth would like to to the archaeology report prepared Communications.

Understanding a Last Frontier — continued from page 12 upright stones that follow the crest of the As solid as any partnership may seem “Without it, we have no standardized island and track the sun. “Our real goal,” at the outset, White warned, none will mechanism for even measuring changes White said, “is to marry that traditional survive unattended. Managers must in water temperature. knowledge with Western science to get shape and nurture the vision that a more comprehensive understanding brought everyone together and makes “No one agency can do it alone.” of Papahanaumokuakea – to protect the data collection possible. Jennifer Anderson is a frequent resources we have here and help perpetuate contributor to Refuge Update. the Hawaiian culture tied to them.” “I&M is the foundation and basis for all our decision making,” White said.

26 • Refuge Update Tulare Basin — continued from page 1 Conservation easements provide for land tracts will help keep adjacent private uplands component and is home to the to be managed for habitat purposes while wetlands habitat intact. The creation endangered San Joaquin kit fox. allowing landowners to retain ownership. of the wildlife management area via The Service received concurrence conservation easements will also allow Funding for the conservation easements from the California Fish and Game Kern Refuge to give private landowners came from the sale of federal Duck Commission and local county supervisors advice on how manage the wetlands to Stamps and was approved in 2009 before implementing the Tulare Basin foster desirable plants – swamp Timothy by the Migratory Bird Conservation Wildlife Management Area project. (a tiny grass that produces lots of seeds), Commission. The Tulare Basin watergrass and millet – that will sustain Wetlands Association, Tulare Basin “We want to rebuild waterfowl population migratory birds throughout the winter. Wildlife Partners, California Waterfowl in the Pacific Flyway to the levels they Association and California Outdoor were at in the 1970s,” says Scott Frazer, a In addition, Frazer says, the Rancho Heritage Alliance are among the non- Service wildlife refuge specialist. Visalia tract contains a crucial governmental partners in the project. The pieces of Historically, Tulare Lake was the largest land acquired freshwater wetland west of the this spring – the Mississippi River and provided habitat to 627-acre Rancho hundreds of thousands of migratory Visalia tract and waterfowl annually. While Tulare Lake the 150-acre has vanished because of water diversions Santura Duck for agricultural and municipal uses, Club tract – are remaining privately owned wetlands have important building been recognized in the Central Valley blocks in the effort Joint Venture and North American to arrest and Waterfowl Management Plan for their eventually reverse importance to migratory waterfowl and the recent decline shorebirds of the Pacific Flyway. in wetlands habitat, These wetlands were acquired via conservation easement for creation of the Frazer says. The Tulare Basin Wildlife Management Area. (Scott Frazer/USFWS)

Chief’s Corner — continued from page 2 help to landowners – including ranchers down the page to the link to “Share Your strategies. Talk about the role and and farmers – who want to conserve their Story,” where you can tell the White influence that all agencies – state and land, and to families so they can spend House and the Department just how federal – can have on conservation more time outdoors. President Obama important wildlife refuges, waterfowl when we together work toward common vowed to help foster a new generation productions areas, conservation conservation goals. of community and urban parks so that easements and large working landscapes “children across America have the chance are to you and your community. You can Second, the Secretary of the Interior to experience places like Millennium even leave photos of your favorite places. will be holding public listening sessions Park in my own Chicago.” in coming months. The schedule is not Then there’s the link to “Share Your yet finalized. So pay special attention to Finally, he noted, “Even in times of Ideas & Join the Conversation,” where the news – frequenting the Department crisis, we’re called to take the long view you can tell the administration your Web page (http://www.doi.gov/) to preserve our national heritage – thoughts about what should be happening regularly – to make sure you get to one because in doing so we fulfill some of the regarding land conservation. Now you of those public sessions. responsibilities that falls to all of us as can share conservation strategies that Americans, as inhabitants of this small engage communities, explain how to I can’t recall a time when we have been planet.” build buffers around protected areas presented with this kind of chance to by using conservation easements or, make our viewpoints known. The White So, where do we go from here? First, explain the value of wetland easements House has opened the dialogue. It’s our make your voice heard. Go to the in the prairies. You can give examples job to engage, listen and learn so we can Department of the Interior Web site to of successful projects and partnerships enrich the discussion and, most join the conversation: http://www.doi. where you have delivered conservation important, the results. gov//americasgreatoutdoors/. Scroll

Refuge Update • 27 STANDARD PRESORT � POSTAGE AND FEES � PAID U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR � RefugeUpdate � PERMIT G-77 USFWS-NWRS � 4401 North Fairfax Dr. Room 634C � Arlington, VA 22203-1610 � www.fws.gov/refuges �

A Look Back . . . Elizabeth “Betty” Losey

n 1947, Elizabeth “Betty” Losey and assisted refuge staff with wildlife – fresh from the University of surveys. At 92, she wrote her final peer- IMichigan with a master of science reviewed paper on the history of sharp- degree in wildlife management and tailed grouse at the refuge. The paper conservation – said she couldn’t get a job was published posthumously in 2007 in with the Michigan State Game Division the journal The Passenger Pigeon. because no one wanted a woman out in the field overnight. Fortunately, a fellow Losey was always willing to read and Michigan graduate offered her a job. learn, says Greg Corace, Seney Refuge Then Chief of Refuges J. Clark Salyer forester, who recalls her “willingness to hired Losey as a waterfowl research think on her own. When she was working biologist at Seney National Wildlife here, she would go to the field with men Refuge, MI. She lived in a sparsely to do surveys and she was ridiculed. furnished cabin on the refuge and studied Her passion for what she did drove her duck brood behavior; she remembers to overcome social norms. Betty was a that the refuge installed an outhouse one leader in the way she thought and acted year “as a Christmas present.” and held herself.” “I made up my mind that no matter what Losey was still going strong when she they threw at me, I was not going to was named National Wildlife Refuge murmur, and I didn’t. They had opened Association Volunteer of the Year in 2003. Elizabeth “Betty” Losey: “My favorite workplace Former Seney Refuge manager Tracy the door a crack, my foot was in it, and I was right in the middle of a marsh, listening was going to go in the rest of the way.” to the birds and finding waterfowl nests and Casselman found Betty Losey a ducklings.” (USFWS) tremendous source of knowledge and When the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service inspiration, a woman with an “infectious proposed a transfer to North Dakota a She gave herself the title of biological smile, sharp wit, keen intellect and few years later, however, Losey chose to historian; wrote a history of the refuge as uncompromising determination.” stay in Michigan with her husband and well as a booklet about its first manager, returned to Seney Refuge as a volunteer C.S. Johnson; mentored summer interns; in 1996, only after her husband had died. She was employed at Seney Refuge from 1947 to 1950, but her significant contributions as a volunteer continued Send Us Your Comments � almost until her death in 2005. Letters to the Editor or suggestions about Refuge Update can be e-mailed to [email protected] or mailed to Refuge Update, USFWS-NWRS, 4401 North Fairfax Dr., Room 634C, Arlington, VA 22203-1610.