U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service May/June 2015 | Vol 12, No 3 RefugeUpdate National Wildlife Refuge System www.fws.gov/refuges
INSIDE: Youngsters enjoy themselves during a Junior Refuge Ranger program habitat walk at California’s Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. To learn more about the program Service, Partners and other ways refuges are reaching out to welcome visitors, see the Focus section, which is titled “Be Our Guest” and begins on page 6. (Courtesy of Shuck family) Seek to Save Monarch Butterfly
Cooperative Recovery Initiative he U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service To Aid Woodpecker, Other Species has launched a campaign aimed T at saving the declining monarch By Susan Morse butterfly.
ed-cockaded woodpeckers flout usual woodpecker rules. They feed and nest in The campaign includes three primary live trees, not dead ones. They hang out in groups rather than flying solo. elements: R But these traits haven’t kept their numbers from shrinking as their old-pine • A cooperative agreement habitat has dwindled. This loss of habitat and changes in forest management practices between the Service and the have led to the species’ decline throughout its range. Now, with the help of the U.S. National Wildlife Federation. Fish and Wildlife Service, the birds have a new opportunity for recovery. • A new funding initiative A plan to reintroduce the endangered birds at Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife between the Service and Refuge in Virginia, where they have not been seen since 1974, aims to boost the the National Fish and Wildlife nationwide population. Great Dismal Swamp would be the state’s second population Foundation. and the only one on public land. It would also be the northernmost outpost of the • $2 million in immediate eastern birds, now concentrated largely in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. Service funding for priority The Great Dismal Swamp Refuge project is one of 14 nationwide being funded monarch conservation through the Service’s Cooperative Recovery Initiative (CRI) to help recover projects. threatened or endangered species at or near national wildlife refuges. In addition Monarch butterflies are found across the to the woodpecker, species meant to benefit from this year’s funding of $5.8 million United States. As recently as 1996, there include a Midwest dragonfly, a tiger beetle and a Southeast pitcher plant. Since 2013, continued on pg 19 continued on pg 18 FOCUS: Be Our Guest, pages 6-15 From the Director Building Community Through a Refuge RefugeUpdate
n March, Albuquerque Business swoop down on a river and grab a fish Sally Jewell Address editorial First named 30 women from a highly with its talons. Secretary inquiries to: Department of Refuge Update competitive pool of 435 nominees the Interior I But visitor services folks are working U.S. Fish and as this year’s Women of Influence in the tirelessly to find programs that do Dan Ashe Wildlife Service state of New Mexico. The publication was allow young people to connect with Director Mail stop: NWRS looking for women nature, even in the heart of a city like U.S. Fish and 5275 Leesburg Pike who are leaders, Wildlife Service Falls Church, VA Albuquerque. As Owen-White says, “I 22041-3803 innovators, Cynthia Martinez can find nature all around me; you just Phone: 703-358-1858 mentors and role Acting Chief have to know where to look. One of my Fax: 703-358-2517 models. It comes National Wildlife favorite things about my job is helping E-mail: as no surprise that Refuge System others find the great stories in the nature [email protected] Jennifer Owen- Martha Nudel that is all around us.” White, manager Editor in Chief This newsletter is published on recycled of Valle de Oro At Valle de Oro Refuge, one project uses Bill O’Brian paper using soy-based National Wildlife community gardens to help youth really Managing Editor ink. Refuge, was an get their hands dirty. Sometimes, geo- Dan Ashe honoree. caching or other adventures that use C Owen-White the latest technology get people out into is pouring her heart and soul into nature. Valle de Oro, the first urban refuge It’s springtime, so I know many refuges in the Southwest Region. And she is are holding fishing derbies for new building the refuge with the people of anglers or wildflower walks or even Albuquerque. Valle de Oro is “a refuge “spring cleaning” events. That’s on top of established, designed and built by the the normal events that happen at refuges: community for the community, and that is teaching people about so exciting,” she says. the amazing critters Inside That it is! and beautiful places “I often tell people that we share the Video-Editing Tips The people of world with. that it is not my job as Albuquerque are Shooting video at a national wildlife the refuge manager Since I took this job, refuge is one skill; editing video is to build this refuge; defining the shape of I have emphasized another skill altogether. Page 4 it is my job to help Valle de Oro Refuge. that priorities are the community build making the U.S. Fish A Woman in Science its national wildlife and Wildlife Service Jean Richter, a biologist at Roanoke refuge,” she says. relevant in people’s River National Wildlife Refuge, Throughout the National Wildlife Refuge lives and ensuring that all Americans NC, is featured in “Outnumbered: System, our visitor services folks are really see that what we do matters in Portraits of Women in Science.” engaging nearby communities and their lives. We can’t afford to allow Page 5 helping them build their connections to millions of kids to continue growing up nature by answering their concerns and with little understanding of the personal Focus: Be Our Guest meeting their needs. stake they have in healthy wildlife and ecosystems. A world without a In a multitude of ways, national Unless we act, many of today’s children conservation ethic is not a world friendly wildlife refuges are saying will have few opportunities to experience to humanity. “welcome” to traditional visitors and nature. We have become a more diverse, new audiences alike. Pages 6-15 more urban nation, and many kids don’t Fortunately for us, we have a standout get a chance, like I did, to wander fields visitor services crew and people like Around the Refuge System breathing in pristine air, to turn over Jennifer Owen-White, a true Woman of Influence. Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, rocks in creeks and find out what was OH, is offering the Refuge System’s hiding out there, to watch a bird of prey first publicly accessible electric vehicle charging station. Page 16
2 • Refuge Update Kerr Named Refuge Manager of the Year
he National Wildlife Refuge Refuge in New Mexico. Association has honored a He was cited for going T Midwestern refuge manager, “above and beyond the a Texas volunteer, and a biologist and call of duty to not only Friends group from the same New ensure the conservation Mexico refuge with 2015 National of sensitive species, but Wildlife Refuge System awards. also to involve the public in conservation efforts.” Tom Kerr received the Paul Kroegel Refuge Manager of the Year Award. In nine years at the refuge, Vradenburg Kerr, manager at St. Croix Wetland has helped improve Management District and Whittlesey the soil quality and the Creek National Wildlife Refuge in water drawdown system Wisconsin, was recognized for his ability both to increase native to connect with the local community. vegetation and control Kerr, who has been with the U.S. Fish invasive species. He was and Wildlife Service since 1989, has honored for his foresight Tom Kerr, manager at St. Croix Wetland Management District and worked closely with the Friends of the in devising a management Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin, received the 2015 Paul Kroegel Refuge Manager of the Year Award. (USFWS) St. Croix Wetland Management District plan for the New Mexico since the group was established in 2010. meadow jumping In addition, he has spearheaded many mouse before it was listed in 2014 as He serves as the volunteer coordinator, other partnerships that encourage endangered, thus positioning the refuge organizes the annual Friends meeting collaboration between the public and the to aid in its recovery. and refuge volunteer awards ceremony, wetland management district and among works with other volunteers to make Vradenburg is also considered a leader the refuge, the Wisconsin Department of sure teachers are able to schedule in the community, continually providing Natural Resources, the U.S. Geological environmental education programs, opportunities for area youth to learn Survey and the University of Wisconsin. collects public use data and always at the 57,331-acre refuge along the Rio Kerr also publishes a biweekly finds ways to accomplish repair jobs Grande in central New Mexico. newspaper column about activities and cost-effectively. He has been elected president of the Friends of Balcones projects at the refuge. He routinely Wiley “Dub” Lyon received the twice and has been on the Board of gives presentations to the community to Volunteer of the Year Award. continue to raise awareness about the Directors for six years. Lyon was honored for “his unwavering refuge, which is on the south shore of Friends of the Bosque Del Apache support for the Balcones Canyonlands Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin. National Wildlife Refuge received the National Wildlife Refuge in Texas.” John Vradenburg received the Molly Krival Friends Group of the Year Employee of the Year Award. Lyon, a retired American Airlines Award. The award was recently renamed landing, takeoff and maintenance to honor the late Molly Krival, a pioneer Vradenburg is a supervisory biologist supervisor, has been a volunteer at the of the Friends movement. at Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife refuge northwest of Austin for the past The Friends organization coordinates the seven years. annual Festival of the Cranes, an event that draws more than 6,000 people from around the world, and generates $2.5 million, making it the greatest income- generating event in Socorro County, NM. The Friends also provide environmental education opportunities for students from the surrounding community. In addition, the Friends advocate for the refuge and the Refuge System by visiting the U.S. Capitol, hosting events for legislators on the refuge and writing Friends of the Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico received the Molly Krival letters to their representatives. Friends Group of the Year Award. (USFWS) Refuge Update • 3 Video Editing: A Primer for Non-Editors
By Brett C. Billings products are designed for video and With the software loaded and basic public affairs professionals. technical training on how to get your n the fast-changing social media video in and out of the system, all that’s world, video editing is still the weak More suited to the typical person is left is the most important part – honing Ilink for most organizations. Adobe Premiere Elements, which is often your creativity. There are no absolutes, bundled with Adobe Photoshop Elements, Anyone can use their smartphone or but here are some hints to make your a handy photo-editing program. edited videos sing. pocket camera to take still photos and Elements is more than robust enough quickly post them. Everyone does. Quick for the casual video editor. So is Mac’s • Start by backing up your footage video shorts, often just one scene of an iMovie, which can be used on a tablet, in case the original accidentally gets animal being cute or funny, are also easy. iPhone or traditional computer. Windows erased in the editing process. It But what about longer videos that Movie Maker, another simple program happens. that often comes bundled with Windows require refining and careful splicing to • Keep the message simple – just a few make your point? Finding a video editor software, may be the easiest program to access. key points. Just one key point is even is daunting. Learning those skills and better. Tell a simple story. obtaining the right software, especially Final Cut Pro and versions of Adobe on tight deadline, is more daunting. Premiere account for most conservation • Use the scenery in the video to establish where it takes place. Here are some starting-point tips. organizations’ video-editing software. Check with your regional external affairs • Use close-ups to give an appreciation Knowing which software to purchase people to see what software they use for what is unique or beautiful about is largely related to your level of tech and if they can provide you a copy for your subject. savvy. At the high end, Final Cut Pro downloading. In any case, make sure (for Macs) provides powerful editing the editing software you choose can • Fascinating critters, beautiful for professionals. Adobe Premiere Pro import the video format your camera landscapes and compelling stories of (for Macs or PCs) is less daunting but records and can convert the footage into conservationists at work – those are still complicated for newbies. All three a compatible format. the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s strong suit. Make sure to use them. • If your video has people speaking or voice-over narration, captioning is mandatory. You can add captioning through YouTube or Vimeo. Ask your regional external affairs office or Service Headquarters multimedia production specialist Kayt Jonsson about captioning options. • If you plan to use the video at a major conference, make sure to take at least three versions in different formats. Give the video a test run on the system that will be used for the event. Not all computers play a QuickTime movie file as easily as a Windows Media file. Plus, having a version to stick into a DVD or Blu-ray player further tilts the odds that your video won’t be a no-show. Brett Billings is senior video producer at the National Conservation Training Center in West Virginia. More tips about video equipment and editing are at http://bit.ly/1DGh2Yp
The author sets up his video camera to record supervisory refuge ranger Toni Westland explaining features of the technology-enabled wildlife drive at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Shooting video is one skill; editing video is another skill altogether. (Chelsea McKinney/USFWS) 4 • Refuge Update Refuge Biologist Becomes a Face of Women in Science
By Jennifer Strickland Fieseler’s camera crew came to hat image pops to mind when Roanoke River you hear “scientist”? U.S. Refuge one day W Fish and Wildlife Service last July. “I didn’t employees might envision a refuge do anything biologist in her brown uniform walking different than through a longleaf pine forest in search I normally do,” of woodpecker roosts. However, many Richter says. Americans see a stereotype: a man in “I needed to get a white lab coat and gloves, holding a stuff done!” beaker or peering into a microscope. The day resulted Jean Richter is a scientist who’s been in a series of wearing brown rather than white for 18 compelling images years. For her, as a wildlife biologist at featuring Richter Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge, knee-deep in NC, a day spent stomping solo through swamp water, set the swamp is routine. But last May, against a beautiful one particular day led Richter to a rare green backdrop experience. of cypress trees. Clare Fieseler, a doctoral candidate and “In those pictures, marine ecologist at the University of we are totally North Carolina, explained in an e-mail to drenched, and it Richter that she was seeking women who wasn’t all sweat,” were advancing science within the state. Richter explains. Through her research, Fieseler kept The need for coming across Richter’s name. a project like “I guess I’ve been here long enough “Outnumbered” that I’ve gotten myself into some inspires a trouble,” jokes Richter, whose areas of question: Is the expertise include bottomland hardwood Service doing Jean Richter, a wildlife biologist at Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge forest health, neotropical birds, water a good job of in North Carolina, is featured in a video trailer for a project designed to encouraging, dispel stereotypes – “Outnumbered: Portraits of Women in Science.” More quality and the environmental impact of information and the video are at http://bit.ly/1DWZmrj managed river flows from upstream dams recruiting and on floodplain resources and a river’s retaining female male or female, and that’s one reason channel morphology. scientists? she agreed to participate in Fieseler’s A former filmmaker, Fieseler was Richter thinks so. project. interested in creating a permanent “In the Fish and Wildlife Service, “We have a generation behind us that’s photographic archive of female we have a good culture. I see so got to walk in our footprints,” she says. scientists at work. The project, called many females in this agency that I The experience “wasn’t an inconvenience “Outnumbered: Portraits of Women in never thought about not being well for me because I just did what I normally Science,” will launch later this year. It represented,” she says. But when she do. Clare didn’t interfere, even with the seeks to replace the stereotype of the considers the conservation community cameras. For the very little time it takes, man in a lab coat with realistic images of at-large, “I realize that with our state and there’s a potential for a big return, and I women in a variety of scientific careers. nonprofit partners, women really aren’t think that’s part of our responsibility: to In a video trailer for “Outnumbered,” that well represented. I feel like through make sure that the people we have Fieseler says “I’m targeting, for this this project I’ve become a symbol for the coming in behind us are really dedicated. project, women who really break your females here in Fish and Wildlife.” We want them to appreciate the resource and go to bat for it.” idea of what that woman in science is.” Richter is committed to inspiring the next She seeks to depict women’s dreams and generation of conservationists, whether Jennifer Strickland is a digital media struggles. specialist in the Southeast Region office in Atlanta. Refuge Update • 5 ...Be Our Guest Refuges Welcome Traditional Visitors, New Audiences
By Bill O’Brian he National Wildlife Refuge System puts out the welcome T mat with its hunting guide (http://go.usa.gov/3amsR), its fishing guide (http://go.usa.gov/3amHT), its trail guide (http://go.usa.gov/3am6Y), its special events calendar (http://1.usa. gov/1ztSbRW) and other online tools. Individual wildlife refuges are saying “welcome” in a multitude of ways: web and Facebook pages that tout special events and opportunities to see wildlife; hundreds of festivals geared to special interests and families; and thousands of wildlife tours and environmental education adventures. All told, national wildlife refuges drew almost 47 million visitors in fiscal year 2014. Despite tight budgets, staff reductions and curtailed hours at some visitor centers, “the people we have on the ground are doing a great job in a lot of places in terms of engaging the public Involving young people in conservation is important to the future of the National Wildlife Refuge and inviting them in,” says Refuge System. Here a student from Rancho de la Nación Elementary School in National City, CA, plants native System national visitor services chief vegetation as part of a sixth-grade Birds and Habitat Study program at San Diego Bay National Wildlife Kevin Kilcullen. “If you look at the visitor Refuge. (Copyright Ralph Pace) continued on pg 14
Most-Visited Refuges National wildlife refuges attracted almost 47 million visitors in fiscal year 2014. Here, according to Refuge Annual Performance Plan (RAPP) data, are the 20 most-visited refuges:
1 Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon 11 Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama 2 Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, 12 Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, California and Arizona California 3 Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish 13 National Elk Refuge, Wyoming Refuge, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois 14 Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon 4 Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma 15 Horicon National Wildlife Refuge, Wisconsin 5 Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina 16 Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Massachusetts 6 Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia 17 Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Hawaii 7 Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida 18 Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge, Hawaii 8 Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska 19 Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia 9 Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, Illinois 20 Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge, Tennessee 10 J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
6 • Refuge Update ...Be Our Guest “A Full-River Approach” Along the Mississippi
By Bill O’Brian ark Twain wrote that the Mississippi River “is in all M ways remarkable.” More than three dozen national wildlife refuges in two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regions in 10 states are teaming up with the Mississippi River Connections Collaborative and the National Geographic Society to publicize the river’s remarkability, its recreational opportunities and its importance to fish and wildlife. The Service and the National Park Service are co-chairs of the collaborative, which includes the Mississippi River Parkway Commission (overseer of the Great River Road National Scenic Byway) and the Mississippi River Trail (for bicycles and pedestrians). Steve Gard, manager at North Mississippi Refuges Complex, has represented the Service’s Southeast Region on the collaborative since its inception in 2010. Sabrina Chandler, manager at Upper Mississippi River The Mississippi River Connections Collaborative coordinates yearly themed events up and down the river. This is the Year of Fishing, which kicked off with ice fishing in February at Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, National Wildlife and Fish Refuge in Minnesota. (USFWS) represents the Midwest Region. “It is without a doubt one of the largest states.” The work of the collaborative also In 2012, the collaborative coordinated landscape-level projects within either is of political interest to 20 U.S. senators the Summer of Paddling. “That was huge of the two regions,” Gard says of the and three dozen House members. for us,” Chandler says of the paddling theme, which included 300 canoeing and collaborative, whose value to the Service Regarding visitation, the collaborative kayaking events and involved all refuges is twofold. It fosters conservation hosts events with yearly themes. All near the river. along the Mississippi, and it promotes three dozen-plus refuges are involved awareness of and visitation to refuges. to some degree, but Upper Mississippi “I would guess that 95 percent of the The collaborative takes a “full-river River Refuge in Wisconsin, Minnesota, people who came to the paddling events approach,” says Chandler. “For us, that Illinois and Iowa; Two Rivers Refuge had never been to the refuge, nor did fits perfectly in a lot of our strategies in Illinois and Missouri; and Dahomey they even know of it,” says Gard. “The in the Refuge System.” It encourages Refuge in Mississippi have staff events are designed to show them what’s landscape-scale conservation from the members dedicated to working with the out there and say we’re open to the river’s headwaters in Minnesota to its collaborative: Cindy Samples at Upper public.” mouth in Louisiana. Mississippi River, Amber Breland at Dahomey and Cortney Solum at Two Last year’s theme was the Year of “It covers the Mississippi Flyway, which Rivers. Geotourism, which is defined as is the largest flyway in the United “tourism that sustains or enhances the States,” says Gard. “It connects refuge This is the Year of Fishing, which kicked geographical character of a place – its managers with other land managers from off with an ice fishing event at Upper environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage the Park Service, the U.S. Army Corps Mississippi River Refuge in February and the well-being of its residents.” of Engineers, Forest Service and the 10 and will include dozens of angling events at refuges along the river. continued on pg 14 Refuge Update • 7 ...Be Our Guest New Partnerships Take Service Into New Territory
By Martha Nudel orget most of what you thought you knew about fraternities and F sororities. Now meet Phi Beta Sigma and its sister organization, Zeta Phi Beta. Established in 1914 at Howard University, one of the nation’s historically black colleges, Phi Beta Sigma believes its members should return their skills to the communities from which they In January, the president of the National Sigma Beta Club Foundation brought almost two dozen young came. The fraternity’s motto is “Culture people to Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, LA . The foundation is a youth program of Phi for Service and Service for Humanity” Beta Sigma, a fraternity with which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working to engage the African (http://www.phibetasigma1914.org/). American community. (USFWS) Both the fraternity and Zeta Phi Beta plans for programs to enhance the National Wildlife Refuge, LA, in January. (http://www.zphib1920.org/) – founded curriculum of the National Sigma Beta The visit included an airboat tour as well at Howard in 1920 – not only are Club Foundation (the youth program of as a tour of the visitor center. “The day international organizations with tens of Phi Beta Sigma) in the Pacific Northwest. was absolutely fantastic and well received by all involved,” said Pon Dixson, acting thousands of members, but they also have In May, 50 members of Zeta Phi Beta youth mentoring programs, social service project leader at the Southeast Louisiana – including its youth contingent – plan Refuges Complex. “We pretty much commitments and wellness programs to travel to Anahuac National Wildlife that seek to address health conditions spent the entire day on the refuge. No Refuge as part of the Zetas Have Heart one really wanted to leave. that often affect the African American program, which seeks to reduce the community more severely. incidence of heart disease among its “A very warm and cordial dialogue took Enter the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. members. Last year, some member of place between Art Thomas, National Zeta’s top leadership toured Anahuac and Sigma Beta Club Foundation president The Service signed a memorandum of Trinity River Refuges, both in Texas, as and past international Sigma president, understanding with Phi Beta Sigma in a first step in engaging sorority chapters and Service staff,” said Dixson. “I believe April 2014, followed a year later with there and in the Southeast. we have started a relationship between a similar agreement with the sorority. this office and Phi Beta Sigma that Both agreements are avenues to reach Broader potential for partnerships is will be the cornerstone of the national the African American community, which being pursued. A potential grant from the partnership.” has not been fully represented among National Fish and Wildlife Foundation visitors, volunteers and Friends of the would include members of Zeta Phi Beta “The partnerships with these two Refuge System and among the Service’s in a prairie restoration project being organizations can have far-reaching employees. undertaken with the Houston Parks and impact on fostering a new generation of Recreation Department. conservation stewards,” said Noemi Even before the agreements were signed, Perez, the Service’s national partner relationships were building. In March, Central Arkansas National liaison. “Our work with Zeta Phi Beta Wildlife Refuge Complex project leader and Phi Beta Sigma are setting the pace The Service had booth space at the Keith Weaver spoke about recreation and for much broader partnerships with Zeta Phi Beta annual meeting in July volunteer opportunities at refuges at the organizations that haven’t been in our 2014, which attracted more than 2,500 convention of Zeta Phi Beta’s Arkansas sphere.” members. People who had never heard of chapter. “The Zetas Have Heart initiative a national wildlife refuge were introduced meshes well with the Refuge System’s For more information about Phi Beta to the concept for the first time and Connecting People With Nature concept Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta, contact learned about career opportunities, and the growing emphasis on urban Martha Nudel in the Refuge System including in biology and law enforcement. refuges,” said Weaver. Branch of Communications or Noemi Perez in the Service Division of Partner In February, two chapters of Phi Beta The president of the National Sigma & Intergovernmental Affairs. Sigma toured Nisqually National Wildlife Beta Club Foundation took almost two Refuge, WA, and began formulating dozen young people to Big Branch Marsh 8 • Refuge Update ...Be Our Guest Photography Helps Visitors Make Refuges Their Own
By Karen Leggett ith photography, you are making a site yours. ‘I “Wtook this picture, and then I worked on the picture, and then I put it on Flickr and people interact with it.’ It’s very personal,” says Tim Parker, visitor services manager at Pahranagat and Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuges in Nevada. For that reason, Parker promotes photography and finds photographers to be big refuge supporters. Parker isn’t alone. From classes to hikes and from blinds to boardwalks, refuges and Friends groups nationwide engage and accommodate photographers.
Supervisory refuge ranger Matt Poole at To give birds a natural perch and photographers a natural shot, Mike Peters, manager at Colusa National Parker River Refuge in Massachusetts Wildlife Refuge in California, has been known to stick a branch into the top of a refuge sign. This red- has developed a comprehensive program. tailed hawk is on such a branch. (Nerina Fielding) The Photographic Society of Parker River National Wildlife Refuge has a birds become habituated to people. Two Lowe learned that photographers like to Facebook page, conducts photo safaris of the refuge’s four blinds are accessible go behind locked refuge gates in small and workshops, runs a weeklong summer to wheelchairs. groups, which generally is impractical. But at Bandon Marsh Refuge he did photography camp for teenagers and Refuge manager Mike Peters also holds an annual contest, with winners allow photographers to visit by boat spread 45 tons of sand under shallow for two hours before sunrise and after announced on Phabulous Photo Weekend water near a viewing deck at California’s each October. sunset, because there was no impact on Colusa Refuge. Geese and ducks stand wildlife and no gates needed to be opened Ched Bradley, once a photographer-in- at just the right height and distance for or closed. residence at Canaan Valley Refuge in photographers while their gizzards take West Virginia, notes that “people love advantage of the sand’s grit. Peters mows Refuges and Friends groups often to photograph birds … but small birds vegetation that obstructs views from the sponsor photo clubs and contests. The take serious patience and serious lenses auto-tour route, and he has been known Friends of the Little Pend Orielle Refuge to be photographed.” He recommends to stick a branch atop a refuge sign, in Washington displays winning photos viewing platforms that bring amateur giving a natural perch to birds. in local Chamber of Commerce offices. photographers closer to the birds. St. Marks Photo Club in Florida offers Roy Lowe, recently retired manager photo workshops at nurseries and senior In the late 1990s, the North American of Oregon Coast Refuge Complex, centers and displays refuge photos at the Nature Photography Association funded recommends placing bird feeders amid public library. about three dozen photography blinds on vegetation, so photographers don’t refuges. Service biologist Joe Milmoe, a have to snap the birds on the feeders Photography’s secondary impact is vital member of the association, says biologists themselves. to refuge outreach, says Poole. For primary impact, “you have to be on the and photographers together must decide At Cape Meares Refuge, when a veteran where to place blinds. “The biologist refuge holding the binoculars or fishing photographer complained that he could rod, but the secondary impact for photos will know where to put the blind to see not use his high-powered camera on wildlife,” he explains, “but if the light is anyone standing anywhere on the a new deck if visitors were walking planet.” isn’t right, it’s useless.” there, Lowe added another deck level. Sacramento Refuge in California takes One deck level is now designated for Karen Leggett is a writer-editor reservations for its popular photo blinds, photographers, and visitors can “jump up in the Refuge System Branch of which can be used only once a week lest and down on the other side,” Lowe says, Communications. without affecting photographers. Refuge Update • 9 ...Be Our Guest Making “Taking Care of Nature Feel Like Second Nature”
By Bill O’Brian Shuck’s version of the program is in Brower, the award honors 13- to 22-year- play at Don Edward San Francisco old environmental leaders from across ynnea Shuck is extraordinary. Bay Refuge and nearby San Pablo the continent. Shuck also participated in a She has won a prestigious national Bay Refuge – and it’s designed to be climate education and literacy roundtable Laward. She has been to the White replicated at other refuges. Shuck and at the White House in February with House. She has volunteered at Don refuge staff members have produced a about 15 students from around the Edwards San Francisco Bay National how-to kit that includes an instruction nation. One thing she told the roundtable Wildlife Refuge for more than five manual, a template into which refuge- was “our national wildlife refuges are the years, leading habitat walks, outdoor specific information can be dropped, an perfect place to make science real and lab experiments, festivals and other activity book template, a collectible-cards to have hands-on activities that get kids activities. She sees herself as a one- template, a certificate template and Don excited about the environment.” woman welcoming committee for the Edwards San Francisco Bay Refuge samples. What’s next for the senior at Mission San Refuge System. Jose High School in Fremont, CA – And she just turned 18. Already, Shuck says, 14 refuges in beyond the Junior Refuge Ranger California, Nevada, New Mexico and program? She plans to major in Her pet project is the Junior Refuge Colorado have requested the how-to environmental policy in college. And after Ranger program, which exists at some kit by e-mailing her at refugeranger@ that? “I really admire Secretary Sally refuges. She has reimagined it and hopes gmail.com. “The idea is to connect all the Jewell,” she says. “I aspire to become to expand it. refuges through the program and have Secretary of the Interior one day.” “I saw that there was a need for an a uniform system where kids can earn ongoing, year-round program for young rewards after they complete the program kids: elementary school ages 7 through at a certain number of refuges,” she says. 12. That’s when I thought of the Junior Shuck credits Don Refuge Ranger program and how great Edwards San Francisco it would be to connect all 560 refuges,” Bay Refuge’s majestic says Shuck. She knew of the National scenery, gorgeous Park Service’s Junior Ranger program sunsets and abundance and thought “wildlife refuges really need of wildlife with instilling something like this. Our commitment to her love of nature. conservation is something that every kid She credits refuge should know about.” staff members with With the help of visitor services manager inspiring her to act on Jennifer Heroux, environmental it. “They’ve mentored education specialist Genie Moore, me, and they’ve really San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society helped bring the interpretive specialist Julie Kahrnoff Junior Refuge Ranger and others, Shuck is asking refuges Program to life,” she nationwide to embrace her idea. says. “From watching them in action and “Lynnea is an exceptional girl, seeing their dedication, considering she is able to think beyond they have shown me herself at such a young age,” says what environmental Kahrnoff. “Her dedication and drive stewardship is, and to grow the program has been a true now I know what public inspiration.” service means.” The Junior Refuge Ranger program, For her efforts, Shuck as Shuck has retooled it, is designed to received a 2014 Brower provide pre-teens with hands-on refuge Youth Award from the experiences. Shuck’s goal is “to make Sierra Club. Named Lynnea Shuck, who just turned 18, has volunteered for more than five taking care of nature feel like second for the club’s longtime years at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Learn more about the Junior Refuge Ranger program she has retooled: nature” to youth. executive director David [email protected]. (Courtesy of Shuck family) 10 • Refuge Update ...Be Our Guest What a Customer Service Pro Taught One Refuge
By Toni Westland e brought a customer service professional to J.N. “Ding” W Darling National Wildlife Refuge as a consultant and learned a lot from her. Here’s how it happened and what the refuge learned. A few years ago, as my husband and I were being pampered at an all-inclusive vacation resort, it dawned on me exactly what great customer service is. I realized that, with a little work and a slight attitude adjustment, “Ding” Darling Refuge could make visitors coming to experience nature feel that good. Well, almost! Shortly after that vacation, I met a woman who had worked at Disney and wrote articles for the National Association for Interpretation, the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Florida offers much of its signage in three foreign languages, based on visitor origins: German, French and Spanish. (USFWS) nonprofit dedicated to advancing the profession of heritage interpretation. refuge, some visitors will skip the The consultant’s tips were inspiring and I saw her as my ticket to teaching visitor center altogether. Not good. In useful, but they came with a $2,000 price myself and “Ding” Darling Refuge staff, any case, make sure signage makes tag that I knew the Friends group could concession employees and volunteers clear where visitors should go for not afford every year. So I looked for about the keys to great customer service. information. other training options and discovered that the Lee County Visitor and Funded by the “Ding” Darling Wildlife • Know your visitors. Ask your Friends Society, our Friends group, the consultant Convention Bureau offers free training group and conservation partners to for hotels, concierges and attractions. gave a two-day training modeled on help keep track of who is coming to Disney’s “Be Our Guest” experience. The seven-module “Guest First” course the refuge. Go to your local Chamber has proved to be an amazing way to While we know that the National Wildlife of Commerce and/or tourism bureau. provide training for refuge visitor Refuge System is not – and should not It is their business to know who is services, biological, maintenance be – Disney or an all-inclusive resort, the spending time in your city, county, and administrative staff members; consultant did give us valuable tips that state or region. volunteers, concessionaires, Friends, can apply to any staffed refuge. • Recognize that language can be a partners and interns. Participants receive • Little things are important. When a barrier, and accommodate visitors certification. visitor is within 10 feet of you, smile. accordingly. “Ding” Darling Refuge I know that “Ding” Darling Refuge, with Within five feet, greet the visitor. has a lot of international visitors, its location on Sanibel Island in tourism- so we use international symbols for • Make sure people know the location of oriented Florida, is not typical. But I information and restrooms, as the believe a lot of what we learned does your visitor center or main information consultant recommended. We also offer kiosk. The consultant suggested apply nationwide. In fact, much of it will signage in three foreign languages be incorporated into the Refuge System we put a volunteer greeter at a key based on visitor origins: German, point. That can work if the greeter Ambassador Program, which is scheduled French and Spanish. Keep in mind that to be launched next year. says a quick hello and directs the Friends groups and volunteers often visitor to the center. However, if the can help to translate brochures, fliers Toni Westland is supervisory refuge greeter goes on at length about the and other documents. ranger at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Refuge Update • 11 ...Be Our Guest Kootenai Refuge and Others Welcome Disabled Hunters
By Jane Chorazy Refuge manager Dianna Ellis, who recognized the need to provide hunting ational wildlife refuges are “I just like the opportunity opportunities to people with disabilities. always seeking ways to connect to be out there and connect “Seeing the smiles on their faces and the public with America’s wild N with nature.” hearing them tell us how appreciative places. Although it can be difficult, they are, just made the effort so especially in remote locations, refuges worthwhile.” do their best to be accessible to all. For Wilkerson, with help from a local Youth instance, refuges across the country host Conservation Corps (YCC) crew. For many hunters with disabilities, just more than 70 hunting events annually for knowing that the opportunity is available In addition to the joy the blind brings disabled visitors. has reinvigorated their love of the to people with disabilities, the project outdoors. This project also has created taught the YCC students about habitat, In northern Idaho, Kootenai National opportunities for these hunters to species and how to construct facilities Wildlife Refuge opened its first connect with fellow hunters and without power tools. That’s right. The accessible-to-all hunting blind last fall community members. so disabled veterans like Frederick students were not allowed to use power Brookings can view migrating waterfowl, tools so they could learn how to build a It is a reminder that refuge recreational take photos of wildlife and participate in deck with manual hammers, drills and opportunities are social activities, the annual hunting season. levels. pastimes people can enjoy today and pass on to the next generation tomorrow. “I don’t need to take an animal to enjoy Last fall, the blind’s first deer hunting the hunt,” says Brookings. “I just like the season, it was booked solid. Jane Chorazy is a public affairs officer in opportunity to be out there and connect the Pacific Region office in Portland. “I didn’t think this little project would with nature.” have such an impact,” says Kootenai Located 20 miles from the Canadian border in Idaho’s panhandle, Kootenai Refuge is surrounded by the Selkirk Mountains on the west, the Kootenai River and Deep Creek on the east, and state lands on the south. The refuge’s diverse habitats contain wetlands with associated uplands and hardwood/conifer forests. The 2,774-acre refuge offers opportunities to hunt big game (deer, elk, moose, black bear and mountain lion), upland game species (grouse and turkey) and migratory waterfowl (geese, ducks and mergansers). Kootenai Refuge’s new accessible hunt blind, one of many at refuges nationwide, is available for reservation for a week at a time via a lottery drawing. Hunters must have a valid state hunting license, require Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility and meet Idaho Fish & Game disabled hunter needs. Furthermore, only short-range weapons and nontoxic, non-lead ammunition are permitted.
The blind was built by the refuge’s National wildlife refuges host more than 70 hunting events annually for disabled visitors. Kootenai engineering equipment operator, Wayne National Wildlife Refuge in Idaho opened its first accessible hunting blind last fall. (USFWS) 12 • Refuge Update ...Be Our Guest When Mega-Rare Birds Land, Refuge Visitation Can Soar
By Noah Kahn housands of people visit national wildlife refuges annually because T they are among the nation’s premier places to watch birds. And when a “mega rarity” shows up – a species almost never seen in North America – word spreads quickly. Hard-core birders drop what they’re doing and make a beeline for the bird, often boarding the next flight. The appearance of such birds often is a tourism boost, delivering a local economic stimulus if a mega-rare bird stays for more than a couple of days. There’s even a 2001 William Hurt and When this Eurasian tundra bean-goose – a “mega-rarity” in North America – was sighted at Oregon’s Molly Parker movie, “Rare Birds,” Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge last fall, visitation skyrocketed from four to six visitors per day to centered on that boost. more than 100. Such sightings at refuges can give local economies a big tourism boost. (Ram Papish) It’s striking how often needle-in-a- haystack birds are found on refuges, on the spectacular Oregon coast,” says discovered at Muleshoe National Wildlife perhaps because of relatively thorough refuge visitor services manager Dawn Refuge in Texas. It likely migrated there coverage by birders and almost certainly Harris. “One lost goose has drawn in with lesser sandhill cranes that breed in because refuges offer high-quality thousands of visitors who never knew Siberia and winter in the lower 48. habitat, often near coastlines and about this special refuge, its trails and its wildlife-viewing opportunities.” “After it was miraculously found among geographic funneling points. the massive sandhill flocks, birders came Last fall, Nestucca Bay National Wildlife from all over the U.S. and even from Refuge volunteer Lee Sliman spotted Germany,” says refuge manager Jude a tundra bean-goose. It was only the Last fall, a tundra bean- Smith. Incredibly, a second common second recorded sighting of the Eurasian goose was seen at crane was found soon thereafter, and species in the lower 48 states. visitation doubled and stayed high Nestucca Bay National throughout the winter. Almost immediately, the refuge near Wildlife Refuge, only the Pacific City, OR, put up a “Welcome second recorded sighting in “It’s great for all these people to visit Bean-Goose Observers” sign, set up because, though they may have come a sign-in sheet to gather hometown the lower 48 states. for the crane, this also gives us an information about the birders, and asked opportunity to show them how special A rare falcated duck has returned to Sliman to help the birders. Each morning shortgrass prairie is for many animals on California’s Colusa National Wildlife for weeks, she found the goose and set the high plains,” says Smith. Refuge three of the past four winters. up a spotting scope. She also posted her Normally found in Asia, the falcated duck Other megas have had similar effects in phone number on an Oregon birding is classified as “near threatened” by the recent years at New Mexico’s Bosque del website for anyone seeking information. International Union for Conservation Apache Refuge (rufous-necked wood rail, The refuge parking lot overflowed. of Nature. After its 2011 discovery at sungrebe); Delaware’s Bombay Hook Visitation skyrocketed from four to six Colusa Refuge, visitation more than Refuge (little egret, European golden- visitors daily to more than 100 for a while, doubled, and local hotels, motels and plover); Oregon/California’s Lower and stayed steady at 20-plus long after. restaurants benefited. Because the bird is Klamath Refuge (whooper swan); and “Restaurants and other businesses returning to the wetland refuge 70 miles Virginia’s Chincoteague Refuge (black- really appreciated the boost our visitors from Sacramento, the economic benefit tailed godwit). provided, especially because Nestucca continues. Noah Kahn is an assistant refuge Bay only opened to the public in 2008 and Last fall a common crane, an uncommon supervisor in the Northeast Region office had been a relatively unknown treasure bird even in its home range of Russia, was in Hadley, MA. Refuge Update • 13 ...Be Our Guest
Refuges Welcome Traditional and New Visitors — continued from page 6 services surveys we’ve done, they’re community and that sense of building a them direction when they actually arrive? pretty consistent in terms of the high conservation ethic or stewardship in that Are they bilingual or in languages that praise we’re getting.” community.” many local residents speak?” Kilcullen says. “Are the messages welcoming, Still, the Refuge System is trying to be As for welcoming visitors onto refuges, rather than ‘do not pass this point’? more engaging, to attract new audiences Kilcullen mentions three areas in which Are we using the right language to and to spread its conservation message the Refuge System is working to be more convey that we want people to enter in farther and wider. welcoming. a different way or go a different route, Guided by the Conserving the Future One is accessibility, as Americans age rather than saying ‘keep out’? ” vision, the Refuge System spearheaded and society evolves. “Accessibility is A third way the Refuge System is creation of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife going to be a big issue for the Refuge working to be more welcoming is the Service Urban Wildlife Conservation System in the next 10 or 20 years,” Ambassador Program. This national Program, which puts new emphasis on Kilcullen says. “We’re in the process of program, which also was covered in engaging urban residents by designating working on a national agreement with the November/December issue, will more than a dozen priority urban refuges the National Center on Accessibility for adapt hospitality industry concepts and establishing 14 Urban Wildlife a new training program on how to design to the Service by training employees, Refuge Partnerships, among other programs, facilities and web pages to be volunteers, Friends and partners to advances. more universally accessible to the public provide top-notch customer service. It regardless of people’s capabilities and is scheduled to be piloted this fall and The urban program, which was covered physical and cognitive abilities.” extensively in the November/December launch in earnest next year. 2014 issue of Refuge Update (http:// Refuge signage also is being examined. In the meantime, this Focus section bit.ly/1E9LIQE), “isn’t so much highlights ways that a handful of refuges about visitation,” says Kilcullen. “It’s “Are signs placed in a proper way to attract and welcome people and give already are saying “be our guest” to about relationships you build with the visitors.
“A Full-River Approach” Along the Mississippi — continued from page 7
As an offshoot, National Geographic’s Mississippi River Geotourism Program, which is sponsored by the collaborative, is scheduled to be fully operational late next year. It will include a one-stop- shopping website “designed to show the public what’s out there that’s sustainable – and by that we mean the ma-and-pop cafes, the little bed-and-breakfasts, the small events. It’s designed to highlight those things that are publicly owned or privately owned in the communities,” says Gard. “A person going to that website who’s thinking about traveling to the Mississippi River will be able to click on a refuge.” For more information about the Mississippi River Connections Collaborative, go to http://mr-cc.org/. For a preview of National Geographic’s The 2012 Summer of Paddling included 300 canoeing and kayaking events and involved all refuges Mississippi River Geotourism near the Mississippi River. Here, interns Isaac Coleman and Rachel George and a young boy explore Program, go to http://mississippiriver. Tallahatchie National Wildlife Refuge in northern Mississippi. (Eva Kristific) natgeotourism.com/ 14 • Refuge Update ...Be Our Guest
This bicycle path connects National Elk Refuge in Wyoming to the town of Jackson and These turn lanes and bike lane ease congestion at the entrance to Grand Teton National Park. (Jim Stanford) San Pablo National Wildlife Refuge. (Don Brubaker/USFWS) Getting There Is Half the Battle By Andrew Valdez he U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • In Alaska, a 1.7-mile trail extension at • California Highway 37, which provides is encouraging urban and Kenai Refuge is in the planning and access to the San Pablo Bay Refuge, is T suburban Americans from various design phase. The state is helping to extremely congested at rush hour. In backgrounds to head out to national fund the project, which will connect the 2014, the Service completed a project wildlife refuges and have a look. But all town of Soldotna directly to the refuge. with the California Department of the encouragement in the world does no Kenai Refuge, often called “Alaska in Transportation, Ducks Unlimited and good if it’s too difficult to get there. miniature,” is home to a diverse range the California Department of Fish and of flora and fauna, including moose, Wildlife to construct turn lanes and a “We need to make it easy for people eagles, black and brown bears, lynx bike lane at an entrance of the refuge to visit refuges,” says Service national and wolves in eco-regions ranging from north of San Francisco. transportation program coordinator mountain tundra to boreal forest. The Steve Suder. “This means building safe, refuge attracts more than 1 million • The Service partnered in 2014 with the convenient and reliable transportation visitors annually. Illinois Department of Transportation connections that serve diverse and Calhoun County to replace a failed populations.” • Bill Williams River Refuge in Arizona bridge that provides access to Two is an important boating and recreation Rivers Refuge on the Mississippi River. To facilitate visitation, the Service destination on the Colorado River. The project included bridge safety frequently partners with communities To alleviate safety concerns, the upgrades and resolved erosion issues and organizations to expand Service, the state Department of encountered during seasonal floods. transportation options. Here are a Transportation and the Bureau of handful of examples. Reclamation recently collaborated on • The Service completed a bridge at Florida Panther Refuge’s main access • People wanting to visit the tidal a project to widen Arizona Highway 95 and provide turn lanes into the refuge. point in 2009. The bridge increased marshes, wetlands and woodlands visibility to the destination and of Featherstone National Wildlife • In Washington state, the Service, the alleviated several safety issues. Refuge in Virginia have to get there city of Ridgefield, Clark County and by canoe or kayak. Soon the refuge others are working on a multi-use path • In Wyoming, the town of Jackson, the along the Potomac River, about 20 that will link the city to Ridgefield National Park Service and National miles south of Washington, DC, will be Refuge. Specifically, the path will Elk Refuge together funded a 20-mile accessible directly by land, thanks to connect to the Oaks to Wetlands bicycle path that connects the town, a Service project in which a section of National Recreation Trail on the the refuge and Grand Teton National the Potomac Heritage National Scenic refuge along the Columbia River north Park. The Jenny Lake Pathway was an Trail will be re-routed. Prince William of Portland, OR. America’s Great Outdoors project. County, the National Park Service, Andrew Valdez is a U.S. Fish and Virginia Railway Express and the local Wildlife Service transportation analyst community are partners in the project. in Falls Church, VA. Refuge Update • 15 Around the Refuge System
Ohio the Mexican state of Sonora. Few, if any, Basin, the Oregon chub was listed as Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge is remain in the wild. In an effort to recover endangered in 1993 and reclassified as offering the Refuge System’s first the species, refuge staff members are threatened in 2010. Primary factors that publicly accessible electric vehicle working with ranchers in Mexico to locate led to its listing were loss of habitat and charging station – the start of a series bobwhites in the wild. predation by nonnative fish. Just eight populations totaling fewer than 1,000 fish of projects to increase the use of Wyoming alternative fuels and reduce the carbon were known to exist at the time of listing Elk lovers set a record on Valentine’s Day footprint of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife in 1993. Today, the population is more at National Elk Refuge. Despite snow Service. Because the charging station than 140,000 fish at 80 locations with a being below average and the contractor at Ottawa Refuge is powered by an diverse range of habitats. Oregon chub needing to switch from sleighs to 81-kilowatt onsite solar array, the energy populations exist at William L. Finley and wagons to accommodate patches of bare is renewable and free to the public. Ankeny National Wildlife Refuges. ground, the refuge’s horse-drawn vehicle Future stations at other refuges might program hit an all-time high for the most Pittman Receives DOI Award need to charge for energy. The Service riders in one day: 864 people on 57 wagon Midwest Region heavy equipment transportation program funded most of trips. The previous busiest day was Dec. coordinator Dale Pittman received a the Ottawa Refuge station’s $3,300 cost. 28, 2013, when 862 passengers filled 55 Department of the Interior Meritorious A complete charge for a typical electric sleighs. Service Award for his career-long work vehicle takes two to four hours, plenty of in advancing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife time to explore some of the refuge. The Oregon Service’s equipment safety training, project, spearheaded by Midwest Region The Oregon chub in February became maintenance and management programs. transportation coordinator Brandon the first fish ever removed from the Pittman, who began his Service career Jutz and Ottawa Refuge assistant endangered species list. A small minnow in 1991 at Illinois River National manager Eddy Pausch, was completed found only in the Willamette River Wildlife Refuge, became regional heavy in collaboration with the Department of equipment coordinator in 2005. In Energy’s Clean Cities program. addition to emphasizing employee safety Arizona and training throughout his career, Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, Pittman developed and implemented established in 1985 for the reintroduction the Maintenance Action Team (MAT) of the endangered masked bobwhite program, which has saved the Service quail, marked a milestone in February. more than $15 million. The Meritorious The refuge recovery team successfully Service Award, established in 1948, is the relocated 70 masked bobwhites almost second-highest honor an employee can 1,500 miles south to the Africam Safari receive in the Service. Zoological Park in Puebla, Mexico, Midway Atoll effectively creating a second captive Results from the annual nesting population. The refuge had been albatross census on Midway Atoll searching since 2008 for a new home National Wildlife Refuge confirm for a segment of the captive flock but that its nesting albatross colony is the had difficulty finding a suitable host. world’s largest. Nineteen volunteers With the Service’s help, Africam Safari systematically covered the atoll’s three built a state-of-the-art rearing facility small islands counting active nest sites to accommodate part of the Buenos from Dec. 11, 2014, through Jan. 2, 2015. Aires Refuge masked bobwhite quail They estimated more than 1.39 million population. “There are a lot of moving individual birds, assuming two adults parts to consider when you’re trying per nest, for Laysan and black-footed to transport live animals over an albatross species combined. This year far international border. There are health surpassed any previously documented requirements, import and export year for nesting Laysan albatross, with permits, quarantine periods and strict 666,044 pairs recorded. That represents time schedules to follow, to name just a a 52 percent increase over the average few,” said Sally Flatland, Buenos Aires number for hatch years 2010 to 2014. Refuge manager. Masked bobwhites are Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge in Ohio is Black-footed albatross nesting pairs found only at Buenos Aires Refuge and in offering a publicly accessible electric vehicle charging station. (USFWS)
16 • Refuge Update came in at 28,610, also a record, up about 18 Montana percent from the 2010- 2014 average. In less upbeat news, Wisdom – the world’s oldest known banded bird – lost her incubating egg to predators in January. Wisdom is a Laysan albatross estimated to be 64 years old; she has successfully reared more than 30 chicks. She and her mate appeared to be fine. Puerto Rico More than 500 University of Puerto Rico students gathered at Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge in January, when student organization Kimi Smith Rankin, a regular visitor at Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, won the Flora and Fauna category of Reforestación Colegial the National Recreation Trails 2014 photo contest with this image of a badger adult and her four cubs. Rankin saw planted more than the badger family just off the refuge’s Kenai Nature Trail last spring. 500 trees to combat deforestation. The group plans to return regularly to weed and eradicate Indian fleabane and restore forestry technician Brandon Harriman water the new trees, which are especially wetland habitat at Laysan Island, part from Moosehorn Refuge and engineer helpful to the federally endangered of Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife equipment operator Kirk Cote from yellow-shouldered blackbird and Puerto Refuge. However, for logistical and Aroostook Refuge helped install two Rican nightjar, native birds that flourish administrative reasons, the allocation has eight-foot-wide, 52-foot-long open- in mature subtropical dry-forest habitats. been switched to Hakalau Forest Refuge bottom arches and remove four culverts Students planted more than 20 native on Hawaii’s Big Island. Feral pigs pose on the Narraguagus and East Machias tree species, and they plan to undertake a threat to conservation and restoration Rivers. The Service’s Maine Fishery one such reforestation effort every of native forest habitats on the refuge Resources Office provided technical and semester. Although most of Puerto through destruction of understory management assistance. The project Rico’s primary forests were cut down vegetation and enabling the spread of was funded by the Service, the National over the past 200 years, recent human alien weeds. Feral pig eradication would Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration population decreases and abandonment benefit several endangered native bird (NOAA), the Atlantic Salmon Federation of agriculture have led to a trend toward species and at least eight species of and private landowners. The project reforestation. Today, Puerto Rico is endangered plants. “not only taught our staff members how covered by more forest than it was 100 to install arch culverts but empowered years ago. Maine them to utilize the skills that they learned Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge Hawaii to benefit fish and wildlife on and off has worked routinely with Project refuge lands. The ease of installation of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife SHARE (Salmon Habitat and River the precast arch culverts is not only a Refuge will receive the fiscal year Enhancement) on the refuge. Last game changer in how road crossings are 2015 Refuge System Large Invasive summer, refuge staff members began constructed, but their utilization will be a Species Allocation of $1 million for feral working with the group to restore substantial cost savings to the Service,” pig eradication/control. The allocation Atlantic salmon habitat off the refuge. said Moosehorn Refuge assistant originally had been designated to Maintenance mechanic Mike Krug and manager Steve Agius.
Refuge Update • 17 Monarch butterflies, shown here at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, are among the best-known butterfly species in the United States, but their numbers have declined precipitously in recent years. (Gayla Kittendorf)
Service, Partners Seek to Save Monarch Butterfly— continued from page 1 were some 1 billion, but their numbers communities, farmers, land managers, engaging critical partners on restoring have declined by approximately 90 and local, state and federal agencies – we the monarch,” said Ashe. “We will also percent since then. The decline has been can ensure that every American child has reach out to millions of Americans on blamed on numerous threats, particularly a chance to experience amazing monarchs both the challenge involved and how they loss of habitat because of agricultural in their backyards,” said National can help.” practices, development and cropland Wildlife Federation president and CEO conversion. Degradation of wintering Collin O’Mara. The monarch is perhaps the best-known habitat in Mexico and California has also butterfly species in the United States. had a negative impact on the species. The National Fish and Wildlife Every year monarchs undertake one of Foundation Monarch Butterfly the world’s most remarkable migrations, “We can save the monarch butterfly in Conservation Fund was kick-started with traveling thousands of miles over many North America, but only if we act quickly $1.2 million from the Service, which will generations from Mexico, across the and together,” Service Director Dan be matched by other private and public United States, to Canada. Ashe said when announcing the campaign donors. The fund is the first dedicated in February. “And that is why we are source of funding for projects to conserve The monarch’s exclusive larval host excited to be working with the National monarchs. plant and a critical food source is native Wildlife Federation and the National milkweed, which has been eradicated or Fish and Wildlife Foundation to engage During the current fiscal year, the severely degraded in much of the United Americans everywhere, from schools and Service will restore and enhance States in recent years. The accelerated community groups to corporations and more than 200,000 acres of habitat for conversion of the continent’s native governments, in protecting and restoring monarchs from California to the Corn short and tallgrass prairie habitat to habitat. Together we can create oases Belt; support more than 750 schoolyard crop production has also had an adverse for monarchs in communities across the habitats and pollinator gardens; and impact on the monarch. country.” fund additional restoration, seed supply and education projects totaling $2 But protecting the monarch is not just The memorandum of understanding million. Many of the projects focus on about saving one species. The monarch between the National Wildlife Federation the Interstate 35 corridor from Texas serves as an indicator of the health of and the Service is designed to serve as to Minnesota, an area that provides pollinators and the American landscape. a catalyst for national collaboration on important spring and summer breeding Conserving and connecting habitat monarch conservation, particularly in habitats along the Central Flyway for the for monarchs will benefit other plants, planting native milkweed and nectar monarch’s eastern population. animals and important insect and avian plants, the primary food sources in pollinators. breeding and migration habitats for the “These projects will not only help us leverage expertise and resources for More information is available at http:// butterfly. www.fws.gov/savethemonarch “If we all work together – individuals, 18 • Refuge Update Cooperative Recovery Initiative— continued from page 1 the CRI has funded 38 projects totaling birds. Mature pine forests also depend $16.4 million. on periodic fire to clear out undergrowth and allow seeds to germinate. Wide-scale Having a new breeding colony “will help fire suppression has reduced the size and protect the Virginia population against health of these forests. loss from catastrophic events such as disease and storms, and put the bird on Great Dismal Swamp Refuge contains the track to recovery,” says Great Dismal mature native pine forest, including Swamp Refuge manager Chris Lowie. some 2,000 acres of pine pocosin habitat The red-cockaded woodpecker once was – deep-soiled evergreen marsh that common in pinelands from New Jersey supports longleaf pine trees. The refuge, to Louisiana. By the time the species says Lowie, “has good habitat for red- was listed as endangered in 1970 under cockaded woodpeckers, but no longer has the Endangered Species Act, fewer than the birds.” 10,000 birds were scattered throughout Partners in the project include the Southeast. The endangered red-cockaded woodpecker is several Service offices, the Center for expected to benefit from one of 14 Cooperative Relocating five mating pairs of the Conservation Biology at the College Recovery Initiative projects. (USFWS) woodpeckers will take dexterity. In of William and Mary, The Nature October, biologists will clamber up tall Conservancy, the Virginia Department Florida and Mississippi – have been trees at the host site to collect 10 birds of Game and Inland Fisheries and local successful. – five male, five female. Then they will groups. drive the birds to the relocation site, Susan Morse is a writer-editor in the stopping to feed them hourly. On the Three previous endeavors to reintroduce Refuge System Branch of same day, at the new site, they will climb colonies of the birds – in Arkansas, Communications. trees again to place each bird in a pre-dug artificial cavity. Then they will place The 14 Projects a screen over the cavity The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has allocated $5.8 million in fiscal year 2015 to fund these and wait. When biologists projects under its Cooperative Recovery Initiative: hear the birds call to one another the next morning, • Nestucca Bay (OR) and • Upper Mississippi River • Silvio O. Conte Refuge, CT they will remove the Willapa (WA) National Refuge and Genoa National – Restore beach habitat for screens and monitor the Wildlife Refuges – Restore Fish Hatchery, WI – Puritan tiger beetle. woodpeckers’ activity, all in habitat for Oregon Captive rearing of Hine’s silverspot butterfly. emerald dragonfly. • Great Dismal Swamp an effort to acclimate them Refuge, VA – Reintroduce to their new home. • Sevilleta Refuge, NM – • Florida Keys Refuge red-cockaded woodpecker. Restore habitat for Rio – Restore habitat for Red-cockaded Grande silvery minnow, Bartram’s scrub-hairstreak • Rainwater Basin Wetland woodpeckers live in mature Southwestern willow and Florida leafwing Management District, NE – pine forests, where trees flycatcher and Western butterfly. Restore wetland habitat for may be up to 100 years old. yellow-billed cuckoo. whooping crane. The birds nest and roost • Mountain Bogs Refuge, • Quivira and Kirwin in tree cavities that they • Laguna Atascosa and NC – Restore habitat for Refuges, KS – Restore dig and maintain. Around Lower Rio Grande Valley mountain sweet pitcher prairie habitat for lesser the cavities, the birds peck Refuges, TX – Connect, plant. restore habitat for ocelot prairie-chicken. holes that weep resin. The • Monomoy (MA), Nantucket resin protects eggs and and Northern aplomado • Charles M. Russell (MT) falcon. (MA), Edwin B. Forsythe young against snakes and (NJ), Cape May (NJ), and Arapaho (CO) Refuges other predators. • Windom Wetland Chincoteague (VA) and – Develop two populations of black-footed ferret. In the Southeast, pine Management District, MN – Cape Romain (SC) Refuges forests are often harvested Restore channels and pools – Restore habitat for • Seal Beach Refuge, CA – for Topeka shiner. seabeach amaranth plant. – for wood and paper Improve cordgrass nesting products – before they habitat for light-footed are old enough for the Ridgway’s rail.
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A Look Back … Lawrence Wineland
arry Wineland was the first creates the largest classroom you’ve ever man since Paul Kroegel to imagined,” eventually putting fourth- L serve full time at Pelican Island graders in a boat to see Pelican Island. National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, “The schoolchildren get wet and they get the nation’s first refuge. He worked as muddy, but they learn,” said Wineland, biological technician, law enforcement who insisted that the youngsters not officer, public affairs specialist and feed the pelicans. “If I brought a sack environmental educator. But when asked of fish out here and gave it to the birds, if he needed more help, he answered, before I hopped into my boat they would “Nope, [my wife] Edith and I can usually be on relief. And the next time I came handle it.” back they could be lined up waiting for a government handout.” The Winelands lived near Sebastian, Lawrence Wineland (1912-1997) initiated and FL, with five beagles, pigeon roosts, led fourth-grade field trips to Pelican Island After Wineland retired, there was a rabbit hutches and a free-roaming gaggle National Wildlife Refuge in the mid-1970s, before 12-year gap before Paul Tritaik became of geese. Wineland was a commercial environmental education was a serious discipline. the third full-time employee at Pelican fisherman before he came to work for the Island Refuge. Tritaik has talked to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1947, relationships with the community and people who remember those grade- working at White River Refuge, AR; St. developing environmental education school field trips. “I was the beneficiary Marks Refuge, FL, Lacassine Refuge, programs before EE was a discipline. of seeing some of his students as adults, LA, and Blackbeard Island Refuge, GA, “When people talk about conservation and it did make an impression on them as before coming to Pelican Island in 1964, and wildlife preservation at a local he’d hoped.” It was Wineland’s passion, where he stayed until his retirement in level, they inevitably talk about says Tritaik, to educate children so when 1980. Larry Wineland,” according to a 1977 they became adults, they would make newspaper article about an award he informed decisions. Wineland arrived at Pelican Island received from the Woodmen of the World Refuge soon after a controversial effort Life Insurance Society. At that award dinner, friend and fellow by the state of Florida to encourage environmentalist Richard Thomas said housing developments across from the Teacher Laura Matheson told that award that “Larry Wineland is a darn good egg island. Wineland excelled at building dinner audience that “Larry Wineland that hatched into a very rare bird.”
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