U.S Fish & Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System

Inside January/February 2005 Vol 2, No 1

Dozen Students Awarded Centennial Scholarships, page 6 Looking into the Refuge System’s Future Advancing studies in fish and Most Powerful Habitat Management Tool wildlife conservation Carrying forward the priorities flock to wildlife refuges for an array of enunciated at the “Conservation in Action quality recreation: nearly 6 million fishing Focus on . . . Science in the Refuge Summit” and in the guiding document visits; more than 2 million hunting System, pages 8-17 Fulfilling the Promise, the National visits; about 16 million using the Refuge Along with notable successes, Wildlife Refuge System intends to System’s foot, boat and auto trails; and challenges loom for Refuge System strengthen its wildlife and habitat about 8 million visits to observe or management and offer yet more wildlife- photograph wildlife. dependent recreation in coming years. Wildlife Refuge: Tourism Hot Spot, Moreover, the Refuge System works page 20 At the same time, the Refuge System’s achievements in 2004 have been far closely with the Ecological Services, Local hotel promotes refuge reaching. Law Enforcement, Migratory Birds and Fisheries programs to advance the Seeking to Save the Sparrows, “The National Wildlife Refuge System Service mission. page 22 gives Americans an unparalleled chance to experience the nation’s outdoor heritage in Equally important, the Refuge System What if restoration imperils all its vibrancy,” said Refuge System Chief manages its approximately 96 million reproductive success Bill Hartwig. “But we do far more in acres for less than $4 per acre – about the carrying out the Fish and Wildlife Service cost of a sandwich, French fries and soda mission to conserve, protect and enhance at most fast food chains. With about 3,100 fish and wildlife and their habitats. We people working in operations and play a key role in that mission, and will do maintenance, the Refuge System even more in coming years.” averages about one employee for each 31,000 acres of public lands – a ratio few The Refuge System is the Service’s most land management agencies can match. visible network of public lands, attracting continued pg 18 about 40 million visits each year. People Visitation Skyrocketed

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The Refuge System will work in coming years to develop more opportunities for people to hunt, fish, photograph and observe wildlife on the nation’s 545 wildlife refuges, where visitation has dramatically increased over the past few decades. Bird watching is particularly popular at J.N. Ding Darling NWR, FL. (George Gentry/USFWS) From the Director First and Foremost, Scientific Integrity We’ve come a The suburbs are becoming buffers over several years, we are working on long way from between our urban lands and our many fronts to invest in our most precious 1905 when we dwindling rural lands. If the 1800s was scientific resource – our people – to apply had a population the “frontier era,” when we sought to the very best science to manage our fish of 76 million subdue nature, then we are rapidly and wildlife resources. people, life expectancy of less than 50 approaching what some call the “ecology years and worked a 60-hour week. Our era,” when we rely on nature for the We have joined forces with the U.S. Service science needs to deal with the basics of clean air and clean water. How Geological Survey in the Future America we are becoming and how that will our science ensure that both will be Challenges Project so together we can will affect our natural resources. plentiful? identify how to get the scientific knowledge and capabilities to predict and The questions are tough. Demographers Those complex issues – and a host of address landscape-level changes that will expect our population to reach 325 million others – motivated me to launch the affect fish and wildlife species. by 2025. The population is not just Science Excellence Initiative in late 2003. growing, but it’s also changing radically. We must demand scientific information We are building “Communities of The baby boomer generation, now at least that is rigorous, timely and relevant, and Practice” to strengthen working 40, won’t just affect Social Security, but we have to disseminate the information relationships among the whole range of the recreation picture as well. They are widely. We’ve already put a virtual biological specialties that care for our unlike any aging population we’ve ever science library at people’s fingertips at lands, our waters and our wildlife. known. They have a greater appetite for http://library.fws.gov/litsearch. But that’s One progressive step will propel the next adventure than any previous group their just the start. as we advance the Science Excellence age, and they don’t plan to slow down. Initiative. All are grounded in the The outdoors is important to their As the Service wrestles with conflicting interests, we have to ensure that science knowledge that the Fish and Wildlife lifestyles. How can our science help us Service is, first and foremost, a scientific deal with their impact on our lands? drives our wildlife management decisions. Although my science initiative will unfold organization. — Steve Williams

Chief’s Corner RefugeUpdate

Gale Norton Address editorial “You’ve Got to Cut the Butter” Secretary of the Interior inquiries to: The Refuge System Is Not “Butter” Refuge Update Steve Williams USFWS-NWRS Looking For the first time in my 30-year public Director – U.S. Fish and 4401 North Fairfax Dr., Wildlife Service forward to the service career, I see programs being Room 634C Arlington, VA asked to justify their base funding – not William Hartwig next four 22203-1610 Assistant Director – years, one Senator told The Wall Street increases, but their base funding. Phone: 703-358-1858 National Wildlife Refuge Decision-makers intend to reward Fax: 703-358-2517 Journal quite bluntly, “This cannot System afford to be a guns-and-butter term. programs that plan well and spend E-mail: You’ve got to cut the butter.” according to their plan. Larry Williams [email protected] Publisher I am confident the Refuge System is This newsletter is Most of us understand how stressed our published on recycled ready to work in the new business-like Martha Nudel federal budget is. For the first time, we Editor in Chief paper using soy-based are seeing funding for our National environment. ink Bill Ballou Wildlife Refuge System level off or As a science-based organization, the decline slightly. We believe we are more Graphic Design Refuge System has every reason – and Coordinator C than “butter,” but, clearly, we are every ability – to study where our dollars working in a new era with new rules and should go and spend them accordingly. expectations. continued pg 28 Pg 2 Refuge Update | January/February 2005 Top Honors Awarded at “Friends in Action Conference” The Friends of Black Bayou, LA, won of this prestigious award. Four days each the top honor as Friends Group of the week from February through October, Year from the National Wildlife Refuge Davis, a retired school superintendent, Association at the climax of the “Friends meticulously monitors more than 400 in Action Conference” Feb. 4-7. bluebird boxes on the National Bison Additionally, Ervin Davis, who has Range, MT, as part of a “welfare check” to worked as a volunteer at the National ensure babies and parents are doing well. Bison Range, MT, since 1983, was Four years ago, he recruited another recognized as Volunteer of the Year. volunteer, who helps with the monitoring and banding birds that do not carry Interior Secretary Gale Norton warmly identification. Thanks to Davis’ work, welcomed almost 300 leaders of the western bluebirds are being bred for the Refuge Friends movement and Fish and first time on the National Wildlife Service personnel when she Bison Range. keynoted the gathering in Washington, DC. The conference, sponsored by the Davis has traveled hundreds of miles to Service and the Association, was built on maintain and preserve bluebirds, the themes and priorities enunciated at assembling more than 1,500 nesting boxes the “Conservation in Action Summit.” each year. High school shop classes in Volunteer of the Year Ervin Davis donates 30-70 Ronan, Charlo, St. Ignatius and Whitefish hours weekly to the National Bison Range, MT. He More than 13 workshop topics as well as a has volunteered at the wildlife refuge for more than cut the box pieces from cedar trim ends 35 years. (USFWS) resource village served to expand the that Davis supplies. Additionally, he Friends groups’ knowledge and participates in duck banding, the annual organizational know-how. Big Game Census and the Annual Bison $200,000 grant from the Monroe-West Secretary Norton cited the extraordinary Roundup. He also shares his vast Monroe Convention and Visitors Bureau, work of the approximately 39,000 knowledge of National Bison Range matched by a $150,000 grant from the volunteers who last year donated about wildlife with visitors. Fish and Wildlife Service. Ground was 1.5 million hours to the Fish and Wildlife Friends of Black Bayou broken for the center in October 2004. Service, the overwhelming majority on The Friends of Black Bayou was honored Additionally, the Friends group has national wildlife refuges. She specifically for a multitude of achievements, amassing worked in partnership with a professor of pointed to the tremendous assistance that support for the Black Bayou Lake NWR, environmental architecture at Louisiana volunteers gave to several refuges, LA, and promoting exceptional public Tech University on an extraordinary bird including Ding Darling in Florida and Bon involvement. The Friends group, for blind, complete with interpretive panels, Secour in Alabama, in the wake of back- example, raised $450,000 to build a 3,600- which will feature natural landscaping. to-back hurricanes that devastated lands. square-foot Wetlands Learning Center The project, to be completed this spring, is Service Director Steven A. Williams that will house a fully equipped biology funded with a $19,400 grant from the offered his personal congratulations for a lab/classroom and an exhibit area with Louisiana Division of the Arts. decade of growth in the Friends floor-to-ceiling aquaria and terraria. The Among other projects, the Friends of movement. Just 10 years ago, only 74 group wrote an application that elicited a Black Bayou hosted the first annual refuges formed partnerships with Southern Regional Friends Conference nonprofit friends groups. Today, 246 last year, bringing together more than 150 Friends groups work hand-in-hand with people for workshops and training. The national wildlife refuges on essential FWS and the NWRA sponsored the services to the community and in three-day event. welcoming and orienting a growing number of visitors. Ervin Davis Volunteer of the Year Ervin Davis has set a new standard of excellence for recipients

January/February 2005 | Refuge Update Pg 3 Refuge System Grew Modestly in 2004 In Minnesota: The donation of 2,000 acres by The Nature Conservancy officially created the nation’s 545th national wildlife refuge – Glacial Ridge NWR in northwest Minnesota. Eventually, the refuge will grow to 35,000 acres, advancing the largest tallgrass prairie and wetland restoration project in U.S. history. In Washington/Oregon: The Columbia Land Trust donated 451 acres to expand the 5,600-acre Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White- tail Deer. Located in southwestern Washington and northwestern Oregon, the refuge was established in 1972 to protect the endangered Columbian white- tailed deer, a unique subspecies that Seven tracts totaling 1,040 acres were acquired for the 9-million-acre Yukon Flats NWR, AK. The National numbers just 700 animals nationwide. Wildlife Refuge System added 177,469 acres in 2004, where visitors can observe wildlife. (USFWS) About 300 Columbian White-tail deer live on the refuge. The 451 acres are key to a The National Wildlife Refuge System in America. Even more striking is the multi-agency estuary restoration program 2004 gave the American people sound diversity of life on the refuge: Waterfowl that will protect and enhance thousands of resource protection, quality wildlife- and songbirds call and sing 24 hours a day tidal wetlands, which will rebuild dependent recreation and the gift of during the spring and early summer. productivity for threatened and 177,469 acres of new wildlife refuge lands. Moose can be found throughout the endangered salmon in the lower The Refuge System now encompasses refuge. Beaver, lynx, marten, mink, Columbia River. more than 96 million acres, with a wildlife muskrat and river otter thrive there. refuge within an hour’s drive of every major metropolitan area. In California: The Service acquired a conservation Among the new acres are 5,000 acres, easement of 1,093 acres as part of the formerly part of the Rocky Mountain Grasslands Wildlife Management Area. Arsenal, which became part of the Rocky The land will act as a buffer to protect Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife wetlands from urban development. Refuge, CO. Used for four decades as a Thousands of ducks and geese use the chemical weapons complex, the land now wetlands for wintering habitat. In offers people the chance to walk trails addition, the property contains vernal across acres nestled at the foot of the pools and potential habitat for the Rocky Mountains. Other lands that joined endangered kit fox. the Refuge System are: In New Jersey: In Alaska: The 16-acre parcel abutting Great Swamp Seven tracts totaling 1,040 acres were NWR in Harding Township includes a acquired as part of the Yukon Flats NWR, farmhouse that the refuge hopes will including wetlands that support nesting become a visitor facility just 26 miles from and breeding migratory waterfowl. The 9- New York City’s Times Square. The million-acre refuge, the third largest newly acquired land, which includes conservation area within the Fish and wetlands and forested river habitat, is Wildlife Service, is one of the best critical to the Great Swamp watershed waterfowl breeding areas in North because it provides a buffer from surrounding development. The Refuge System encompasses about 96 million acres. (USFWS)

Pg 4 Refuge Update | January/February 2005 Around the Refuge information about an extinct variety of The volunteers, who walked, climbed and North American elk. The eastern elk sometimes crawled through vegetation, System once inhabited most of the eastern United ranged in age from 31 to 79. Two States, but was extirpated from western scientists from Japan were among New York State around 1820. By the late the volunteers. nineteenth century, the subspecies was O O John D. totally extinct, felled by loss of habitat Biology teachers with 30 years of Schroer, and over-hunting. A piece of the elk bone experience found wild hydra for the first refuge has been sent to a laboratory for dating. time ever in November 2004, when manager of The refuge will preserve the specimen Brazoria NWR, TX, celebrated the Chincoteague and display it in the visitor center to give opening of its Discovery Center. The NWR, VA, visitors a look back in time at the wildlife Discovery Center, which serves as an retired Dec. history of the western New York area. environmental education laboratory as 31, 2004, after well as the visitor contact station, is 36 years with located at Big Slough Recreation Area. the Fish and Powered by solar electricity, the Wildlife Discovery Center is the headquarters for Service. the Discovery Environmental Education Schroer’s long Program, where skilled and enthusiastic and volunteers lead children through distinguished activities across the Texas Mid-Coast career began as a trainee at NWR Complex. Mattamuskeet NWR, NC. Over his O Hamden Slough NWR, MN, was tenure, he served at Eufala NWR, AL; given Important Bird Area status by the Cape Romain NWR, SC; Santee NWR, Audubon Society Minnesota in late SC; and Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR. September. The refuge has bird species In 1979, he took his first refuge manager from the three different vegetative position at Blackwater NWR, MD. He communities, including bitterns, later served as a refuge manager at northern harriers, marbled godwits, Okefenokee Refuge, GA, before taking O Battling gale-force winds and driving rain from Dec. 3, 2004 to Jan. 3, Wilson’s phalarope, grasshopper and the same position in 1988 at Chincoteague LeConte’s sparrows, prairie chickens Refuge, where he was a pioneer in 19 volunteers counted 408,133 Laysan albatross nests and 21,829 black-footed and bobolinks. Since upland and wetland establishing and maintaining public- restoration in 1991, the national wildlife private partnerships to encourage albatross nests at Midway Atoll NWR, in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The refuge has become a “hot spot” for Americans to take a greater role in regional bird watchers, Refuge Manager conserving the natural resource heritage. numbers have remained fairly stable for both species as compared to the first Mike Murphy said. He was honored as Refuge Manager of atoll-wide count in 1991. About 73 the Year by the National Wildlife Refuge percent of the global population of Laysan Association. Indeed, Schroer was on the albatross are found at Midway Atoll, cutting edge of wildlife management where about 35 percent of the world’s programs that provided hundreds of black-footed albatross live. species the habitat they need. His leadership resulted in the construction of Simultaneous counts at Laysan Island the award-winning Herbert H. Bateman found 140,861 Laysan albatross and 21,006 Educational and Administrative Center, black-footed albatross nests. At French planned for more than four decades. Frigate Shoals, 3,226 Laysan and 4,259 black-footed albatross nests were found. O A well-preserved rare eastern elk Of the 21 species of albatrosses in the skull and antlers excavated October 2004 world, 17 have been identified as being at from a wetland impoundment on Iroquois risk by the International Union for the NWR, NY, could provide fresh Conservation of Nature.

January/February 2005 | Refuge Update Pg 5 Dozen Students Receive Centennial Scholarships Twelve students who are concentrating $5,000 Graduate Scholarships their studies in fish and wildlife • Aleczandre Cole-Corde, Florida Gulf conservation received $90,000 in Coast University scholarships from The Walt Disney Company, the National Wildlife Refuge • Angela Daenzer, University of Montana System and the National Fish and Wildlife • Kristina Ecton, Northern Arizona Foundation. University Initiated by a $100,000 donation from The • Dawn Reding, University of Hawaii Walt Disney Company and expanded by a $230,000 contribution from the Fish and • Leandra de Sousa, University of Alaska- Wildlife Service, the Refuge Centennial Fairbanks Scholarship for Conservation honors the • Nick Scribner, University of Wisconsin- Refuge System’s 100 years of Dawn Reding received a $5,000 graduate Stevens Point accomplishments. The scholarship scholarship to pursue studies at University of program is expected to run through 2006. Hawaii. She was one of a dozen students to • Katy Simmons, University of Nebraska receive a Refuge Centennial Scholarship for Omaha The scholarships are based on merit, Conservation. academic achievements and efforts to • Jessie Thomas, Delaware State improve conservation on national wildlife University refuges. The selection committee also considered the applicant’s diversity, career goals, and desire to be a leader in $15,000 Doctorate Scholarships: conservation. • Nathaniel Jue, Florida State University The students’ interests and study • Pamela Pannozzo, University of Florida concentrations are varied including examination of warbler migration at • Jennifer Seavey, University of multiple riparian corridors in the West by Massachusetts looking at stable isotope ratios found in Applications for the next Refuge the feathers of the birds; a doctoral Centennial Scholarship for Conservation student who will work with staff at awards must be submitted by April 15. Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR in Those interested may check south Florida to develop a protocol of Angela Daenzer, pursuing her master’s www.nfwf.org/centennialscholarship/ for rapid assessment methods that determine degree in wildlife biology at the University of more information. the health of fragile tree island habitat; Montana, was a wildlife biologist trainee in and research on the endangered piping the Student Career Experience Program. As plover along the barrier islands of New part of her studies, Angela will look at data to York to derive models that explain the help land managers make better-informed decision to benefit the western larch. distribution, abundance, and productivity of plovers. Scholarships can be used for tuition, scholastic fees, room and board, and research. The 2004 Scholars are:

$5,000 Undergraduate Scholarship • Ebony Sweet, Pennsylvania State University

Pg 6 Refuge Update | January/February 2005 Alaska Biologists Battle Oil Spill To Save Wildlife Severe Weather Complicates Salvage

Fish and Wildlife Service biologists, responsible party, working with a Coast Guard-coordinated developed a Unified Response team, spent hundreds of salvage plan, the hours fighting to save wildlife imperiled by fate of the marine heavy Bunker C oil that spilled when the mammals and sea Malaysian cargo vessel M/V Selendang birds remained Ayu ran aground and broke in two off largely in the Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Islands hands of nature Dec. 8. Most of the lands in the spill area due to severe are managed as part of Alaska Maritime weather in late NWR. December. The 730-foot vessel carried approximately The number and 424,000 gallons of heavy bunker fuel oil, varieties of wildlife 21,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 66,000 tons lost to the oil spill The 730-foot Malaysian cargo vessel M/V Selendang Ayu ran aground and broke in two off Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Islands Dec. 8, carrying 424,000 of soybeans. It ran aground after the crew were still being gallons of heavy bunker fuel oil, 21,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 66,000 tons of had stopped the engines to make repairs. tallied in late soybeans. As of December 22, most of the oil remained inside the ship’s tanks; As of December 20, most of the oil December. however Aleutian winter conditions were contributing to growing concern about remained inside the ship’s tanks; however Various waterfowl, wildlife impacts. (Alaska Department of Fish and Game) Aleutian winter conditions were sea ducks and contributing to growing concern about seabirds winter in wildlife impacts. the sheltered bays and waters of Unalaska Dec. 11: Just days after the spill, the Island, including emperor geese, loons, chartered response vessel M/V Cape The area near the spill was accessible only scoters, goldeneyes, eiders, harlequin duck, Flattery was designated to undertake bird by water or air. Although the Unified scaup, pigeon guillemot, auklets, rescue and stabilization, among its other Command, composed of federal and state murrelets, cormorants and kittiwakes. missions. Service biologists and wildlife agencies and representatives of the rehabilitation experts were onboard. Due Shoreline habitats in Skan Bay and to bad weather, biologists based in Dutch Makushin Bay include brackish water Harbor were unable to fly at the low marshes, eelgrass beds and tidal flats that altitude needed for truly accurate wildlife are important spring and summer feeding counts. areas for shorebirds and waterfowl. Various seabird nesting colonies are on cliff Dec. 12: As heavy winds continued to faces and offshore rocks, which are hammer the area, two vessels, the occupied during the summer by horned Redeemer and landing craft Joshua, were puffin, tufted puffin, common murre, in Makushin Bay, trying to position glaucous-winged gull, black oystercatcher, equipment on Humpback Bay, a significant double-crested cormorant, pelagic salmon spawning area. Foul weather cormorant and pigeon guillemot. made it difficult to estimate how much oil was in the water and how much wildlife Logistics, terrain and weather all was harmed. Balls of oil the size of ping hampered response to the spill. With pong and tennis balls were observed in a storm warnings about hurricane force sheen about half a mile long. winds reaching 75 knots on Dec. 19-20, boats were recalled to Dutch Harbor, from Dec. 13: During shoreline surveys in Skan which the Service’s regional spill response Bay, biologists recorded 232 birds, at least coordinator was directing operations. 36 of them oiled. Booms were deployed in Portage and Cannery bays and Naginak The fight to save wildlife was a daily Cove. The vessel Exito was readied to struggle. Limited daylight, with sunrise at As heavy winds continued to hammer the area on undertake wildlife surveys and recovery. Dec. 12, two vessels in Makushin Bay tried to 10:21 a.m. and sunset at 2:44 p.m., added to Calmer, colder conditions and the presence position equipment on Humpback Bay, a significant the challenges. of ice at the heads of the smaller bays salmon spawning area that had suffered from the oil continued pg 26 spill. (USFWS)

January/February 2005 | Refuge Update Pg 7 FOCUS . . . Science in the National Science in the Refuge System By Dan Ashe scientific journey; have we identified the beginning and the end points; have we Planning a journey using today’s built the map; and do we have a firm and information technology, like my shared understanding of the time, effort family’s recent excursion to watch and resources the journey demands? Are our daughter play in the Maryland we committed to science as the foundation High School All-Star soccer game, for our work, or is our use of science just a is amazingly simple, requiring only mindless genuflection; a part of our ritual a quick electronic jaunt to a site of management, but for which the true like MapQuest. Technology, meaning and direction have been however, cannot replace two muddled, or worse, lost? prerequisites for successfully planning any journey: a beginning It would be easy to pen the typically self- and an end. congratulatory accolades: We’re the best; we do the best; and we do it with the Without knowing the departure least. We easily find examples of scientific point and destination, and excellence within the ranks of refuges and understanding the time, effort and refuge biologists, but that is not the point. resources a journey demands, one Does that excellence reflect individual but is simply wandering. A leisurely isolated persistence or complete stroll on a crisp fall Saturday can Work on a nest box for endangered organizational commitment? Is it be pleasurable, but dangerous if the goal is red-cockaded woodpeckers is just one of the illustrative of a refuge-by-refuge approach research projects undertaken by the Fish and getting your daughter to a soccer game in or the kind of systemic unity and vision Wildlife Service. (John and Karen the midst of the daily, NASCAR-to- that is outlined in Fulfilling the Promise Hollingsworth/USFWS) gridlock ritual that metro-Washington, (Wildlife and Habitat, pgs. 11-37)? Are we DC, calls “commuting.” And it would be on a purposeful journey or are we irresponsible when trying to accomplish a wandering? I am not asking these mission as important as that of the questions to be critical, but rather, to be National Wildlife Refuge System. challenging. In reading about refuge science in this The Guiding Principles for the Refuge Scientists on the research cruise to issue, join me in celebrating notable System proudly and rightly proclaim Navassa Island NWR, PR, collected successes, but also in asking some probing fealty to Aldo Leopold’s land ethic. Here valuable data on hard and soft corals, questions: What is the nature of our sponges, turtles, and fish. Data collected will be evaluated against previous cruise data sets. (Beverly Yoshioka) Coral Reef Research Cruise Yields Important Data

More than 300 dives Service, the National Oceanic and brought to the Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the surface invaluable University of Miami, Florida State data about coral reefs University and the John G. Shedd and other marine Aquarium traveled in Fall 2004 on their habitat when 10 second research cruise to Navassa Island scientists from the NWR, PR, an uninhabited 1,147-acre Fish and Wildlife island about 35 miles west of Haiti.

Pg 8 Refuge Update | January/February 2005 Wildlife Refuge System

is one of my favorite passages on that brute force is the proper subject: or the only recourse. Science, however, should “A land ethic, then reflects the existence of enable us to be more an ecological conscience, and this in turn skillful conservationists, reflects a conviction of individual better able to determine responsibility for the health of the land. when a thing is right Health is the capacity of the land for self- because we can show renewal. Conservation is our effort to that it preserves the understand and preserve this capacity.” integrity, stability and The final sentence identifies what I beauty of the biotic consider to be the endpoint of our journey community. – preserving the self-renewing capacity I see encouraging (i.e., the health) of the land, recognizing indications that we are that the concept of “land” is an integrative on a purposeful journey: concept, encompassing soil, air, water and Identification of areas all their biological components. This is for Land Management Fish and Wildlife Service research teams have worked with the endangered challenging, and we must recognize and Research and Florida Panther. (John and Karen Hollingsworth/USFWS) overcome our tendencies to rely too Demonstration; the Region intensively on the kind of control that we 3/5 joint initiative with implement Leopold’s concept of often lump under the term USGS for adaptive management research conservation? Or is the Refuge System “management.” Rachel Carson described and monitoring; integration of bird wandering, employing science as a part of such efforts as “proof of insufficient conservation science among refuges and ritual management, with pockets of knowledge and of an incapacity so to guide across regions; and recent establishment excellence grounded in individual the processes of nature that brute force of the National Ecological Assessment persistence? becomes unnecessary.” Team, integrating the accumulated work Our science should lead us toward an and expertise that the Refuge System has As Science Advisor and the person asked increasing competence and ability to amassed in implementing Fulfilling the to author this introductory, I get to ask understand and preserve the natural Promise recommendations WH-1, 2, and the questions. As Refuge System processes that are essential to the self- 3. But are these separately noble actions employees, you have the collective renewing capacity of the land, and moving us toward a commonly defined responsibility and ability to answer them. whenever possible, to avoid or minimize endpoint? Is the Refuge System on a Dan Ashe is the Science Advisor to the Director of applications of brute force. We will always purposeful journey to build a science the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. be resource managers, and sometimes program that will enhance our ability to

Equally important was what they learned cruise data sets. Scientists in 2004 and island has not been scientifically studied from their first-ever, formal interviews earlier collected various data about marine until recently, although its history is with Haitian fishermen, who provided resources, including acoustic mapping of thoroughly documented. information on their fishing activities in reef habitats, visual fish census, benthic Navassan waters, which are part of their community assessments, and survey of In 1857, the phosphorite on Navassa was livelihoods and their lifestyles. permanent monitoring plots established in mistaken for guano by a U.S. sea captain, 2002 to quantify coral growth and who laid claim to the island under the This research cruise, on the Shedd recruitment. Guano Island Act of 1855. Between 1865 Aquarium’s 80-foot Coral Reef II is a and 1898, almost a million tons of the follow-up to three previous cruises, the The island wall and patch reefs on the phosphorite was strip-mined from the last launched in 2002. Scientists southwest and north sides were island and shipped to Baltimore by the conducted numerous surveys collecting extensively visited during the Oct. 28- Navassa Phosphate Co. valuable data on hard and soft corals, Nov. 14, 2004, cruise. Acoustic mapping sponges, turtles, and fish. Data collected was also performed around the entire The island was abandoned during the will be evaluated against the previous island and its shallow reef shelf. The Spanish American War of 1898, but by continued pg 10

May/June 2004 | Refuge Update Pg 9 FOCUS . . . Science in the National Back from the Brink of Extinction By Poppy Benson The goose has nested for generations on most of the islands of the Aleutian island Storm-swept islands of chain, which is part of the 3.5-million-acre the Alaska Maritime refuge NWR are again alive with several hundred Placed on the Endangered Species List in thousand nesting 1973, the goose, identifiable by its small waterfowl and seabirds size and a distinctive white neckband, was after a sustained 35-year removed from the list in 2001. By then, its campaign proved that numbers had grown to about 32,000, up humankind can reverse from just 790 birds found in 1975. misbegotten ventures that may drive a species Although the birds live in the hard-to- to the brink of extinction. reach Aleutian Islands that stretch more than 1,000 miles from mainland Alaska, The Aleutian cackling they were not spared the worst impacts of goose – called the human activities. Aleutian Canada goose until it was renamed in Waves of species introductions – most August 2004 – is a clear deliberate, some accidental – began as winner in a classic battle early as the mid-1700s, when Russia, fought by Alaska which owned the islands until 1867, began Maritime Refuge stocking them with blue phase Arctic fox biologists and staff to augment the fur trade. Although fox against the foxes introductions reached their zenith in the introduced since the mid- 1920s, they continued until World War II 1700s by the fur industry. and affected nearly all islands in the Removed from the Endangered Species List Aleutian chain and south of the Alaska in 2001, the Aleutian cackling goose benefited from a stunning 35-year campaign to eradicate non-native foxes from Alaska Maritime Refuge. (USFWS) Coral Reef– from pg 9 and provide opportunities for wildlife that time it was firmly established as a research. U.S. territory. The opening of the Some have called Navassa “the Galapagos Panama Canal in 1914 put Navassa in the of the Caribbean” because it has the middle of the traffic lanes between the healthiest and least altered marine system Caribbean and Pacific. The Coast Guard known in the Caribbean. built a lighthouse on the island in 1917, but Global Positioning Systems eliminated its Dr. Margaret Miller, a coral reef function by 1996. The Coast Guard turned ecosystem expert with NOAA Fisheries, Navassa over to the Department of the was the chief scientist on the 2004 cruise. Interior on January 16, 1997. Coral reef expert Beverly Yoshioka of the Boquerón, PR, Ecological Services Office, The USFWS acquired the island in represented the USFWS. December 1999 from the Office of Insular Affairs. Navassa Island Refuge, closed to The scientific team expertise covered hard the public, was then established to and soft corals, sponges, fish and shellfish, preserve the coral reef ecosystems and bottom mapping and ground-truthing marine environment, enhance native While scientists have written relatively wildlife and plants, including endemic little about reef resources on Navassa reptiles and thousands of nesting seabirds, Refuge, the impacts of fishing and human incursions, primarily by native Haitian

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Peninsula. Initially, refuge management that momentous discovery began the slow was protected through easements, encouraged fox ranching, issuing leases to work of bringing the goose back from the agreements and creation of four new fox ranchers. brink. refuges – Castle Rock, Butte Sinks and San Joaquin in California and Nestucca But, during the Great Depression, when Jones realized the first step was to make Bay in Oregon. the fur industry collapsed and fox more islands safe for goose nesting by trapping ended, the foxes remained on removing the foxes, a process he had While the goose’s recovery is dramatic, it many islands, multiplying and feeding on begun on Amchitka Island in 1949. is hardly the only benefit of Alaska the abundant native birds. Needing geese to stock the fox-free Maritime Refuge’s fox eradication islands, Jones first tried to raise birds program. Populations of all ground Because most of the Aleutian Islands had from the chicks and eggs taken from nesting birds have soared on the more no native land mammals, native birds – Buldir Island. However, geese raised in than 40 islands where introduced foxes particularly ground nesting birds – had the continental U.S. fared poorly, while were eliminated. Populations of as many developed no natural defenses against the even birds raised in pens on Amchitka as 20 species of burrow nesting seabirds, foxes, nor the ground squirrels and rats Island were not savvy enough to avoid waterfowl, shore birds, ptarmigan and that had been released as fox food. As a eagle predation. possibly passerines have increased by at result, all ground and burrow nesting least 200,000 birds. birds suffered substantial declines. The Finally, staff at Alaska Maritime Refuge Aleutian cackling goose, a smaller settled on a winning strategy, using “Prevention of exotic species introduction subspecies of cackling goose, was hardest border collies to collect geese on Buldir is one of the most important things the hit. Indeed, they were once thought to be Island and then moving families of geese Refuge System can do for the extinct because none were seen from 1938 during their flightless, moulting period to conservation of habitats and wildlife,” until 1962. fox-free islands. Geese were transplanted Alaska Maritime Refuge Manager Greg to Alaid, Nizki, Aggatu, Little Kiska, Siekaniec said. The Aleutian cackling The birds were discovered because a Skagul, Yunaska and Amchitka islands. goose is living proof. legendary refuge manager, Bob “Sea Otter” Jones, followed his hunch that they While Alaska Maritime Refuge made Poppy Benson is the public program supervisor at had survived on remote Buldir Island. In progress on its goose nesting grounds, Alaska Maritime NWR. 1962, he discovered more than 300 birds others were identifying wintering grounds nesting on Buldir, which is so inaccessible in Oregon and California. Once identified, that fox farmers had bypassed it. With hunting closures were created and habitat

fishermen, have been clearly identified as the primary mode of human impact. The cordial interviews with Haitian fishermen, conducted by Jean Wiener, with the Foundation pour la Protection de la Biodiversite Marine-Haiti, generated information that will be expanded this year, when NOAA will undertake a socio- cultural assessment of Haitian fishing communities. Follow-up interviews are expected as the team completes analysis of fishing in the waters surrounding Navassa Refuge.

Chief Scientist Margaret Miller photgraphing quadrats (Beverly Yoshioka)

January/February 2005 | Refuge Update Pg 11 FOCUS . . . Science in the National Intense Predator Control Lifts Piping Plover Numbers By Amanda Avery Chincoteague NWR, VA, began its all-out push to increase piping plover populations in 1988 by banning off-road vehicles annually from March 15-September 1, seeking to make sure that potential nesting grounds were not damaged. Once the ORVs were barred, refuge staff intensely surveyed beaches for arriving plovers. They used plover behavior to locate nests. Once plovers displayed such defensive behavior as piping and false incubation, staff used binoculars or spotting scopes to see if they returned to their nests. Nests were checked every few days to document egg loss. Newly-hatched broods were diligently checked for the After several years of intensified monitoring and first six to eight hours of life. The number predator control, Chincoteague NWR, VA, fledged 101 piping plover chicks in 2004 – the of chicks was recorded every two to three highest number ever recorded. (Sidney Maddock) days until they fledged. Yet, despite a decade of work from 1987-

Understanding Sage-Grouse Habitat Needs Chicks go “on the air” to reveal what influences survival

By Susan Saul who joined the staff at Hart Mountain NWR, OR, in 1988, studied sage-grouse Blip. . blip. .blip. The radio signal that habitat use during the reproductive period wildlife biologist Mike Gregg listens to on both Hart Mountain and Sheldon, NV, might have low entertainment value, but refuges. it rates high in news and information. Adult sage-grouse survival is high, but is From 1999 to 2003, Gregg surgically offset by low juvenile survival. Gregg implanted miniature one-gram radio wanted to find out how habitat conditions transmitters beneath the skin on the affected both hen and chick survival. backs of downy sage-grouse hatchlings. The transmitters emit a signal that For four years, he collected data on the allowed him to monitor mothers and patterns and causes of death in radio- chicks for the first four weeks after birth. marked chicks and daily habitat use and movements. He also assessed habitat Currently working to complete his PhD conditions at the daily brood locations to from Oregon State University, Gregg, identify the key factors that influence

Pg 12 Refuge Update | January/February 2005 Wildlife Refuge System

1998, fledgling success continued to birds were result of fluctuate and still fell short of the hoped- then increased avian for fledge rate of 1.5 chicks per piping displayed – predator plover pair. Even the use of enclosures on laid on their control. most plover nests and trapping of back with predators in nesting areas, both instituted wings The program in 1988, didn’t enhance the results. outstretched enabled staff to – to better identify Chincoteague Refuge staff acknowledged discourage the causes and that predators such as red foxes, raccoons, other gulls times of nest gulls and crows needed to be controlled if and crows and chick loss. the threatened piping plover was to from using If pedestrians recover. So, starting in 1999, refuge staff the nesting and ORVs began trapping foxes and raccoons on area. moved into traditional plover nesting sites each Monitoring also increased as interns plover areas, interns and law enforcement January through July. located broods daily until fledging and officer quickly resolved the situation. Because interns stayed around plover Rope and “area closed” signs continued to chased gulls and crows out of the nesting areas. nesting areas, they could discuss with be placed around plover nesting areas, visitors why sections of the beach were preventing off-road vehicles and Success followed intensified monitoring closed and help them understand the pedestrians from entering plover nesting and predator control. Nearly two decades piping plover. grounds from mid-March until the last after the piping plover was listed as a chick fledges. threatened species, Chincoteague Refuge Today, refuge staff continues to intensely monitor piping plovers and use the During the brood season, a staff member fledged 101 piping plover chicks in 2004 – the highest number ever recorded. information they collect to develop future conducted avian predator control seven management strategies. days a week because gulls were suspect in For the past six seasons – 1999-2004 – the many cases of lost chicks. The staffer refuge met the 1996 Piping Plover Amanda Avery is the wildlife biologist at walked near nesting areas at sunrise and Revised Recovery Plan’s goal of 1.5 Chincoteague NWR, VA. shot any nuisance gulls or fish crows. The fledglings per nesting pair, mostly the

Adult sage-grouse (USFWS)

chick survival. He determined the When Lewis and Clark physiological condition of the hens before encountered the sage-grouse nesting from blood samples collected when on their journey west in 1805, they were captured. the species seemed as abundant as Pacific salmon – Gregg’s research has revealed that the and as indestructible. bunchgrasses and wildflowers growing Scientists estimate that the under sagebrush are essential for sage- range-wide sage-grouse grouse reproductive success. Old population then was about 1.1 bunchgrass left from previous years million birds spread over 16 enabled nesting hens and their broods to states and three Canadian be concealed. The protein in wildflowers provinces. is critical nutrition for both breeding hens and chicks. The rapidly growing chicks Today, the range-wide thrive on insects plucked from the population is estimated to be bunchgrasses and wildflowers. between 100,000-500,000 birds. continued pg 14

January/February 2005 | Refuge Update Pg 13 FOCUS . . . Science in the National Ptarmigan: Finding Home Again Crawling through long grass with a set of wire cutters clenched in his teeth, Clait Braun extended a long fiberglass pole toward a ptarmigan. Adjusting for gusts of wind, Braun eased a small wire noose over the bird’s lower neck, then tugged. A few seconds later, he cradled a flapping ptarmigan in his hands. “He’s a big, strong, chunky bird,” Braun said as he tucked the ptarmigan inside a white cotton bag. “Really good body mass. I love it.” Braun, 64, is a wildlife biologist from Tucson, AZ, and one of North America’s leading experts on grouse and ptarmigan. He traveled to Attu – this westernmost point in Alaska at the tail end of the Aleutian island chain and part of Alaska Maritime NWR – to catch Evermann’s rock ptarmigan, a rare subspecies of ptarmigan. Braun and a small team of biologists and volunteers participated in a program, launched in 2003, to restore this rare Evermann’s rock ptarmigan, a rare subspecies of ptarmigan to Agattu Island to increase its ptarmigan, have not crossed the 30-mile-wide ocean chances for long-term survival. pass between Attus and Agattus isalnds in the 30 Evermann’s rock ptarmigan have not years since Agattu Island has been fox free. crossed the 30-mile-wide ocean pass between Attus and Agattus in the 30 years since Agattu Island has been fox free. Now, the ptarmigan are back.

Sage-Grouse– from pg 13 Refuge managers at Hart Mountain and Sage-grouse populations declined an Sheldon refuges have restored habitat average of 3.5 percent per year from 1965 over the past decade, eliminating livestock to 1985. Since 1986, however, populations in grazing, removing feral horses and several states have increased or generally reintroducing prescribed fires to increase stabilized and the rate of decline from 1986 grasses and wildflowers that help conceal to 2003 slowed to 0.37 percent annually for and protect hens and chicks from the sun, the species across its entire range. wind and predators, and improve food supplies and nutrition for breeding hens. Most experts agree that the main threat for sage-grouse is the fragmentation, While Gregg can’t show a direct cause- degradation and loss of sagebrush and-effect relationship, he notes the shrublands, an ecosystem that covers 150 phenomenal growth of sage-grouse million acres. populations on these refuges over the past two years. The population increase stands

Pg 14 Refuge Update | January/February 2005 Wildlife Refuge System

In 2004, team members captured 27 may have survived on Attu because the ptarmigan in one week, sailing them mountainous terrain provided a refuge across the swells of the northern Pacific in from foxes, which prefer to hunt near the research ship Tiglax. That followed shoreline, Ebbert said. the 26 ptarmigan transplanted in 2003 to the 55,535-acre rugged and roadless The Evermann’s variety of ptarmigan is Agattu island. Slices of fresh melons were unique to Attu, differing from other placed in the boxes with the birds to varieties of Alaska’s state bird by its color provide food and moisture. They were and genetic makeup. Males have heads as transported in special fiberglass black as Oreo cookies and brilliant red backpacks. combs over their eyes; females are also darker than other Alaska ptarmigan. The This year, more ptarmigan — these Fish and Wildlife Service has removed equipped with transmitters — will be non-native foxes from the Aleutian captured on Attu and released on Agattu. Islands since 1949 (see related story on A crew on Agattu will track the newly page 10). released birds and search for survivors and their progeny to gauge the success of The Aleutians, unpopulated and now previous transplants. protected as part of the Alaska Maritime Alaska Maritime Refuge Wildlife Biologist Steve Refuge, offer a singular chance to restore “Finding the birds will be a challenge,” Ebbert spent a week on Attu Island last year with an ecosystem to what it was before people the team that captured 27 rare Evermann’s rock Alaska Maritime Refuge Wildlife Biologist ptarmigan as part of a program to restore the species lived there, Ebbert said. Plants on the Steve Ebbert noted. “We hope to tip the on Agattu Island to increase its chances for long- islands are all native. With the removal of odds by searching the type of favored term survival. (USFWS) arctic foxes, Ebbert hopes the Evermann’s habitat in Agattu that we know ptarmigan rock ptarmigan will once again fill Agattu preferred on Attu, based on our wildlife veterinarian Bill Taylor and with its raspy, belching calls. experience hunting and capturing them. volunteer Pat Pourchot. Finding banded birds that we “What we’re about is restoring these transplanted or unbanded birds – their Evermann’s rock ptarmigan formerly islands to their natural biodiversity,” offspring – will be very rewarding.” lived on all of the Near Islands in the Ebbert said. “The ptarmigan project is a Ebbert will bring the male challenge calls Aleutians, which include Attu, Agattu, natural progression from the fox recorded on the home island to encourage Shemya, Alaid and Nizki. The birds eradication project.” the Agattu pioneers to show themselves. disappeared on every island except Attu Ned Rozell, a science writer with the Geophysical after Russian and American fur trappers Ebbert spent a week on Attu last year, Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, introduced arctic foxes to the islands in contributed to this article. snaring ptarmigan with Braun, Alaska the 1800s. The non-migratory ptarmigan

out even when measured against normal Gregg now works at the Hanford Reach fluctuations from year to year. The sage- National Monument, WA, as the Pacific grouse counted on Hart Mountain in 2003 Region’s Land Management Research and represented a 43 percent increase over Demonstration Program biologist. He those seen in 2002, and a 193 percent guides sagebrush ecosystem management increase since 2000. and restoration on refuges in the Columbia, Klamath and Great Basins and Gregg’s research is applicable across the Southeast Idaho, models of west as land managers attempt to reverse environmentally sound land stewardship. Wildlife Biologist Mike Gregg holds the grouse’s decline and restore healthy a one-day-old greater sage-grouse sagebrush habitat. His results have been Susan Saul works in External Affairs in the Pacific chick after surgically implanting a incorporated into state sage-grouse Regional Office as an outreach specialist for miniature radio transmitter. (USFWS) management plans and conservation Refuges. guidelines.

January/February 2005 | Refuge Update Pg 15 FOCUS . . . Science in the National Land Management Research and Demonstration Refuges By Janith Taylor management of shrub-steppe ecosystems. LMRD Biologist Mike Gregg is working The Refuge System’s guiding manifesto, with Oregon State University, U.S. Fulfilling the Promise, set the goal of Bureau of Land Management, Oregon creating Land Management Research and Department of Fish and Wildlife, Demonstration Areas to facilitate the Washington Department of Fish and development, Wildlife, U.S. Geological Survey National testing and Wildlife Health Center, U.S. Army and teaching of such non-governmental organizations as state-of-the-art Nevada Bighorns Unlimited and Nevada habitat Chukar Foundation to assist with West management Nile virus research and sage-grouse techniques. population and habitat management. Consider it more Projects have investigated the than a third relationship between the condition of hens accomplished. and reproductive success, nesting habitat, With five of the and factors influencing chick survival. 14 proposed This year, a sage-grouse winter ecology LMRD areas study will be initiated at Sheldon NWR, now staffed, NV, in cooperation with the Fish and what began as a Wildlife Service and Nevada Bighorns grassroots effort Unlimited. to enhance land The Bosque del Apache Refuge (AZ) management has LMRD is studying arid wetlands and produced solid riparian areas, especially the control of results. The such invasive species as saltcedar and second Land perennial pepperweed. Tragically, John P. Management Taylor, the Refuge System’s first LMRD The Hanford Reach National Monument/Saddle and Research biologist, unexpectedly passed away in Mountain Refuge (WA) LMRD project focuses Demonstration Area conference, held in September 2004. But the foundation he on restoration and management of shrub-steppe April 2004, reported a range of built is moving the program forward. ecosystem (USFWS) accomplishments, including publication in scientific journals, development of a soon- In 2004, the refuge controlled saltcedar to-be-released Web site and a Graduate across 1,000 acres in its southern areas Student Scholarship fund, created in and worked with non-government partnership with the National Fish and organizations and state, federal and local Wildlife Foundation. governments on a strategy for the management of exotic trees in riparian Indeed, the cadre of LMRD biologists is areas in New Mexico’s Five River building on the Refuge System’s Systems. Additionally, the program has reputation for expert habitat management looked at the research needed regarding and making their knowledge available to saltcedar and Russian olive in New an ever-larger audience. Mexico. Scientists considered how to Progress has been steady: inventory and control invasive woody plants in the west as well as the impact on Hanford Reach National water use and socio-economic aspects. In Monument/Saddle Mountain Refuge coming years, the program will work with (WA) LMRD focuses on restoration and the Departments of Agriculture and

Pg 16 Refuge Update | January/February 2005 Wildlife Refuge System

Interior to assess the economic impact of Projects now being undertaken include: an Two interdisciplinary studies will include saltcedar control. intensive 10-year hydrologic study; oak development of a model for prairie savanna ecological functioning and fire; the reconstruction relating soil, water, The National Elk Refuge/National relationship of bison grazing to native floral vegetation, invertebrate, and mycorrhyzal Bison Range (MT) LMRD program, led diversity; floristic and hydrologic changes characteristics on a sub-watershed and by Tom Roffe, is demonstrating how to in conversion of a reed canary grass agroecological research. Among many manage interactions among habitat, large inundated area to a diverse sedge meadow; other projects, past work has included ungulates and diseases, especially Chronic a multi-refuge study of Canada thistle introduction of the rare prairie endemic Wasting Disease (CWD). The team has establishment relative to different planting regal fritillary butterfly and identification written the Service’s Chronic Wasting treatments; carbon sequestration in a of two moths that could be new to science. Disease Planning Guidelines, signed in chronosequence of prairie plantings; and 2004, and secured the Service’s first amphibian, avian and mycorrhyzal studies. Janith Taylor is regional refuge biologist for the CWD-specific funding. Northeast Region. Having developed a risk-needs assessment, the Mountain-Prairie Region (Region 6) allocated funding to 28 refuges, wetland management districts, fish 14 Land Management Research hatcheries and management offices that Demonstration Refuges: carried the highest risk from CWD. In addition to developing site-specific surveillance and response plans, the region helped other offices in developing Rachel Carson/Parker River NWRs, Neal Smith NWR, IA (Staffed) their own CWD plans. MA (Staffed) Featured Habitat: Tallgrass Featured Habitat: Coastal Prairie and Savanna The Rachel Carson/Parker River Salt Marsh Contact Pauline Drobney, Refuges (MA) LMRD is focusing on Contact Susan Adamowicz, 515-994-3400 207-646-9226 restoration and management of estuarine Lake Umbagog/Nulhegan/Moosehorn/ ecosystems, particularly salt marshes. Hanford Reach NWR, WA (Staffed) Sunkhaze Meadows NWRs LMRD Biologist Susan C. Adamowicz is Featured Habitat: Shrub Steppe (Northeast Region) working to ameliorate unintended Habitats Featured Habitat: Northern consequences of restoration, including the Contact Mike Gregg, 509-371-1801 Hardwood Forest impact of flooding on sharp-tailed sparrow Bosque del Apache NWR, AZ Balcones Canyonlands NWR, TX nests (see related story, page 22). In (Staffed) Featured Habitat: Juniper-Oak coming years, the area will look at peat Featured Habitat: Managed Woodlands, Live Oak Motts, and stability following ditch restoration Wetlands remnants of Tallgrass Prairie techniques in high marsh systems, Contact Jim Savery, 505-835-1828 potential restoration of impounded Kauai NWR, AK freshwater marshes back to naturally St. Marks, FL, and Carolina Featured Habitat: Tropical Sandhills, SC Wetlands functioning saltmarsh habitat, and open Featured Habitat: Longleaf Pine marsh water management. Fergus Falls WMD, MN White River, Cache River, and Bald Featured Habitat: Prairie The Neal Smith/Northern Tallgrass Knob NWRs, AR Wetland Complex Prairie (IA) Refuges hired Pauline Featured Habitat: Bottomland Drobney in November 2004 as the LMRD Hardwoods Alaska Maritime NWR biologist. With more than 27 years of Featured Habitat: Island experience in tallgrass prairie and savanna Northern Great Plains Refuges Ecosystems Featured Habitat: Tallgrass restoration, she will lead the refuges’ focus Prairie, Mixed Grass Prairie, National Elk/ National Bison Range on restoration and preservation of DNC, Wetlands NWRs (MT) (Staffed) Midwestern grassland ecosystem, including Featured Habitat: Use of sound the globally endangered tallgrass prairie Tetlin NWR, AK science to manage the interactions and oak savanna. Featured Habitat: Boreal Forests among habitat, large ungulates and diseases at the landscape level. Contact Tom Roffe, 406-994-5789

January/February 2005 | Refuge Update Pg 17 Looking Into the Future from pg 1 Wildlife and Habitat Management Programs Today, the Refuge System is one of the Service’s most powerful wildlife and habitat management tools. In 2004, it made great progress in habitat management by: O Initiating the latest technologies for managing and restoring important habitats at Land Management Research Demonstration Areas across the country (see The Refuge System has related story, page 16) moved forward forcefully, O Banding tens of thousands of waterfowl and other The Refuge System hopes to launch an early detection and rapid launching its National response program to fight invasive species on national wildlife migratory birds at wildlife refuges. Kudzu, spreading out of control over about 7 million Invasive Species refuges across the country. acres in the South, grows up to a foot a day while forming a The work not only massive carpet of vines that can smother virtually anything that Management Strategy. identified population stands still, including forests, fields and power lines. (USFWS) trends and provided life history information, but it release of endangered black-footed also played a key role in setting ferrets at Bowdoin NWR, MT. harvest regulations. O Released 133 captive-bred endangered O Performing vegetation surveys to Attwater’s Prairie Chickens on evaluate air pollution at Cape Romain Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR, TX, NWR, SC, Mingo NWR, MO, and other lands as part of a long-term Moosehorn NWR, ME, Seney, MI, and partnership with several organizations Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, NJ, to to reestablish the prairie chicken on its evaluate injury from air pollution. native range. Endangered Species O Initiated a multi-year Black Scoter The Refuge System supports at least 700 breeding ecology study with the U.S. species of birds, 220 mammals, 250 reptiles Geological Survey Alaska Science and amphibians, more than 200 kinds of Center to identify nesting habitat and fish, and countless species of insects and timing on Yukon Delta NWR. Black plants. About 260 endangered or Scoters are the least known waterfowl threatened species – or about 21 percent in North America. of all species listed under the Endangered Species Act – find a home on national O Hosts one of the largest concentrations wildlife refuges. This diversity of life is of bald eagles each December through the very foundation of the Refuge System. February at wildlife refuges in the In 2004, progress was tangible: Klamath Basin, which lies across the Oregon and California border. Some O Relocated and evaluated red-cockaded years, more than 1,000 of these woodpeckers at St. Marks NWR, FL. majestic birds fly from their night O Provided staff and resources to roost on Bear Valley NWR to feed support the rearing, conditioning and during the day on Lower Klamath and Tule Lake wildlife refuges.

Pg 18 Refuge Update | January/February 2005 O Provided the base of operations for California condor reintroduction to southern California from Hopper Mountain Refuge Complex. In 1995, New Battle Against the refuge complex released the father of the first wild-born condor chick to Canada Thistle fly in California in 22 years. The refuge complex’s rearing facility has six simulated nest caves and a By Scott Flaherty “We want to compare how well flight pen. different seed mixes and application The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Invasive Species techniques can suppress Canada Midwest Region has joined with the thistle in new restorations,” said Tim In the U.S. alone, scientists estimate that U.S. Geological Survey’s Northern about 7,000 invasive species of plants, Yager, ecosystem biologist for the Prairie Wildlife Research Center to Midwest Region. “We hypothesize mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, battle Canada thistle by studying arthropods and mollusks are established. that by increasing competition and planting techniques that could start to decreasing the disturbance inherent in The Refuge System has moved forward eliminate the weed in tallgrass prairie forcefully, launching its National Invasive seeding, we can produce more weed- restoration projects on Refuge resistant restorations.” Up to now, Species Management Strategy in May System lands. 2004 and providing the tools, processes the Service has tried to control and strategies to combat the problem. The study will test various prairie Canada thistle, which plagues prairie seed mixtures in 2005 to determine restorations, by applying pesticides or Meanwhile, individual refuges have been which can reduce or eliminate Canada mowing, control measures that are winning some fights: thistle. The study will be conducted at expensive and detrimental to restoration. O Extensive removal of cheat grass, Neal Smith NWR, IA, and Fergus knapweed and star thistle enabled Falls, Litchfield and Morris wetland Canada thistle is native to restoration of more than 10,000 acres management districts, all in southeastern Eurasia. Introduced to on the Hanford Reach National Minnesota. Canada in crop seeds as early as the Monument, WA. Biologists are The Refuge System annually seeds late18th century, it has spread across sharing their knowledge from the thousands of acres to native plant the United States. A rooted perennial, project with local and state agencies species. Last year, for example, the it grows to three to four feet tall. The and with the national Society of Midwest Region restored about 27,000 weed’s flower ranges from rose-purple Ecological Restoration. wetland acres and 7,400 upland acres, to pink to white. primarily on refuges and wetland O In partnership with the National Scott Flaherty is in the External Affairs Office management districts in Minnesota, Wildlife Refuge Association, The in Midwest Region (Region 3). Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Iowa and Wisconsin. Geological Survey’s National Institute of Invasive Species Science, the Refuge System launched a pilot program on six refuges that uses makes sense since the Refuge System were created more than a decade ago – volunteers to map invasive species. shares nearly 390 miles of borderlands today supplement staff work in a Early detection is the most effective with Canada and Mexico. Uniting efforts myriad of ways. Members welcome tool against invasive species. for migratory species, for example, and orient visitors, educate families O produces more resource benefit for far and youngsters, and even physically About two years after nutria less cost and provides vital habitat for care for refuge lands and buildings. In eradication began in earnest, species along major flyways and Indiana, for example, the Muscatatuck Blackwater NWR, MD, became free of migratory routes. Conservation Learning Center was the aquatic rodents in December 2004. dedicated in May 2004, after the Results of the Refuge System’s Involving Communities and Partners Friends group – the Muscatatuck partnerships are evident in community Wildlife Society – established a Partnerships have always been the after community: hallmark of the Refuge System. Over the nonprofit foundation to raise $500,000 last two years, the Refuge System has O About 246 nonprofit Friends for construction. invested greater effort in international organizations – up from just a few partnerships. Cross-border collaboration dozen when the first organizations continued pg 20

January/February 2005 | Refuge Update Pg 19 Wildlife Refuge Is a Tourism Hot Spot What a deal!

Stay a night at the Hyatt Regency Blackwater Refuge has not only earned Chesapeake Bay in Cambridge, MD, and more than $1,400 in entries fees, paid by get a copy of James Michener’s novel the hotel, but also has been introduced to “Chesapeake” and a family pass to scores of families who might otherwise not Blackwater NWR for 10 percent less than have seen the refuge and its 6.5-mile loop a regularly priced night’s lodging. “Follow auto tour. Families who take the auto the directions to Blackwater National tour can use the photo blind along the Wildlife Refuge and enjoy the pure drive, take two short hiking trails and see natural beauty of the Eastern Shore,” the a huge amount of wildlife, including lots of Hyatt Regency encourages visitors. eagles, ducks, geese, great blue herons in the right season, egrets and more. The bargain has been a real deal for the refuge, too.

Looking Into the Future from pg 19 O Since 1984, Ducks Unlimited has refuges often feel they have embarked on helped acquire, restore or enhance a journey of discovery they can share with 292,000 acres of wetlands and their families. associated uplands on national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production For many years, the Refuge System has areas. They have contributed $23 gained high marks for visitor satisfaction. million, matched by the Fish and More than 90 percent of visitors have Wildlife Service and other public and rated their experiences on refuges as private partners, for conservation “satisfactory” or “very satisfactory.” projects on refuges. Together, the Another statistic highlights seldom- Refuge System and Ducks Unlimited considered assets of the Refuge System: have gathered remote sensing and O More than 12,000 archaeological and satellite inventory data for refuges in historical sites have been identified in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska and the Refuge System, where mapped grasslands and other upland communities left their footprints on The Refuge System has consistently gained high areas in the Northern Great Plains, marks for visitor satisfaction. As urbanization the landscape and given future grows, refuges like the Patuxent Research Refuge in among other projects. generations a record of people’s a Maryland suburb of Washington, DC, offer visitors O Because of the Refuge System’s relationship with natural resources. a chance to embark on a journey of discovery. (USFWS) partnership with ESPN cable Impact on the Community network, more than 1 million people The Refuge System is a major economic each weekend get a glimpse of wildlife engine for communities, adding millions of refuges from two-minute stories. The dollars in jobs and retail sales. Banking programs have been aired since 2003. on Nature 2002: The Economic Benefits This year, viewers will also see five 30- to Local Communities of National minute programs. Wildlife Refuge Visitation showed that Wildlife-Dependent Recreation the Refuge System fueled more than $816 Whether bird watching, hunting, fishing, million annually in economic output photographing, observing wildlife or associated with sales of recreation participating in an interpretative equipment, food, lodging, transportation, program, visitors to national wildlife and other expenditures.

Pg 20 Refuge Update | January/February 2005 Visitors who take the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay special promotion to see Blackwater NWR, MD, can see great blue herons in season. (John Cossick/USFWS)

is no accident. Blackwater Outdoor lived on a plantation next door to the Recreation Planner Maggie Briggs has refuge, may well have hidden slaves on been part of the Dorchester County what is now refuge land. tourism effort for the past decade. “The hotel came to us about the promotion Moreover, Blackwater Refuge is within because we’re the biggest tourism the county’s target investment zone and attraction in the county.” Briggs said. has received a matching grant from the “But certainly a refuge could go to a Maryland Historic Trust for an outdoor nearby hotel to propose a promotional environmental education classroom that offer just like this.” The hotel’s promotion, available since will be partially devoted to programs November 2003 and still being advertised about Harriet Tubman and the in the Washington Post and other places, Underground Railroad. Tubman, who

Consider just one refuge: Charles M. make scientific information readily education program. While only a limited Russell NWR, MT, the 1.1-million-acre available to an array of decision number of refuges will have these larger landscape that straddles the Missouri makers. educational programs, each refuge will River and is one of the nation’s premiere O work to have facilities and materials that hunting destinations. Big game hunting Inventory species and habitats within allow teachers to readily use the wildlife on the refuge generated more than $7.6 marine and estuarine areas and refuge as a place for students to explore million for surrounding communities. identify key threats to Refuge System nature. marine resources – along with actions In coming years, the Refuge System will to address those threats. Additionally, The Refuge System hopes to add more work to both fulfill the shared priorities the Refuge System will identify and volunteer coordinators and new support identified at the Conservation in Action codify jurisdictional boundaries of all for the volunteer programs that already Summit and outlined in Fulfilling the marine refuges. brings about 39,000 volunteers to the Promise. continued pg 27 O Expand use of prescribed Wildlife and Habitat fire to improve refuge The Refuge System hopes to have funding habitat. to: Serving People O Launch an early detection and rapid In 2005 and beyond, the response program to fight invasive Refuge System will work to species on national wildlife refuges. develop more opportunities Additionally, the Refuge System seeks for people to hunt, fish, to implement invasive species control photograph and observe in priority areas, where control will wildlife on the nation’s 545 prevent the listing or extirpation of wildlife refuges, where species. visitation has dramatically O increased over the past few Assess water rights and supplies and decades. identify critical water deficiencies as well as threats to water supplies. Moreover, the Refuge System seeks to begin developing O The Refuge System hopes to add more volunteer coordinators Develop standards and monitoring curriculum-based programs protocols to create a wildlife and and new support for the volunteer program, which already on selected refuges as it brings about 39,000 volunteers to the Fish and Wildlife Service. habitat database that will enhance enhances its environmental (Ryan Hagerty/USFWS) scientific research on refuges and

January/February 2005 | Refuge Update Pg 21 Sights and Sounds of Refuge System By David Klinger “By any other name, this is simply ‘armchair tours’ of America’s refuges. recycling of a series of good, but nationally We’re also viewing this as NCTC’s way of The video production staff at the underutilized video programs into the first saying ‘thank you’ for the Conservation in National Conservation Training Center, in of what we hope may be additional DVD Action Summit here in Shepherdstown, partnership with the Refuge System, has sets,” says Steve Hillebrand, chief of WV, and our first ‘down payment’ on a just released a collection of the sights and NCTC’s production division. “The unique successful launch for the bicentennial of sounds of America’s national wildlife thing, though, is that we’re launching into the National Wildlife Refuge System, 99 refuges in high-tech DVD format that the DVD arena for the first time, and years from now,” said Hillebrand. promises to reach new audiences for the aggressively marketing them online at Refuge System in its second century. rock-bottom prices. Their cost covers only Volume One of “America’s Wildest Places” duplication and shipping. takes viewers to eight national wildlife Consolidating eight of the USFWS’refuge refuges – Aransas/Matagorda Island, videos into a nearly two-hour collection of “We think there’s expanded audiences for Pocosin Lakes, Kenai, Caribbean Islands, the agency’s finest wildlife footage, NCTC refuge center videos – that you shouldn’t Eufaula, Horicon, Muscatatuck, and John has issued “America’s Wildest Places” as have to go to the visitor center in Kenai to Heinz/Tinicum. A second volume, in an online sales item, available to the public get a high-quality ‘window’ on what’s preparation, is expected to treat visitors on two Web sites, www.fws.gov and on going on there. We’re billing these as to at least five more stations – Noxubee, www.refuges.fws.gov.

Seeking to Save the Sparrows

What if a habitat restoration technique simply given incorrect cues about safe employed throughout a region imperils nesting locations. the reproductive success of a species ranked on the same level of ecological Indeed, several species ranked on the concern as the California condor? Partners in Flight Watch List are threatened by the increased tidal flow, Fish and Wildlife Service Land including the salt marsh sharp-tailed Management Research Demonstration sparrows, which is ranked “of highest Biologist Susan Adamowicz is tackling concern,” the same category as the condor. that question head-on by designing and The Nelson’s sharp-tailed sparrow and the evaluating several adaptive management seaside sparrow are “of concern” to the techniques for culvert replacement Partners in Flight. projects in the Northeast (Region 5). Culvert replacement is a cost-effective Therefore, Adamowicz is helping to launch method to return tidal flooding to a multi-year project to test whether self- upstream sites to restore salt marsh regulating tide gates that are used to habitat. But it may carry risks for some increase tidal flow will give several sparrow species, whose nests lie only species of nesting sparrows a chance to inches off the ground in high marsh adjust to restored tidal flooding. The vegetation. project, which began last year, started with a $30,000 USFWS Challenge Cost Sparrows use vegetation cues when they Share grant. Rachel Carson NWR, ME, Biologist Kate decide where to nest. But they are often O’Brien, left, and Nancy Williams inspect Drakes misled about safe nesting locations Self-regulating tide gates are not the only Island as part of a feasibility and impact study to because vegetation may take several management option being evaluated. A evaluate the effects of keeping the highest restored team working with the University of New tides off the marsh until late in the sparrow years to grow at proper elevations based on new tidal regimes created by culvert Hampshire and the Wells National nesting season, giving the birds a few years to Estuarine Research Reserve has been increase their numbers. (Susan replacement projects. Until the Adamowicz/USFWS) vegetation adjusts, the sparrows are assessing a salt marsh at Drakes Island,

Pg 22 Refuge Update | January/February 2005 Blackwater, Crab Orchard, Bosque del Volume One of “America’s Wildest Places” Apache, and Yukon Flats. sells for $6, plus $2.50 shipping. With each order, a copy of the National Wildlife “Credit for these new products really Refuge System Visitor Guide will be should go to the individual refuge enclosed, providing a map and visitor managers who committed to the idea of services information. new and expanded, professionally-shot videos for their refuges over the past Preview copies of “America’s Wildest eight years,” said David Cooper, chief of Places” are available to refuge managers NCTC’s video branch. “They were the who are contemplating new or revised ones who made the decisions and video productions for their stations. committed the funds for their original Call the NCTC image library at refuge videos. We’re just cutting and 304-876-7675. rearranging their products into new forms and new products, and marketing them to David Klinger is senior writer-editor at the Volume One of “America’s Wildest Places” takes National Conservation Training Center in viewers to eight national wildlife refuges. It is wider audiences. We’re all for products Shepherdstown, WV. available for purchase on two Web sites, www.fws.gov performing ‘double-duty’ for the Service!” and www.refuges.fws.gov.

ME, part of the Rachel Carson NWR. in the Wildlife Management Area in 2004, studies from Connecticut suggest it may There, preliminary analysis has having studied the area nearly six years take 15 to 20 years for marshes to support documented that the experimental area is earlier. Preliminary analysis indicates successful nesting. a brackish marsh with less salt hay and that sharp-tailed sparrows have not been saltwort and more slough grass — also able to nest at the site again, although the The team hopes to document a balance known as prairie cordgrass — and open vegetation reportedly is headed on the between salt marsh restoration and water than the control area. The proper trajectory. sparrow nesting over the next three experimental area also has lower years. groundwater salinities and fish, crab and In all, the three locations – Drakes Island, Great Meadows and Galilee – will enable The Drakes Island culvert replacement shrimp densities. This area also had project is a collaborative effort among nearly 60 percent more singing sharp- scientists to comprehensively evaluate the effects of tidal restoration on nesting USFWS, Wells National Estuary tailed sparrows per acre than the rest of Research Reserve, the Town of Wells, the marsh complex. It will take at least sparrows. The study will look at the feasibility and impact of keeping the Ducks Unlimited, Drakes Island another year to obtain some preliminary Homeowners Association, Coastal findings. highest restored tides off the marsh until late in the sparrow nesting season, giving America Corporate, University of New The Land Management Research the birds a few years to increase their Hampshire, NOAA Restoration Center, Demonstration (LMRD) project initiated numbers. The study also will evaluate and the Environmental Protection two complementary studies in how significantly vegetation restoration Agency. Connecticut and Rhode Island in 2004. may be delayed in the process. Other The LMRD and the University of Connecticut are looking at the long-term impact of tidal flow restoration on sparrows at the Great Meadows Unit of the Stewart B. McKinney NWR, CT. In The salt marsh sharp-tailed sparrow, ranked “of highest concern” on this case, tidal flow will not be regulated the Partners in Flight Watch List, is just one of the sparrow species by a tide gate but will flow freely. that uses vegetation cues when it decides where to nest. (Susan Adamowicz/USFWS) In Rhode Island, the University of Rhode Island, using funding obtained by the LMRD, resurveyed the Galilee salt marsh

January/February 2005 | Refuge Update Pg 23 Friends Groups Grow by 6 Percent 246 Groups Now Support Refuges

“We noticed that refuges with strong number of nonprofit groups working Friends groups have better with national wildlife refuges. There infrastructures,” Theodore Roosevelt are now 246 such groups that work Society President James Cummins with refuges in support of the 1997 observed. “Nearly all the wildlife refuges National Wildlife Refuge with Friends groups are better off Improvement Act and to fulfill the financially and are more able to meet local mission of the Refuge System. needs.” Friends Groups often welcome and The Theodore Roosevelt Society, the orient visitors to national wildlife Friends group for the Theodore Roosevelt refuges, one of the priority goals NWR Complex in Mississippi, is just one identified at the “Conservation in of 13 new Friends groups founded in 2004, Action Summit,” held in May 2004 reflecting a 6 percent increase in the total and attended by a significant

Parker River Refuge Garners National Energy Award The building, which took nearly two years to complete, incorporates recycled building materials and low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) building materials, including engineered wood, plastic lumber, linoleum flooring, fiberboard and sheetrock, exterior decking, tile, deck piers. All use a high percent of recycled material. Additionally, a non-hazardous preservative was applied to exterior wood surfaces. Water conservation technology is evident throughout the building. For example, roof runoff is redirected to recharge the groundwater. Low-flush toilets were installed. In all, water savings will add up to 500,000 gallons per year.

The new Visitor Center and Administrative Headquarters of Parker River NWR, MA, won the energy A geothermal heat exchange system for saver showcase award from the Federal Energy Management Program for its “green building” design and heating and cooling – supplemented by energy conservation innovations. In mid-2005, the refuge will remove the non-native purple loosestrife other systems, such as high efficiency and restore a three-acre wetland around the building. (USFWS) lighting with self-adjusting dimmers, among others – will reduce energy use by 41 percent as compared to a traditional The 21,000-square-foot Visitor Center and the Federal Energy Management office building. Administrative Headquarters of Parker Program for its exemplary “green River National Wildlife Refuge in building” design and energy conservation Special care was taken to restore Newburyport, MA, was named on Oct. 28, innovations. disturbed land to natural habitats of 2004, an energy saver showcase facility by wetland, field, woods, and coastal areas.

Pg 24 Refuge Update | January/February 2005 The Theodore Roosevelt NWR Complex in Mississippi is just one of 14 wildlife refuges that gained a Friends group in 2004. The number of Friends groups grew by 6 percent last year. (USFWS)

contingent of Friends representatives. Mississippi had special success in 2004 firsthand what Friends groups can But Friends groups do much more. with the establishment of new Friends accomplish. groups. In addition to the group serving Among the many vital services provided the Theodore Roosevelt Refuge, a group “This is a chance to garner greater by the community-based Friends group was also formed to assist Dahomey NWR community support and showcase the are community outreach, environmental in north Mississippi. The first organi- refuge complex, not just to people on education and interpretive programming zation in Kentucky – Friends of the Clarks Capitol Hill, but also as a place for eco- as well as habitat restoration, volunteer River NWR – got off the ground in 2004. tourism,” Cummins said. “By putting staffing, special events support and everything under on umbrella fundraising. Theodore Roosevelt Society was organization, we can help the community chartered about a month after the appreciate what they have in the refuge.” “They are pivotal to the Refuge System Southeast Region Friends Conference in success,” Refuge System Volunteer April 2004, when the groups’ leaders saw Coordinator Trevor Needham stressed.

Native species of trees, shrubs, forbs and habitat,” said Kennedy. We want to show grasses were planted. them how they can help protect the wildlife they so love.” The first phase of a three-acre wetland restoration project surrounding one side Kennedy has special praise for Fish and of the building will start in mid-2005. A Wildlife Service Engineer David Guthrie, bridge spanning the wetland area will be who brought the project to the attention built in the spring. of the Federal Energy Management Program. “So many people have been part of this project,” said Parker River Refuge Established in 1942, the 4,662-acre wildlife Manager Janet Kennedy. “We have refuge is about 35 miles south of Boston gotten tremendous support from our and covers a great deal of southern Plum elected officials, our Friends group and Island, an 8-mile-long barrier island. our community. Our green-ness shows Located along the Atlantic Flyway, the that we put on the ground the natural refuge is renowned for the waterfowl, resource conservation concepts that are shorebirds and songbirds that wing so well associated with the Fish and through the refuge during migratory Parker River NWR, MA, Refuge Manager Janet Wildlife Service.” periods. Photographers often visit Kennedy traveled to Washington, DC, to accept the the refuge. energy saver showcase award from the Federal Only the administrative offices are now Energy Management Program. (USFWS) open. The Visitor Center will open this The Hellcat Interpretive Trail offers an summer, eventually providing classrooms easy walk through the refuge’s natural for environmental education, a viewing history. Observation towers and deck for visitors, as well as an array of platforms afford commanding views, while exhibits to help people connect with the several miles of foot trails meander habitats they experience on the refuge. through dune, marsh and other refuge habitats. Some facilities – including the “We hope the exhibits will teach people new Visitor Center and Administrative that the wonders they see on the refuge Headquarters – are wheelchair accessible. are dependent on healthy and protected

January/February 2005 | Refuge Update Pg 25 A Good Year for Whoopers Whooping cranes, magnificent Whooping cranes are endangered birds that stand nearly five among the world’s most feet tall and are North America’s tallest rare birds, with 468 birds, fared particularly well in 2004. birds, either in the wild or in captivity. The A record number of cranes migrated for crane was near the winter to Aransas NWR and the extinction in 1941, Last year was a good one for the endangered whooping crane. A December surrounding area along the mid-coast when only about 21 2004 census tallied 216 birds, the largest number in 100 years. (Steve Hillebrand/USFWS) region in Texas from their summer homes existed. in Canada, where the Canadian Wildlife Service reported last summer that 54 Today, the picture is more “We were hoping for 200 whooping cranes nesting pairs had fledged 40 chicks. hopeful. Service Whooping Crane in the year 2000, but the population went Coordinator Tom Stehn credited into a decline for a couple years before A census on Dec. 1, 2004, tallied 216 outstanding nest production in summer whooping cranes that completed their first rebounding back to 194 cranes last 2004 for the record number of cranes that winter,” said Stehn. “Getting a record migration, the largest number in 100 years migrated to the Texas coast. Whooping and 22 more than last year’s record. high count the day shortly after cranes migrate to the southern portions of Thanksgiving is certainly something to be In a different part of the country, 13 the United States for the winter. thankful for.” whooping cranes, which had been raised in People can view a family group of captivity at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife The only wild population nests in the whooping cranes – two adults and a Northwest Territories of Canada in Research Center, MD, landed safely Dec. juvenile – from an observation tower at 12, 2004 at Chassahowitzka NWR, FL, summer and migrate 2,400 miles to winter Aransas Refuge. Tragically, two male at the Aransas and Matagorda Island after a 64-day, 1,228-mile journey behind cranes were shot in November 2004 while three manned ultralight planes that took refuges and surrounding areas. Their migrating through Kansas. Both died. winter range stretches over 35 miles of them on their first trip from their Because whooping cranes are similar to wintering grounds at Necedah NWR, WI. the Texas coast, about 45 miles north of sandhill cranes, inexperienced hunters can Corpus Christi. Wintering whooping The migration was the fourth led by confuse the species. cranes use salt marsh habitat, foraging Operation Migration Inc., working with Although whooping cranes remain primarily for blue crabs. Unlike most the Fish and Wildlife Service and the endangered, their comeback sets a standard other bird species, whooping cranes are Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership, an for conservation in North America. The territorial in both summer and winter and international coalition of public and Texas population reached a low of only 15 will defend and chase all other whooping private groups, to reintroduce the highly birds in 1941, before efforts were taken to cranes out of their estimated 350-acre imperiled species in eastern North protect the species and its habitat. The territories. America, which was a part of its historic population has been growing at 4 percent range. annually and reached 100 in 1986.

Alaska Biologists – from pg 7 Dec. 16: 183 birds were counted in Skan further treatment in Anchorage. Field caused some of the waterfowl to move, Bay; 104 or more were oiled. Two oiled reports from Skan Bay refer to a although scientists could not pinpoint birds, recovered on Dec. 15, were flown to significant number of oiled bird carcasses where they had gone. Anchorage for further care. One live, oiled on the shoreline, many of which have been crested auklet arrived at Dutch Harbor for scavenged by gulls or bald eagles. Dec. 14: 140 birds were observed in Skan treatment. The 124-foot Exito replaced Bay; at least 124 were oiled. the vessel Cape Flattery as the base for Dec. 20: Boats remain in Dutch Harbor wildlife operations. during storm. Ship halves remain Dec. 15: Weather continued to interfere grounded, with bow section mostly with wildlife operations, although Dec. 17: Five oiled birds were brought under water. Concern is growing about biologists captured four oiled live birds, into Dutch Harbor for treatment, bringing impacts to wildlife and potential for a flown for treatment to Dutch Harbor. to 11 the number of live oiled birds catastrophic spill if remaining tanks Biologists recorded 294 birds in Skan Bay; treated. Six carcasses were retrieved. are breached. at least 196 were oiled Two oiled crested auklets arrived in Dutch Harbor; three more left Dutch Harbor for

Pg 26 Refuge Update | January/February 2005 National Honor Goes To TNC The Nature Conservancy of Washington Nisqually Refuge manager. “The won the Refuge System’s 2004 National Conservancy took considerable financial Land Protection Award in recognition of its risks, has been creative and tenacious and significant contribution to land protection. has helped to build community support for this incredible place. As a result, nearly The Conservancy played a lead role in one-third of this new unit is now highlighting the need for the Black River protected.” Unit of the Nisqually NWR, WA, and, for several years, purchased several hundred The Conservancy has also played a acres within the unit, which were significant role at other national wildlife transferred to the Fish and Wildlife refuges in Washington. Service. One parcel – the 185-acre Weiks dairy farm – has been owned by a Seattle David Weekes, director of the development company that planned to Conservancy’s Washington chapter, said build at least 40 homes on the site. he greatly appreciated recognition of the organization’s work in support of the “The Conservancy’s strong and continuing nation’s wildlife refuges. “These refuges commitment to protect this system has are treasures, harboring plants and been instrumental in the growth of the animals that represent the nation’s natural Black River Unit,” Chief of Realty A. Eric heritage. We’re honored that we can work Alvarez wrote in a letter to the chapter. to strengthen them.”

The Black River, which originates at The Nature Conservancy of Washington won the Black Lake in Thurston County, is one of 2004 National Land Protection Award for conveying the healthiest freshwater wetland systems several hundred acres of the Black River unit of Nisqually NWR to the Refuge System. (The Nature in the Puget Sound and a place especially Conservancy) loved by those who enjoy canoeing or kayaking. Because of the river’s ecological and recreational significance, Congress approved creation of the 3,610-acre Black River Unit in 1996. “The Nature Conservancy’s role has been truly remarkable,” said Jean Takekawa,

Looking Into the Future– from pg 21 levels of government. For example, the Hartwig. “When people talk about Fish and Wildlife Service. Volunteers in Refuge System will continue to work with species protection, places for migratory 2004 donated about 1.5 million hours, most state fish and wildlife agencies to provide birds and endangered species, spots to of it on national wildlife refuges. a meaningful forum for community and hunt, fish, learn about the environment, partner involvement in the and reconnect with family and nature, Additionally, national wildlife refuges will Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) they are talking about national wildlife strive to assure visitor safety by working process. Indeed, the CCP process will be refuges. with the International Association of streamlined to ensure that a long-term Chiefs of Police to determine the number vision for each national wildlife refuge is “We embody all that the Fish and Wildlife of officers needed to provide both resource completed by 2012. Service represents,” concluded Hartwig, protection and visitor safety. “and we protect for all time the lands that “The Refuge System is proud to Americans cherish.” Cooperative Conservation accomplish on the ground what the Fish The Refuge System will continue to and Wildlife Service stands for in this expand its cooperative partnerships at all nation,” stressed Refuge System Chief

January/February 2005 | Refuge Update Pg 27 Chief’s Corner– from pg 2 “See and Enjoy” Is We will be able, for example, to tell decision-makers that we intend to flood Message to Travelers a certain number of acres and, for that, we will produce a certain number of The Travel Industry of America has a new waterfowl for the public to enjoy. We partner in the National Wildlife Refuge will let decision-makers know just how System, which will bring hundreds of Visitors to Bayou Cocodrie NWR, LA, can many thousands of people will enjoy tourism opportunities to the attention of wildlife-dependent recreation because hunt, fish, observe and photograph wildlife and the nation’s tour operators, travel birdwatch. The Refuge System is making a we grade 100 miles of roadways. reporters and others. concerted effort to reach the travel industry As never before, we will work as a single with information about wildlife-dependent The National Wildlife Refuge System is recreation on refuges. (USFWS) organization rather than individual making its first major entry into the refuges to produce a budget and then travel industry by forging a partnership produce results. And we will innovate to push with travel reporters by producing with the Travel Industry of America and make our organizational structure more stories and story ideas for major attending its huge convention, called efficient by restructuring how we think publications. International Pow Wow. The convention, about our work. In the process, we could which attracts more than 12,000 people, well create new career pathways. Additionally, the Branch of brings together about 1,000 U. S. travel Communications will produce public Perhaps, for example, we will create organizations that represent all segments service announcements this year that administrative teams that can more of the industry. Nearly 400 travel invite people to enjoy wildlife-dependent efficiently complete reports that are now journalists from more than 40 countries recreation on the nation’s wildlife refuges. written individually on each wildlife participated in the conference last year. refuge. Perhaps we can build a team of “Over the past few decades, the number six to 10 wildlife biologists to work on Not only will Refuge System staffers of visitors to our wildlife refuges has issues common on dozens of refuges, meet face-to-face with more than three soared,” said Visitor Services and analyzing data on invasive and dozen representatives at International Communications Division Chief Allyson endangered species, migratory birds and Pow Wow in May, but the Refuge Rowell. “The support of people is more, and then providing input to System’s Branch of Communications is essential if we are going to protect fish planners to write Comprehensive embarking on a year-long communications and wildlife resources for the future.” Conservation Plans for a group of 20 refuges rather than one at a time. We will continue to seek more funding to Send Us Your Comments protect the nation’s natural resources, Letters to the Editor or suggestions about Refuge Update can be e-mailed to but we’ll do it in a new way: By showing [email protected] or mailed to Refuge Update, USFWS-NWRS, we can do more for every dollar we get. 4401 North Fairfax Dr., Room 634C, Arlington, VA 22203-1610.

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