july/august 2005 vol 2, no 4 a new line on refuge fishing ...€¦ · the refuge system has always...

U.S Fish & Wildlife Service

National Wildlife Refuge System

JJuullyy//AAuugguusstt 22000055 VVooll 22,, NNoo 44Inside

Experts Mobilize to Recover Ivory-Billed WoodpeckerRediscovery at Cache River Refuge Breeds Hope

Just months after the phenomenal newsin April that an Ivory-billed woodpeckerhad been rediscovered at Arkansas’ CacheRiver NWR, a newly appointed team ofexperts began charting a recovery planfor the bird thought to be extinct for morethan 60 years. The new team is chargedwith developing a full recovery programby spring 2007.

The recovery team’s efforts will be bol-stered by $10.2 million in redirected fundsfrom the Interior and AgricultureDepartments, supplementing fundsalready committed to research and habitatprotection by private sector groups andcitizens. In addition to funding recoveryplanning, federal monies will be used forresearch and monitoring, public education,law enforcement and habitat conservation

through conservation easements, safe-harbor agreements and conserva-tion reserves.

The recovery team brings together someof the best minds in ecology, conservationbiology, forestry and ornithology from awide spectrum of organizations, includingthe Arkansas Game and Fish Commission,Cornell University’s Laboratory ofOrnithology, Civic Enterprises, the Fishand Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers, the National Fish and WildlifeFoundation, The Nature Conservancy,Arkansas Wildlife Federation, AudubonSociety of Arkansas, National AudubonSociety, Forest Service and the AmericanForest Foundation.

continued pg 19

Searchers rediscovered the Ivory-billed woodpecker in April at the Cache River NWR, AR. Prior to itsrecent rediscovery, the last confirmed sighting of an Ivory-billed woodpecker was more that 60 years ago.(Mark Godfrey/TNC)

A New Line on Refuge Fishing,page 3A new, comprehensive guide debuts,featuring fishing at 270 refuges

Northeast Refuges Reach Half-Million-Acre Milestone, page 5In an area of the country known forits growing population density,Northeast refuges celebratemilestone

Focus on…Trails and WildlifeObservation, pages 8-15Shining the spotlight on the facilitiesthat encourage visitors to get out onthe land

An Earth Day Visit, page 22Interior Secretary Norton joinedvolunteers on a wetlands restoration project

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Gale NortonSecretary of the Interior

Matt HoganActing Director – U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service

William HartwigAssistant Director –National Wildlife RefugeSystem

Martha NudelEditor in Chief

Address editorial inquiries to:Refuge UpdateUSFWS-NWRS4401 North Fairfax Dr.,Room 634CArlington, VA 22203-1610Phone: 703-358-1858 Fax: 703-358-2517E-mail:[email protected]

This newsletter ispublished on recycledpaper using soy-basedink

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RefugeUpdateA great wayto embracethe natural

world is to hike, paddle or ride alongsome of the 2,500 miles of land andwater trails of America’s nationalwildlife refuges. About a quarter of ourannual visitors already do so. What’simportant is not reaching a destination,but taking the journey.

Take time to watch or photograph birds,mammals and other species. Listen tothe calls of cranes and wrens. Inhalethe fragrance of spring and summerwild flowers. Enjoy the splendors thateach season brings.

We are featuring the National WildlifeRefuge System’s network of trails in thisRefuge Update not because they them-selves are destinations, but because theyare the routes to a better appreciation ofthe natural world and a greater under-standing of the role of wildlife refuges inwildlife conservation. On the RefugeSystem’s trails, you can begin to discov-er why national wildlife refuges are sospecial to individual communities and toAmerica’s sense of nationhood.

The Refuge System has always had anetwork of trails. The Pony ExpressNational Historic Trail travels throughtwo refuges – Fish Springs in Utah andRuby Lake in Nevada. In the 1920s,

Chief’s CornerMeeting the World ofWildlife on Trails

continued pg 24

From the Acting DirectorOur Visitors Deserve the Best We Have For the pastseveral years,the NationalWildlife RefugeSystem has been

hard at work fulfilling the intent of the1997 National Wildlife RefugeImprovement Act. Service employeeshave made some impressive gains in thisarea that we’re proud to share theseaccomplishments with all Americans.

We’ve been expanding compatible wildlifedependent recreational opportunities, suchas hunting and fishing, on our nationalwildlife refuges. We welcome hunters,anglers, bird watchers, photographers,and others who seek to enjoy the extraor-dinary resources on this nation’s wildliferefuges.

Just a few weeks ago, we proposed addinghunting and fishing programs on refugesin Alabama, California, Connecticut,Massachusetts, Minnesota and

New Hampshire. At the same time, weproposed expanding opportunities atseven additional wildlife refuges inCalifornia, Maine, Massachusetts,Missouri, New York and Washington.Not long before that, we published a com-prehensive update of Your Guide toFishing on National Wildlife Refuges,and we’re working with our partners tomake the guide and its information widelyavailable.

We’re also spreading our message and ourService mission to new publics:

O To help us engage new audiences, wehave joined the Travel Industry ofAmerica and exhibited at its annualconference;

O ESPN will air two 30-minute specialsabout national wildlife refuges thisyear, and continues to broadcast thetwo-minute weekly vignettes thatmillions have enjoyed;

O We’ve launched a Web site,http://historicpreservation.fws.gov/,which highlights the 12,0000-pluscultural and historical sites that havebeen identified on wildlife refuge;

O We are improving and standardizingsigns so people can find wildliferefuges more easily and know that theFish and Wildlife Service administersthem;

O We’ve renewed our formal partnershipwith the nonprofit Wilderness Inquiry,dedicated to expanding recreationopportunities for those withdisabilities; and

O We’re are working with the NorthAmerican Nature PhotographyAssociation to add 14 newphotography blinds to those thatalready serve the public on 17 wildliferefuges.

continued pg 15

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A New Line on Refuge FishingNew Guide Unveiled Just in Time for Fishing Season

By Steve Farrell

The National Wildlife Refuge Systemunveiled Your Guide to Fishing onNational Wildlife Refuges at the OutdoorWriters Association of America’s annualconference in Madison, WI, in June. Anupdated version of the original 1991 publi-cation, the guide highlights more than 270fishing sites and provides anglers theinformation necessary to enjoy world-classfishing opportunities.

The guide gives anglers easy access torefuges across the country by highlightingnot only the fishing opportunities but alsothe nearest highways, towns and services.For example, Bostonians can take a shorttrip along Highway 28 to reach MonomoyNWR, world-renowned for superb flatsfishing for trophy stripers.

The guide also can help anglers find themost convenient boat ramps and fishingpiers to bring them closer to the catch of alifetime. Launching a drift boat from oneof four boat ramps at Seedskadee NWR inWyoming brings fly-fishers closer to the20-plus inch trout that thrive in refugewaters. Like Seedskadee Refuge, severalothers throughout the Mountain-PrairieRegion host trout of all sizes and colors,luring anglers to high mountain streamsand famous trout waters such as theGreen River.

In addition, the guide describes the lakes,streams and waterways that can be fishedas well as the species available, offeringspecific information about fishing seasons,hours of refuge operation and the condi-tion of access roads. In the Southeast, thisinformation promotes one of the most wellknown brands of fishing in America —bass angling. Witnessing hog bass surfacefor a popper on Lake Eufaula on its name-sake refuge in Alabama is a memorableexperience for hundreds of families andfriends each year.

For the wilder side of the fishing experi-ence, the guide gives adventure-seekinganglers helpful information for arranging

trips to Alaska refuges, where they’resure to feel they have left the rest of theworld behind. From the Alaska Peninsulato the far reaches of Yukon Flats Refuge,anglers can catch all five species of Pacificsalmon while floating some of the nation’smost pristine rivers. For an intense fishing experience, anglers can standshoulder-to-shoulder competing for giantking salmon at Kenai NWR, apopular fishinghotspot.

While Your Guideto Fishing onNational WildlifeRefuges was creat-ed to help peoplediscover many aspecial honey hole, itis not without a con-nection to naturalresources. The guidecontains an introduc-tion to the RefugeSystem and a series ofsidebars that highlightboth resource and recre-ation issues. From thefight against invasivespecies to the growingpopularity of saltwaterfishing, the guide connectsanglers to the water andencourages ethical angling.

The guide is the first in aseries to be produced by theRefuge System that high-lights its vast recreationalopportunities. Future guides will focus onwildlife watching, birding, photographyand hunting.

For more information on the fishing guide,contact Steve Farrell, [email protected] or (703) 358-2247. Each staffedrefuge and Regional Office received copiesof the guide. It is also available on theRefuge System’s Web site,http://refuges.fws.gov, for online viewingor downloading. ◆

Steve Farrell is a communications specialist in the

Division of Visitor Services and Communications in

Refuge System Headquarters.

The new fishing guide provides informationon all refuge fishing sites, including access tofishing piers and boat launches, fishingseasons, hours of refuge operation, accessroads and highway routes. In addition, theguide describes all the refuge lakes, streamsand waterways that can be fished as well asthe species available. (USFWS)


By Barbara Maxfield

In the continuous pursuit to safelyoperate a military airfield in the midst ofan albatross nesting colony, a group ofpartners as committed to saving the birdsas to ensuring aircraft and aviator safetyfound a new approach on the island ofKauai in Hawaii.

The U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile RangeFacility, on the southwestern coast ofKauai, operates an active airfield but alsois home to a nesting population of Laysanalbatross, as well as other native plantsand animals. With wingspans of about 80inches, these large seabirds can create asignificant hazard to aircraft sharing theskies over the airfield.

Since 1988, the missile range has beenattempting to transplant adult albatrossesto other locations on Kauai to reducepotential flight hazards. The program hadlimited success since albatrosses each yeartypically return to the place they wereborn to raise their young. Although theydon’t begin mating until they are about 7

years old, albatrosses have been known tolive more than 50 years.

The missile range faced a crisis in Januarywhen the albatrosses not only had alreadyreturned, but also laid eggs. With theeggs almost ready to hatch, the missilerange staff worked with the Departmentof Agriculture’s Animal and Plant HealthInspection Service and the staff of theKauai National Wildlife Refuge Complexto find a solution rather than destroyingthe eggs.

The northern shore of Kauai, includingKilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, ishome to the largest Laysan albatrosspopulation on the main Hawaiian Islands.As with any nesting population, albatrosseach year lay some eggs that are infertile,spoiled or accidentally crushed. Since theparent birds return to a specific nestrather than a specific egg, the partnersdecided to relocate viable eggs from themissile range to Kilauea Point Refuge andsurrounding nest sites to replace thosethat would never hatch.

“It was a race against time,” RefugeBiologist Brenda Zaun said. “While mycolleagues from the Department ofAgriculture were gathering eggs, Icandled the eggs to determine which oneswere not viable.” The Department ofAgriculture biologists brought 28 eggs ornewly hatched chicks to Zaun.

“We were able to find foster parents forevery one,” Zaun said. “All I thought wasthat if I didn’t find a parent, this chick wasgoing to die. That was just notacceptable.” Every egg and chick wasaccepted by its surrogate parents and willnow be imprinted to return to Kauai’snorth shore when they are old enough to mate.

As for the adult Laysan albatross at themissile range, with no chicks to feed, mosthave returned to the open sea until thebreeding season next November.Partners are already planning how toavoid another crisis.

“We want more birds at Kilauea PointNational Wildlife Refuge and along thenorth shore,” said Zaun. “They’rewelcome, they’re safe and they have aplace to reproduce. This new programwill help increase our population for yearsto come.” ◆

Barbara Maxfield is chief of the Pacific Islands

External Affairs Office.

Partners’ Ingenuity Saves Kauai Albatross Chicks

Biologist Brenda Zaun, from Kilauea Point NWR, HI, places a foster chick in a Laysan albatross nest.(Judson Ventar/USDA-Wildlife Services)


Northeast Refuges Reach Half-Million-Acre MilestoneBy Terri Edwards

In an area of the country better knownfor its growing population density than itsopen spaces for wildlife, the Fish andWildlife Service recently acquired thehalf-millionth acre for national wildliferefuges within its 13-state NortheastRegion.

The milestone was reached through thepurchase of Wellford Farms, an 847-acreconservation easement in RichmondCounty, VA, for Rappahannock RiverValley NWR, and was celebrated alongwith partners during an event held at therefuge on May 14.

Lauding landowners Cary and CarrollWellford’s “forward-thinking conserva-tion ethic,” Marvin Moriarty, theService’s Northeast Regional Director,announced the addition along withCongresswoman Jo Ann Davis (R-VA)and representatives from The NatureConservancy, Trust for Public Land, TheConservation Fund, Chesapeake BayFoundation and Virginia Department ofNatural Resources.

“Acquiring 500,000 acres of land is no easyfeat in this politically and geographicallycomplex region, which spans the length of

the densely developed East Coast fromMaine to Virginia,” said Moriarty. “Morethan 70 years in the making, this achieve-ment required nearly 6,000 real estatetransactions and the dedication of manypeople in government and the conserva-tion community, as well as conservation-minded companies and landowners.”

In places like the Rappahannock RiverValley, purchasing easements is an eco-nomical way to protect important wildlifehabitats while landowners retain propertyrights for certain activities, such as farm-ing, hunting and fishing.

Conservation groups such as The NatureConservancy, Trust for Public Land,Chesapeake Bay Foundation and TheConservation Fund have been key collabo-rators in negotiating easements withlandowners and advocating for otherrefuge acquisitions throughout theNortheast Region.

Established in 1996, Rappahannock RiverValley Refuge now protects more than7,300 acres of wetlands and other habitatalong its namesake river and its tributar-ies — prime lands for waterfowl, baldeagles and other migratory birds.According to Refuge Manager JoeMcCauley, the Service ultimately hopes to

acquire, in fee or in easement, a total of20,000 acres from willing sellers in the valley. ◆

Terri Edwards is a public affairs specialist in

External Affairs in the Fish and Wildlife Service’s

Northeast Regional Office.

The new 847-acre Wellford Farms easement forRappahannock Valley River NWR, VA, brought theNortheast Region to its 500,000-acre mark for theRefuge System. (USFWS)

Reaching aMilestoneThe Migratory Bird ConservationFund and the Land and WaterConservation Fund have provided atotal of $410 million for refuge landacquisition in the Northeast Region.

The Northeast Region now includes71 national wildlife refuges, from thenorthern hardwood forests of Maineto the Great Dismal Swamp insouthern Virginia.

More than 6 million people visitNortheast refuges each year toobserve wildlife, hunt, fish,participate in environmentaleducation programs, photographwildlife or take part in interpretiveprograms.

Virginia refuges — includingRappahannock Valley River Refugewhere the 500,000th acre milestonewas achieved — make up 135,000acres, or nearly 30 percent, of theNortheast Region’s total acreage inthe Refuge System.


By Jody Jones and Randy Matchett

The Charles M. Russell NWR, MT, hasmore Rocky Mountain bighorn sheepthan at any time in the 24 years sincestocking was initiated. The thrivingpopulation of 174 sheep — observed dur-ing the 2004 ground survey around theMickey/Brandon Buttes and Iron StakeRidge — meets a refuge goal to restorea species that once freely roamed theMissouri River Breaks.

Twenty-one people, 15 on foot and theothers on horseback, took part in theDecember 2004 survey. Pending resultsfrom a subsequent survey, some sheepmay be moved to expand the range andreduce the population in some areas tocut the risk of disease.

The refuge’s work with bighorns goesback to 1947, when 16 Rocky Mountainbighorn were brought from the Tarryallherd in Colorado and stocked in theGarfield County portion of CMR Refuge.Some estimated the population grew toas many as 260 sheep in 1955, although38 sheep were the most ever observed.

That was in 1951. The last sheep fromthe herd was seen in 1960.

In May 1958, eight bighorn were movedfrom the Sun River herd in westernMontana to the Two Calf Creek area onthe refuge’s west end. In 1959, 13 moresheep were brought from the NationalBison Range, MT, which provided anoth-er 22 sheep in 1961. Unfortunately, acatastrophic die-off in the winter of 1971nearly wiped out the herd. By fall 1980,just 11 ewes remained.

Established in 1936 as the Fort PeckGame Range, CMR became a nationalwildlife refuge in 1976, with the missionto “…preserve, restore, and manage...aportion of the nationally significantMissouri River Breaks and associatedecosystems for optimum wildliferesources.” Reintroduction of RockyMountain bighorn sheep was specificallyidentified as an objective.

The refuge contains badlands-type sheephabitat, areas that were the nativerange of the now extinct Audubonbighorn sheep. Lewis and Clark encoun-

tered numerous bighorn in this area andcommented on the exquisite table farethey provided. The last known “bad-lands bighorn” was probably shot in1911 on land that is now part of CMR.

Another TryAlthough the 1947 and 1958 efforts toreintroduce bighorns were mostlyunsuccessful, the refuge has continued towork to establish a sustainable popula-tion. In cooperation with Montana Fish,Wildlife and Parks, 27 bighorn weretrapped on the Sun River Game Rangeon March 8, 1980, and released in theBrandon Coulee area on CMR. Theband had six rams, 17 ewes and four lambs.

Population growth, initially fast, slowedfor many years, hovering around 100animals from 1986-2002. During thoseyears, the Iron Stake Ridge populationincreased slowly, while the Mickey/Brandon Buttes population hoveredaround 50-60 animals. Then, lamb pro-duction became exceptionally good onthe buttes in 2003 and 2004, contributingto substantial population growth.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Thriving on CMR “Huge Opportunity”

Dick Gilbert Honored by American Recreation CoalitionRichard “Dick” Gilbert, project leader atBill Williams River NWR, AZ, since 1998,received the American RecreationCoalition’s Legends Award on June 8 forhis dedication in promoting quality out-door recreation.

Gilbert has been instrumental in planningand constructing multi-use outdoor recre-ation facilities for fishing, wildlife observa-tion, interpretation and environmentaleducation. These facilities include a pavedtrail, with several shade ramadas to pro-mote wildlife watching and viewing ofbeautiful Lake Havasu, leading to threefishing docks with solar lighting, allowingthe refuge to keep them open 24 hours a day.

The facilities — all entirely accessible topersons with disabilities — also offerinterpretative displays on local ecology,water management and the area’s history.A solar-powered watering system pro-vides irrigation for some 300 native plantsthat enhance the natural beauty of the

Dick Gilbert, project leader at Bill Williams RiverNWR, AZ, started his career working summers atErie NWR, PA, while attending college. In 1971, hewas hired for a permanent position on themaintenance staff. He also was assistant refugemanager at Arrowwood NWR, ND and HavasuNWR, AZ, before serving as project leader atSeedskadee NWR, WY; Waubay NWR, SD; andCibola NWR, AZ. (USFWS)


Because suitable habitat is limited in thebuttes area, some sheep may have to bemoved to expand the population’s rangeand reduce disease risks. The herd hasfinally achieved the objective of at least160 sheep, with 76 tallied around thebuttes during the 2004 survey — themost ever counted there — and 98observed in the Iron Stakes Ridge area.

Sheep survey methodology has changedover the years. In the 1980s, surveyswere done with an airplane or helicopterby both CMR and Montana Fish,Wildlife and Parks personnel. In themid-1990s, ground surveys were begunduring the early December rut and post-hunting season. Sex and age classifica-tions are more precise and more sheep

tend to be seen from the ground com-pared to aerial surveys.

The Role of HuntingThe sheep population has been huntedsince 1987, when two “either sex” per-mits were issued. Five permits wereissued each year from 1988-1997, exceptin 1996 when seven were issued. Twopopulation objectives were established:at least 160 observed sheep after thehunting season and an average harvest-ed ram age of 7.5 years. The bighornpopulation has provided a harvest of 72rams since 1987. The average age of thefour rams harvested in 2004 was seven.

Elk and mule deer also inhabitat therefuge and the surrounding area, as do

mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes andeagles. Refuge visitors enjoy viewingand photographing bighorn in a settingsimilar to the one that Lewis and Clarkfound 200 years ago. With continuedcooperation, coordination and manage-ment, magnificent bighorn sheep willcontinue to expand and provide qualitywildlife-based experiences for refugevisitors. ◆

Jody Jones is assistant refuge manager at the

Sandy Creek Field Station, MT. Randy Matchett

is the senior wildlife biologist at Charles M.

Russell NWR, MT.

area. Additional facilities include an envi-ronmental education shelter and a canoeand kayak launch area.

The project was made possible byGilbert’s partnerships with a number ofother organizations, including the Bureauof Land Management, Bureau ofReclamation, Arizona Game and FishDepartment, the Metropolitan WaterDistrict of Southern California, theCentral Arizona Water ConservationDistrict, La Paz County, Anglers Unitedand the Navy Seabees.

Presented during Great Outdoors Week,the Legends Award honors outstandingfederal employees for significant contribu-tions to the enhancement of the nation’soutdoor recreation resources, facilities andexperiences, especially on public lands. ◆

The thriving population of 174 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep meets agoal of the Charles M. Russell NWR, MT, to restore a species that oncefreely roamed the Missouri River Breaks. (Milo Burcham)

By Susan Saul

Every individual makes a difference whena species’ population is down to 150 ani-mals. So Anne Brooke, wildlife biologist atGuam NWR, became foster parent to anorphaned Mariana fruit bat last winter.

Long-term surveys suggest that thisspecies may disappear from Guam within5-10 years. They are most abundant inforested lands on Andersen Air ForceBase, but the only remaining colony hasless than 100 individuals, and a smallnumber of bats are scattered throughoutthe forests of northern Guam.

The young female Brooke fostered wasdiscovered in June 2004 when it wasabout a month old, having been separatedfrom her mother following a stretch ofstormy weather. After several days calling for her mother, the pup wasbrought to Tino Aguon, acting chief of theGuam Division of Aquatic and WildlifeResources, and received 24-hour care forthe first few months of her life.

Brooke, who is a fruit bat expert and hasworked with fruit bats in AmericanSamoa and throughout Polynesia, beganspending time observing and interactingwith the orphaned bat in mid-October.Together, Brooke and Aguon soon

Foster Parents to a Fruit BatGuam Refuge Becomes Release Site for Orphan

continued pg 24


FOCUS . . .On Trails

For boundless opportunities to discovernature in all its splendor, national wildliferefuges are unsurpassed. From all partsof the globe, 40 million visitors flock tonature’s treasure troves each year, mostlyfor the chance to see huge concentrationsof wildlife and birds.

Among America’s most scenic panoramas,national wildlife refuges offer the nation’smost amazing wildlife spectacles. Huntersand other wildlife enthusiasts marvel atmillions of chattering mallards atArkansas’ White River Refuge.Adventure-seekers witness the awesometrek of caribou across the Arctic tundra.School children learn about migration asthey watch tens of thousands of snowgeese spiraling down from the sky atMissouri’s Squaw Creek Refuge. Birders

from around the world flock to AransasRefuge in Texas to catch a glimpse ofstately endangered whooping cranes.

Across the prairie heartland, refuges likeWichita Mountains in Oklahoma, FortNiobrara in Nebraska, Neal Smith in Iowaand Montana’s National Bison Rangedraw many a hunter. To experience twonatural phenomena at once, Cape MayRefuge visitors venture to Delaware Bayin the summer, when millions of shore-birds descend to feed on horseshoe crabsas they come ashore to mate. For Hawaiitourists, a compelling attraction is KilaueaPoint Refuge, where the ground is majes-tically bedded with an array of lushcoastal plants and volcanic cliffs jut dra-matically over the radiant, blue Pacific.

Places of Discovery

By Andy Loranger

Low-lying coastal marshes — tough towalk through and natural habitat for mos-quitoes and other critters that bite — arefar from the easiest places to develop atrail network, especially because a refugemust ensure compatibility with its purpos-es and the Refuge System’s mission. Allthat did not deter the staff of the 34,300-acre Anahuac NWR, along the upperTexas Gulf Coast.

Today, the Anahuac Refuge trails net-work, designed to provide visitors of allages and physical abilities with the chanceto experience all of the refuge’s naturalwonders, combines walking, auto and pad-dling trails. It includes a variety of visitorfacilities — from boardwalks and observa-tion platforms to interpretive signs — tohelp visitors observe the Central Flyway

Trails Are a Natural Road to Education,CommunityAnahuac Refuge Opens All Habitat Types to Visitors

One of Anahuac Refuge’s universally accessibletrails includes more than 1,000 feet of walkwaywinding through a 1.5-acre butterfly andhummingbird landscape and native prairiedemonstration area. Interpretive signs teachvisitors the life histories of the Ruby-throatedhummingbird and the refuge’s primary butterflyspecies, and the importance of pollinators andnative host and nectar-providing plants.(Michele Whitbeck/USFWS)


Despite overwhelming odds and chal-lenges, these special wildlife refuges willremain vibrant because they are safeguard-ed and expertly managed to be the most

productive habitats in America. The com-mitment to protect, grow, build and refineis born of Paul Kroegel’s passion more than100 years ago, yet steadily flourishing and

shared among the thousands of people whohave chosen the National Wildlife RefugeSystem as their calling.

This issue of Refuge Update highlights themost fundamental pastime the nation’swildlife refuges have to offer: wildlifeobservation from the Refuge System’s2,500 miles of land and water trails.Refuge System employees and countlesspartners have created facilities thatencourage people to get out on the landand enjoy the wildlife protected on nearly100 million acres. ◆

birds for which the refuge and the TexasCoast are renowned.

The trails give visitors access to each ofthe native habitat types found on therefuge — coastal marsh, coastal prairieand woodlands — and to intensively man-aged habitats, including moist soil and ricefield units. “By taking advantage of exist-ing infrastructure such as levees androads in areas with a long history of visi-tor use, combined with strategic place-ment of new boardwalks and observationdecks in wetland habitats, we were able toenhance the experience without compro-mising our conservation mission,” saidRefuge Manager Kelly McDowell.

“Although the refuge has a fairly exten-sive system of trails and roads, the vastmajority of the refuge remains as large,relatively undisturbed tracts,” he contin-ued. “Development of the trail systemand associated facilities has made therefuge more ‘visitor friendly,’ and perhapsmost importantly, has really helped useducate folks about the importance of

these natural resources and the refuge’srole in protecting them.”

Anahuac Refuge’s trail system has fourdesignated hiking trails, totaling just over3.5 miles, including its first trail, whichalso may be its most famous: a shortboardwalk and grassy trail through TheWillows. This small woodland is interna-tionally famous among birding enthusiastsas a place to observe colorful neotropicalmigrant songbirds after their 600-miletrans-Gulf migration each spring.

In 1998, the two-mile East Bay BayouTrail was opened to the public. This trailmeanders along East Bay Bayou througha narrow corridor of riparian woodlands,and outlets to moist soil and rice fieldunits that offer spectacular viewing ofwaterfowl, shorebirds and wading birds.

Butterflies, Hummingbirds and MoreOne of the newest trails is a one-milewalking trail linking the visitor informa-tion station to The Willows. Universallyaccessible, the trail includes 1,081 feet ofwalkway that winds through a 1.5-acre

butterfly and hummingbird landscape andnative prairie demonstration area, con-necting to a 1,173-foot boardwalk completewith observation decks and benches.Interpretive signs along the trail teachvisitors the life histories of the Ruby-throated hummingbird and the refuge’sprimary butterfly species, and the impor-tance of pollinators and native host andnectar-providing plants. Nearby, a one-mile hiking trail leads to an observationdeck overlooking moist soil units.

The Refuge’s four-mile auto tour routeenables visitors to drive around ShovelerPond, a 220-acre freshwater impoundmentoffering unparalleled opportunities to viewand photograph alligators. In many cases,vehicles make ideal viewing platformsbecause many species are acclimated toslow traffic, allowing visitors close-upviews of wildlife without disturbance.Opportunities to view waterfowl, shore-birds, purple gallinules, least andAmerican bitterns and all six NorthAmerican rail species draw visitors fromaround the world.

The National Wildlife Refuge System’s extensive trails, boardwalks, observation decks, hunting blinds,fishing piers and boat launches encourage visitors to discover America’s best wildlife spectacles, such asthis magnificent display at Grays Harbor NWR, WA. (John and Karen Hollingsworth/USFWS)

continued pg 12



By Holly T. Gaboriault

Alive with one of the largest populationsof the rare bog sedge in the northernforests of Vermont, the 76-acre MollieBeattie Bog on the Nulhegan BasinDivision of the Silvio O. Conte NationalFish and Wildlife Refuge is enjoyed byhundreds of visitors each year, thanks to a200-foot boardwalk recently renovated byrefuge and Northeast Regional Office staffand several volunteers.

The boardwalk runs through the MollieBeattie Bog, named for the first femaledirector of the Fish and Wildlife Serviceand former deputy secretary of the

Bog BoardwalkHighlightsVermont’s NaturalBounty

Known for its landscapes and its wildlife,the National Wildlife Refuge System alsohas more than 900 water and land trailsthat offer some of the best wildlife obser-vation across the country.

To kickoff National Trails Day June 4,Interior Secretary Gale Nortonannounced the designation of 18 newNational Recreation Trails on refugelands, a way of recognizing their exempla-ry local and regional significance. Thesenew designations bring the total numberof refuges with National Recreation Trailsto 34. Visit http://www.americantrails.org/nationalrecreationtrails/ for the full listing.

A sampling of refuge trails offers aglimpse of what is available:

Florida: Hike the 42 miles of the FloridaNational Scenic Trail within St. Mark’s

NWR, just 25 miles south of Tallahassee.About 3.5 miles of the trail are in therefuge’s Wilderness Area. Located inWakulla, Jefferson and Taylor counties,the refuge spans more than 43 miles ofcoastline. The historic St. Mark’s light-house on beautiful Apalachee Bay attractsvisitors from around the world, as do morethan 300 species of birds, 98 of which neston the refuge. In the spring, the refuge isa showcase of colors as songbirds migratenorth through coastal oaks and shrubs,while the endangered least tern and red-cockaded woodpecker also nest there.

Georgia: The Okefenokee WildernessNational Recreational Canoe Trail inOkefenokee NWR takes paddlers into aworld of alligators, cranes and cypresstrees. Visitors can use elevated platformsalong the marked trail to get the bestviews. Additionally, Swamp Island Drive

Refuge System Boasts 2,500 Miles of Trails

A 76-foot boardwalk meandering through MollieBeattie Bog in Vermont helps showcase one of thelargest populations of rare bog sedge found in thestate. Wildflower photographers come to the bog insearch of the sundew; yellow, white or pink ladyslippers; pitcher plants and other unique northernbog plants. (USFWS)


is an eight-mile driving, biking or walkingloop. The swamp is one of the oldest andmost well preserved freshwater areas inAmerica and extends 38 miles north tosouth and 25 miles east to west. Its richhistory is visible at Chesser IslandHomestead, Billy’s Island, Floyd’s Islandand Suwannee Canal.

Arizona: The Arivaca Creek and ArivacaCienga trails on Buenos Aires NWR allowvisitors to observe birds seen almostnowhere else in the continental UnitedStates. The Arivaca Cienga is a 1.25-mileloop over a boardwalk and path, a chanceto see abundant bird life in a rare desertwetland. The Arivaca Creek Trail mean-ders one mile along a seasonal streambeneath towering cottonwoods. Both ofthese trails were designated NationalRecreation Trails by Secretary Norton in June.

Pennsylvania: The East ImpoundmentNational Recreation Trail on John HeinzNWR at Tinicum is an outstanding placeto see wildlife just outside Philadelphia.

Sitting one mile from thePhiladelphia International Airport, the refuge has more than10 miles of trails and boardwalks,as well as an observation towerand photo blinds that are extraor-dinary places to watch and photo-graph wildlife. The refuge hasbecome a resting and feeding areafor more than 300 species of birds,85 of which nest here. Fox, deer,muskrat, turtles, fish, frogs and awide variety of wildflowers andplants call the refuge home.Birdwatchers have recorded morethan 300 species of birds in andaround the refuge.

Oklahoma: To roam where the buffalodo, try the Dog Hollow Run NationalRecreation Trail on Wichita MountainsNWR, celebrating its centennial this year.Dog Hollow Run is just one of three hik-ing trails on the refuge. Besides seeingthe shaggy icon of the American West,hikers might also encounter longhorn cat-

tle, white tail deer, elk and wild turkeys.More than 22,400 acres of wildlife habitatare open for hiking, observing wildlife,photography and other recreational uses.More than 40 miles of paved roads bringvisitors to wildlife observation areas.

Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.In 1999, the Service purchased 26,000acres from Champion International PaperCompany to establish the Nulhegan BasinDivision of the refuge, where the bog islocated.

The area has since been recognized by theVermont Nongame Heritage Program asa state-significant site, especially becauseit is among the most important blackspruce woodland bogs in Vermont. Itshowcases one of the largest populationsof rare bog sedge found in the state, andit’s one of relatively few places to see thestate-endangered spruce grouse, raregray jay and Arctic jutta butterfly.Wildflower photographers come to thebog in search of the sundew; yellow, whiteor pink lady slippers; pitcher plants andother unique northern bog plants. Evenmoose and bear can be seen and pho-tographed from the boardwalk.

It all started in 1997, when ChampionInternational paid tribute to the late direc-

tor by dedicating the bog in her name aspart of their “Special Places in the Forest”program. Champion installed the originalinterpretive boardwalk and later donatedboth the bog and boardwalk to theService, prior to the purchase of the sur-rounding lands.

When the boardwalk was rehabilitatedlast year, many features were added toimprove safety and accessibility, includinghandrails and viewing benches.Interpretive displays provide education onbog formation and the rare plants thatinhabit the area. Because of its exception-al wildlife viewing and photographyopportunities in such a unique area, theboardwalk at Mollie Beattie Bog hasbecome a great invitation to visitors to getout on the land and enjoy Vermont’s spec-tacular wildlife. ◆

Holly T. Gaboriault is a wildlife biologist at Silvio

Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, MA.

The Refuge System’s 900 water and land trails offer some of thebest wildlife observation. (USFWS)

Even moose and bearcan be seen andphotographed from the boardwalk.

continued pg 14



When the Fish andWildlife Service pur-chased the O’Rourkefarm at Great MeadowsNWR in Carlisle, MA, in1999, it not only con-served outstandingmigratory bird habitatbut also acquired anextensive network oftrails planned and main-tained by the CarlisleTrails Committee.

Among these was theRiver Trail, which con-nects Great MeadowsRefuge with adjacenttown-owned lands setaside for conservation.The River Trail wasoriginally constructed in

Great Meadows Volunteers Make TrailsDream a Reality

One of the refuge’s most interesting trailsis not really a trail at all, but rather asmall salty prairie meadow. The YellowRail Trail brings thousands of visitors tothe refuge each year to see elusive yellowrails, a secretive marsh bird present onthe refuge throughout winter and duringspring migration. Volunteer naturalistslead interpretive Yellow Rail Walks, withparticipants slowly walking abreastthrough clumps of Gulf cordgrass in hopesof catching a brief glimpse of the bird.

Finally, an improved road, parking areaand a wooden launching pier givescanoeists and kayakers access to a 3.8-milesegment of East Bay Bayou. This remotestretch of calm water beneath large over-hanging hackberry, willow, water oak andgreen ash trees offers quiet and solitude,and great wildlife watching and freshwa-ter fishing. Here, one can easily imagine atime not so long ago when sinewy bayous

wound their way through unalteredprairies, swamps and marshes.

Friends as the Foundation

Refuge trails and associated facilities fitwell into Anahuac Refuge’s designation asa featured site on the Great Texas CoastalBirding Trail, marketed even internation-ally by the Texas Parks and WildlifeDepartment. Through promotional andeducational materials and signs at eachsite, the birding trail identifies importanthabitats and birding sites in the Upper,Mid- and Lower Texas Coast regions.

It’s no accident that the refuge’s trail sys-tem closely mirrors the growth of theFriends of Anahuac Refuge, established in1996. The Friends organization has beenthe foundation, the impetus and in manycases the inspiration for many of therefuge’s new visitor services programsand facilities, habitat restoration projectsand expanded biological monitoring pro-

Natural Road to Education– from pg 9

Volunteers with the Carlisle Trails Committee spent two days building a footbridge at Great Meadows NWR, MA. New improvements to theRiver Trail are giving refuge visitors better wildlife viewing opportunitiesthrough refuge wetlands. (Bert Willard)


the 1970s and has seen continuous usesince that time. While a previous upgradeof the trail system occurred in 1998, workremained along parts of the River Trail.The Carlisle Trails Committee had hopedfor years to improve the River Trail andreduce impacts to wetlands along the trailroute by constructing footbridges in areasthat are often wet even after the ConcordRiver returns to its banks.

That dream became a reality shortly afterEastern Massachusetts NWRC ProjectManager Libby Herland, newly arrived atthe complex, met with the committee inSeptember 2003. A $5,000 Service chal-lenge grant was approved in 2004 to buycomposite decking material, and theService kicked in another $3,000 for mate-rials once the project was expanded toinclude two footbridges. The Town ofCarlisle also contributed funds to purchasematerials.

From Potential to ProgressTrail committee members designed thefootbridges, applied for wetland permits

and wrote grant applications. Staff fromthe Carlisle Department of Public Worksand Great Meadows Refuge hauled thematerials to the building sites. And, in agreat display of cooperation and muscle,77 residents from the Town of Carlisle,ages five to 75, worked over two week-ends to build two footbridges spanning320 feet. All told, volunteers contributedmore than 650 hours to the planning andconstruction of these footbridges. Thiswork is in addition to the 40 hours a yeartrail committee members spend clearingfalling trees and trimming brush along the trails.

Now, fragile wetland vegetation along thetrail is protected year-round. The trailgoes through a red maple swamp, pastswamp white oaks, sweet pepperbushshrubs, skunk cabbage, jack-in-the-pulpitsand sedges. Trail walkers can look intothe marshlands along the banks of theConcord River, standing above grass leveland observing edge habitat for migratorybirds. The Trails Committee leads at least

two walks annually on the trail and cross-country ski tours in the winter.

“The dedication and focus of the CarlisleTrails Committee and the generous out-pouring of support and enthusiasm fromtown residents was truly remarkable,”said Herland. “Lots of times people talkabout doing things but rarely get aroundto accomplishing anything. The CarlisleTrails Committee not only talked the talk,but they walked the walk! This projectdid more to build goodwill between therefuge and the town than anything wecould have done on our own.” At the heartof the Carlisle Trails Committee’s work isthe belief that a network of open trailsbenefits both individuals and the town as awhole. Of course, the trails also give visi-tors a better appreciation for wildlife.

“At the Great Meadows Refuge, we havemore support and understanding of ourmission because we worked in partnershipwith the town and its residents, and thatbenefits all of us,” Herland said. ◆

A launching pier at Anahuac Refuge gives canoeists andkayakers access to a 3.8-mile segment of East Bay Bayou.This remote stretch of calm water beneath large overhanginghackberry, willow, water oak and green ash trees offers quietand solitude, along with great wildlife watching andfreshwater fishing. (Michele Whitbeck/USFWS)

grams. Most importantly, the Friendsorganization established an invaluable linkto local communities, helping to fostermany new partnerships. More than 300volunteers contribute in excess of 10,000hours annually, providing labor and in-kind services for many matching grantprograms.

Today, the refuge, the habitat and wildlifeit protects and its trail system and othervisitor facilities are more valued by thecommunity than ever before. That willonly serve to ensure greater success in the future. ◆

Andy Loranger is project leader of the Texas Chenier

Plains National Wildlife Refuge Complex.



By KellyBlackledge

Hundreds of yearsago, countless bat-tles were foughtover the preciousresources on landsthat are now partof Tamarac NWRin northernMinnesota. NativeAmerican Tribes,including theOjibway andDakota Sioux,knew the value ofthe lush beds of

manoomin (wild rice in Ojibway), majes-tic stands of sugar maple and abundantwild game and fish. Historical sitesthroughout Tamarac Refuge chroniclehow well the land provided for its people.

The most significant historic landmarkremaining today is Tamarac Refuge’s two-mile Old Indian Trail, forged by NativeAmericans who made extensive treks intheir quest for maple syrup and wild rice.Whether refuge visitors come to revel atthe sight of warblers, nesting swans andeagles, or hunt ruffed grouse, deer andwaterfowl, they gain a new perspective ontheir outdoor experiences by contemplat-ing the value of Minnesota’s bountiful nat-ural resources to Native Americans.

Early in the spring, before the wildflowerseven peeked through the soil, the Ojibwaybegan their trek to sugarbush, a maplesugar camp on the north end of TamaracLake. It was at least a two-day walk,made by the whole family. The mightymaples were gashed into the sapwood andthe maple sap was collected in birch barkcontainers placed at the base of the trees.A treasured seasoning, the syrup wasoften traded with early settlers. Today,

Following in the Footsteps ofthe OjibwayTamarac Refuge Showcases Native American Traditions

Alaska: Kenai NWR, southeast ofAnchorage, is an Alaska in miniature in itsdiversity of wildlife. It offers twoNational Recreation Canoe Trails — theSwan Lake and Swanson River Canoeroutes — that combine land and waterroutes in the Dave Spencer Unit of theKenai Wilderness. The refuge is alsohome to brown and black bears, caribou,Dall sheep, mountain goats, wolves, lynx,wolverines, eagles and thousands of shore-birds and waterfowl. The refuge was orig-inally established to protect theAlaska-Yukon moose, which still roamsthe land.

Minnesota: Explore the 7.5 miles of thetrail system on Rydell NWR, which pro-

vides a year-round outdoor experience foranyone with accessibility needs. It hasfive distinct loops, of which five miles arepaved. All 7.5 miles are sloped to ADA(Americans with Disabilities Act) stan-dards, with periodic trail shelters for reststops. Trails are opened to hiking, bikingand cross-country skiing. Golf cart toursalong the trails are available for personswith disabilities. The trail system takesvisitors to a Sundew Bog, named for theinsect-eating Round leafed Sundew, one ofthe regionally rare plants sheltered in thispeat bog. Rydell NWR trails also joinedthe family of over 900 NationalRecreational Trails in June. ◆

System boasts 25 Miles– from pg 11

The colorful palette of fallenleaves along Old Indian Trailat Tamarac NWR, MN, is amajor draw for refuge visitorseach fall. (DominiqueBraud/USFWS)


hikers look for swollen bases of the largemaple trees along the ancient path, a signof historic tapping of the trees.

In late summer, Native Americans trav-eled the trail again, often for several days,to reach wild rice camps. During manoo-minike-giizis (the moon of the wild rice),fallen foliage from the maples and oakscreate an amazing palette of color alongthe trail. One branch of the trail followedalong the Ottertail River to a crossing andcampground at the outlet of Rice Lake.Wigwams covered in birch bark were builtfor protection from the weather for thosecleaning, drying and parching the rice.Most of the maple forests in the vicinity ofTamarac Lake were used by the Ojibwayuntil the 1930s, and Tribal members stillharvest wild rice in the traditional way,using canoes.

Whether visitors come to Tamarac Refugefor hiking, hunting, wildlife watching orjust to take in its scenic beauty, they comeaway with a new perspective and appreci-ation for nature by following in the foot-steps of the Ojibway. ◆

Kelly Blackledge is senior park ranger at Tamarac

NWR, MN.

The local Ojibway people still canoe through Tamorac Refuge’s lush rice beds much as theirancestors did for canturies. (Dominique Braud/USFWS)

From the Director– from pg 2

The Refuge Systemhas more than 900water and land trails.

As we work to implement theImprovement Act and expand knowledgeand understanding of the Refuge System,we’re facing new challenges. I’m trulyimpressed by the work that UpperMississippi River National WildlifeRefuge Manager Don Hultman and hisdistrict managers are doing to craft theComprehensive Conservation Plan for thenation’s most visited wildlife refuge. Overthe last few months, they’ve hosted 11public information meetings and a seriesof workshops that have involved morethan 2,500 people. They’re giving refugevisitors’ concerns full weight as they workto develop a plan that will meet the needsof wildlife and people.

I know the good work being done at thatrefuge is repeated time and again atrefuges across the country. You’re doinggreat work, and helping other Americanssee and appreciate the National WildlifeRefuge System is one of your greatestcontributions to the future of conserva-tion.

— Matt Hogan


Oregon: Pacific Region employeesdebuted a specially decorated Sprintervan and exhibit, including a tent, inter-pretive panels and interactive presenta-tion areas, at Tualatin River NWR’sSongbird Festival on May 14, featuringfish and wildlife related to the Lewis andClark expedition. Matt How in Visitor

Services designed the vinyl wrap for thevan and supervised the contracted exhibitdesign and fabrication. AmeriCorpsVolunteer Heather Becker, along withseveral Service employees, managed theexhibit and conducted interpretive pre-sentations for 750 people who attendedthe festival. The van and exhibit willmake more rounds at Lewis and ClarkBicentennial commemorative events inIdaho, Oregon and Washington during2005-2006.

Minnesota and Oklahoma: MinnesotaValley NWR and Deep Fork NWR, OK,partnered with the National Wild TurkeyFederation in April to host special springturkey hunts, pairing youngsters withadult mentors to help them make themost out of their experience. AtMinnesota Valley Refuge, the partnershipalso included the state department of nat-ural resources and private landowners

who provided additional areas for 20youth to hunt within the LowerMinnesota River Valley. At Deep ForkRefuge, the Friends of the Deep ForkNWR also partnered with the refuge andthe turkey federation to make the hunt asuccess in its first year — in fact, five ofsix youngsters harvested a turkey.

North Carolina: PeaIsland NWR debuted itsvirtual online educationprogram in April,attracting more than5,000 students includingclassrooms in 42 states,two Canadian provincesand the UnitedKingdom. “School chil-dren and others from allover the country canembark on a virtual visitto Pea Island Refugeand learn about sea tur-tle conservationefforts,” said WildlifeInterpretive SpecialistAnn Marie Salewski.“Students who maynever have the opportu-nity to visit the ocean

will be able to see the beauty of PeaIsland while learning the important rolerefuges play in wildlife conservation.” Inaddition to a virtual visit to the refuge,the education program included an eFieldTrip Journal and the opportunity to postquestions and joinin a live interac-tive Web chatwith experts.

Alaska: Withhelp from theKwethlukVillage Council,the AlaskaDepartment ofFish and Gameand a luckybreak in theweather, YukonDelta Refugecollared 25

moose with VHF and GPS radio-collars injust over two days in April. TheKwethluk Moose Project is focused on amoose population that has been strug-gling to increase in the lower KuskokwimRiver and its tributaries despite abun-dant habitat. This study is critical sincethe refuge, the fish and game departmentand local villages agreed to a moratoriumon moose hunting starting in 2004. Theproject entails monitoring moose coloniza-tion, movements, habitat use and popula-tion expansion in areas that have goodhabitat but few moose. Establishing ahealthy moose population on the lowerKuskokwim River and gaining an under-standing of the colonization process willgreatly enhance the refuge’s management program and eventually improve subsistence hunting.

Kenai NWR forged an agreement withthe Alaska Office of History andArchaeology to record and interpret theremains of more than 130 historic cabinsscattered across the refuge. Through thepartnership, the refuge will not only beable to restore useable cabins but also go

Aroundthe Refuge

System

The Pacific Region’s specially designed Sprinter van serves as atraveling showcase for Northwest wildlife, part of the Fish and WildlifeService’s efforts to highlight the natural bounty Lewis and Clarkexperienced on their trek across the country 200 years ago. (MattHow/USFWS)

Several thousand students from 42 states, two Canadian provinces and theUnited Kingdom embarked on a recent e-tour of Pea Island NWR, NC, as partof a new online education program. (Ryan Hagerty/USFWS)


the extra step to record all other remainsto foster understanding and appreciationfor the refuge’s historic resources. Onlyabout a dozen cabins are still standing, butthey all record the activities of Dena’inaAthabascan, and Euro-American home-steaders, trappers, hunters, miners andassorted dreamers throughout the late19th and early 20th centuries. In somecases, the belongings of the builders werestill present, providing a unique windowinto the lives of these individuals and thetime period. Archaeologists will recordevery known cabin and remains and thendocument the history of each, includingcompiling old photographs and documents,as well as personal interviews, to tell thestory of the Euro-American settlement ofthe Kenai Peninsula and the opening ofAlaskan Frontier.

Florida: Thanks to a Nature of Learningprogram administered by the NationalFish and Wildlife Foundation, every class-room at Pelican Island Elementary Schoolhad the chance to visit their namesakerefuge this spring and take part in a stew-ardship project on the refuge. A $5,000startup grant enabled the school to hire anenvironmental educator, fund class visitsto Centennial Trail and the special obser-vation deck that allows viewing of thePelican Island rookery and launch a proj-ect for the students to create a native but-terfly garden.

Across the state at St. Marks NWR, col-lege students from Michigan and Indianaparticipating in the National AlternativeSpring Break Program worked withrefuge maintenance staff to construct anew nest platform for breeding least terns.The students also removed six miles ofbarbed wire fence along the old AucillaTram road, picked up garbage along thefreshly burned dikes and trimmed theMounds hiking trail. The AlternativeSpring Break Program, begun in 1991,now involves students from 123 campusesnationwide — an estimated 38,000 thisyear — seeking experience serving in com-munities on a host of social issues.

Oklahoma: More than 100 elementaryschool students inspired by the uniquebeauty of selenite crystals they studiedduring a trip to Salt Plains NWR success-fully petitioned the state legislature tomake it the official state crystal. Theunique hourglass-shaped, sand-inclusionedselenite crystals can be found only on theSalt Plains Refuge. The students’ effortswere bolstered by a valuable connection— one of their mothers is State SenatorKathleen Wilcoxon, who drafted the legis-lation. “I’m so impressed with these chil-dren,” Senator Wilcoxon said, “They haddone their research and found that 15states already have an official gemstone.”The bill passed the legislature and wassigned by Oklahoma Governor BradHenry in April. “What an incredible les-son for these students,” Wilcoxon said,“They’ve learned about geology, geogra-phy, research and state government.”

Washington: In April, a dozenvolunteers — refuge neigh-bors, Friends group membersand others — helped WillapaNWR combat an infestation ofgorse — a spiny weed that cangrow up to 10 feet tall — bypulling up thousands of gorseseedlings before the plantsbecame so large they wouldrequire special equipment toremove. Not only did the vol-unteers keep a popular trailopen on the Leadbetter Unit,where the extremely flamma-ble gorse is a major problem,but they also helped reducethe risk of wildfires. Theirefforts were covered on thefront page of the local newspa-per, the Chinook Observer, andwere so successful that a sec-ond, larger effort is planned forthis summer. “We’ve learnedthat ever since the organizedeffort, several of the volunteershave continued to go up to the trail to helpkeep the gorse in check,” said OutdoorRecreation Planner Kristine Massin.

Arizona: Fourteen Sierra Club memberstraveled from across the U.S. to BuenosAires NWR in March to donate a week’sworth of vital repair and restoration work.Volunteers removed 14,000 linear feet ofbarbed wire fence, 160 feet of hog wireand 235 fence posts left over from ranch-ing operations in Brown Canyon andgrassland sections of the refuge. Thecrew also repaired flood damage onBrown Canyon Road at three creek fords,cut brush to reduce fire hazard aroundbuildings and improved 2,500 feet of hik-ing trails. This is the ninth Sierra Clubwork crew in five years to donate theirtime and effort to the refuge.

Schoolchildren’s experience during a field trip to Salt PlainsNWR to study selenite crystals inspired them to petition thelegislature to have selenite recognized as the official State Crystalof Oklahoma. (USFWS)


By Catherine J. Hibbard

In March, Southern Area CoordinationCenter Meteorologist Kevin Scasny deliv-ered some sobering news to the Fish andWildlife Service’s Southeast Region FireCoordinator Roger Boykin about theupcoming fire season: Puerto Rico washaving the second driest spring in 50years. The drought and an abundance ofdry grass produced by heavy rains theprevious summer and fall suggested thefire season could be red hot.

Primed with this information, Boykindeveloped a regional “severity funding”package. Typically, fire coordinators pre-pare for the fire season using funds allo-cated for preparedness. Faced withabnormally high fire activity or forecastsof such, the Service can provide severityfunding for extraordinary preparednessactivities.

From January 1-March 29, Puerto Ricohad 5,100 fires, more than triple the num-ber last year. The Refuge System Branchof Fire Management approved $270,000 innational severity funding over three two-week periods, allowing the Regional FireOffice to mobilize resources for Cabo Rojo,Culebra and Vieques refuges. An incidentcommander (IC) and IC-trainee from theService, and 6-10 emergency firefighterson temporary hire from local fire depart-ments, were dispatched to each refuge.From mid-March through April alone,more than 50 wildfires blazed. All werecontained to less than 100 acres, thanks tothe severity funding.

The response was facilitated by Servicegrants from the Rural Fire Assistance(RFA) program to five volunteer firedepartments in Puerto Rico. RFA grantshave been available since 2001 to volun-teer fire departments in small, rural com-munities near national wildlife refuges,fish hatcheries and waterfowl productionareas. The grants allow the department

to acquire wildland firefighting equip-ment, supplies and training.

In Puerto Rico, the grants helped train100 volunteers in wildland fire behavior,fire suppression and safety — especiallyimportant because the three refuges donot have fire personnel on staff. Theydepend on the local fire departments forinitial attack of fires.

The events in Puerto Rico last springexemplify how fire season forecasting canbe used effectively to allocate funds andefforts where they are needed most. Inthe Southwest, for example, below normalpotential for wildland fire was predictedfor high elevations, while above normalpotential was forecast for lower elevationsbecause greater-than-expected precipita-tion produced abundant vegetationgrowth that will dry out in the summerand provide fuel for wildfires.

“This isn’t typical,” said Rick Ochoa, fireweather program manager at the NationalInteragency Fire Center in Boise, ID.“Normally the higher elevations are moreat risk. So we had an opportunity here tofocus on prevention efforts at lower eleva-tions.” Ochoa’s program also predictsabove normal potential for wildfires inFlorida and the Pacific Northwest, and anormal to below normal potential in theNortheast.

For more information on the national fireweather outlook, visit www.nifc.gov andclick on “Current Fire Information.” ◆

Catherine J. Hibbard is a refuge program specialist

in the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Northeast

Regional Office.

Fire PreparednessPays Off for PuertoRican Refuges

Predicting FireSeasons Rick Ochoa, fire weather programmanager at the National InteragencyFire Center in Boise, ID, identifiedthree factors that help develop fireseason forecasts.

Weather and related factors: Long-range forecasts from the NationalWeather Service and otherforecasting agencies evaluate rainfallhistory (available for several years insome areas), snow pack andtemperature patterns. Thecombination of very low snow packsand continuing drought escalated therisk of wildfires in the Northwest this year.

Fuel moisture/fire danger: Thegrowth of grass and brush at lowelevations after a wet winter in theSouthwest increased the supply offuel and the wildfire threat. Insect-killed spruce trees in the westernKenai Peninsula of Alaska also pose athreat for high fire potential. Variousinstruments and computer models areused to determine these conditions.

Human Resources: Availability ofpersonnel and equipment forsuppressing wildland fires may beaffected by such weather events asmonsoon season. Fire seasonforecasters consider such events topredict what resources will be availableand where they will be located.

Around the same time as the Culebra fire, another occurred on the Island of Vieques in Puerto Rico,threatening the refuge and the surrounding community. The local fire department and Fish and WildlifeService employees suppressed the fire. (Josh O’Conner)


The recovery effort will cover the bird’shistoric range, focusing on the Big Woodscorridor of central Arkansas, easternTexas’ Big Thicket, Louisiana, Mississippi,Alabama, Florida, southern Georgia andthe Carolinas.

From Extinction to RecoveryThe largest woodpecker in the UnitedStates, the Ivory-billed woodpecker is thesecond largest in the world and had beenone of six species of birds in NorthAmerica thought to be extinct. It oncenested in bottomland swamps and adjacentpine forests throughout the SoutheasternUnited States and Cuba. In this country,the bird ranged from the coastal plain ofNorth and South Carolina, Georgia,Florida, large portions of Alabama,Mississippi and Arkansas, Louisiana, east-ern Texas, western Tennessee, and smallareas of Illinois, Kentucky, Oklahoma andMissouri. By the late 1800s, the Ivory-billed woodpecker was no longer found inOklahoma, Missouri, Illinois or Kentucky.

News of the bird’s rediscovery came fromthe Interior Department, the Cornell Labof Ornithology, The Nature Conservancy,the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

and other members of the Big WoodsConservation Partnership on April 28,when the groups announced they had col-lected evidence of the bird’s existence atCache River Refuge. Their primary evi-dence consists of video footage, while sec-ondary evidence consists of seveneyewitness sightings and audio.Recordings of the bird’s distinctive doublerap and call are still under analysis. Afterconducting its own peer reviews of theevidence, the journal Science publishedthe groups’ findings on its Web site onApril 28, following up with a feature in theJune 3 issue of the journal.

Following credible reports of sightings ofthe bird, a multi-partner team spent morethan a year searching in the Big Woods ofArkansas. The evidence collected led sci-entists to conclude that the Ivory-billedwoodpecker is now present in that area.

The team was led by Dr. John Fitzpatrick,director of the Cornell Laboratory ofOrnithology, and Scott Simon, Arkansasstate director of The Nature Conservancy,with assistance from the Service,Arkansas Game and Fish Commission andthe Arkansas Natural HeritageCommission.

Given the excitement over the woodpeck-er’s return, Cache River Refuge is takingsteps to ensure the bird’s protection whileallowing birders to share in the joy of thismomentous discovery. While determiningthe appropriate level of use, the refugehas established a 5,000-acre managedaccess area within the 65,000-acre refuge.Five refuge access points and maps areavailable for visitors hoping to catch aglimpse of the woodpecker. The refuge isworking with partners to provide publicfacilities to make viewing easier. ◆

Ivory Billed Woodpecker– from pg 1

Ivory-Billed Woodpecker RecoveryTeam Executive CommitteeO Sam Hamilton, Southeast

Regional Director of the Fishand Wildlife Service and chair ofthe recovery team’s executivecommittee

O John Bridgeland, President andCEO, Civic Enterprises, andrecently assistant to thePresident of the United Statesand the first Director of the USAFreedom Corps

O Brig. General Robert Crear,District Engineer, U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers

O Nancy Delamar, Director ofExternal Affairs, The NatureConservancy’s south centraldivision

O Kirk Duppes, board member,National Fish and WildlifeFoundation

O Dr. John Fitzpatrick, Director,Cornell University Laboratoryof Ornithology and co-leader ofthe search effort in Arkansas

O Scott Henderson, Director,Arkansas Game and FishCommission

O Dr. Peter Roussopoulos,Director, Forest Service’ssouthern research station

O Dr. James Tate, Science Advisor,Interior Secretary Gale Norton

O Larry Wiseman, President andCEO, American ForestFoundation

Trying to catch a glimpse, crew members waded inwaist-deep water and mounted tree perches. (Mark Godfrey/TNC)


By Shawn Gillette

Skippy Reeves, project leader of theOkefenokee and Banks Lake NWRs, GA,retired June 30, leaving an indelible legacyof effective partnerships and leadership.

Since his boyhood days hunting and fish-ing in the Piedmont hills around Macon,GA, Reeves aspired to be outdoors. HisForestry and Wildlife Managementdegree from the University of Georgiafocused his career pursuit, leading to posi-tions with the Georgia Department ofNatural Resources, the U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers and the CooperativeExtension Unit of Alabama.

His 20-year career with the Fish andWildlife Service included assignments atSt. Marks NWR, FL, and the MississippiSandhill Crane NWR. In 1987, Reevestransferred to Atlanta, where he coordi-nated the Regional Fire Program forsoutheastern refuges. He became refugemanager at Okefenokee in 1993.

Reeves’ approach to team-building tran-scends the refuge to include numerouspartners. “Some of the issues facingOkefenokee also affect other lands downstream,” said Kirk Webster, deputy execu-tive director of the Suwannee RiverWater Management District in Florida.“Skippy recognizes that management of anatural system means going beyond politi-cal and state boundaries.”

When the DuPont Mining Company pro-posed establishing a strip mine on landsimmediately adjacent to OkefenokeeRefuge in 1997, Reeves’ collaborativemanagement style was effective in bring-ing about a resolution, but he is quick topoint out that this conservation victorywould not have been accomplished with-out assistance from others. “Never in ourwildest dreams could we have hoped to dothis without the help of the local communi-ty, private landowners and businesses,The Conservation Fund, and of course, theDuPont Mining Company itself,” Reevessaid. “We made a difference because weworked together.”

Additionally, Reeves worked with repre-sentatives of the various water resourceagencies that manage the SuwanneeRiver, which originates within OkefenokeeRefuge. Together, they formed theSuwannee Basin Interagency Alliance,which brought together a coalition ofGeorgia and Florida agencies to collabo-rate on issues affecting the river andwater quality.

“Skippy recognizes the value of an individ-ual,” added Webster. “He meets with indi-viduals from all sides of an issue andsuccessfully brings them together in a col-laborative process for problem-solving. Ittakes a unique personality to accomplishthis, and Skippy possesses that in abundance.”

Working CollaborativelyWhen fire within the refuge threatenedvaluable private timber resources outsidethe refuge, Skippy worked with the vari-

ous private landowners to form theGreater Okefenokee Association ofLandowners (GOAL) in 1994. GOALmembers worked together to form a coor-dinated fire suppression system andestablish measures that aid in the preven-tion of future wildland fires. GOAL con-tinues to be active today, and cooperativeefforts have expanded to include endan-gered species surveys and joint mainte-nance projects.

“Skippy has the ability to step back andsee an issue from all sides, not just thegovernment side,” said Wesley Langdale,vice president of the LangdaleCorporation. “Then he works with allviewpoints involved to reach a solutionthat works for everybody. In the end, it’sthe team that gets the credit for the suc-cesses, but Skippy deserves a large part of it.”

The list of Reeves’ honors is long and dis-tinguished, including an On-the-Spot andother awards from the Fish and WildlifeService for resolving sensitive issuesrelated to the DuPont Mining proposal in1997, a commendation award from theGovernor of Georgia for his work with theSRWMD, an Interior DepartmentSuperior Service Award for outstandingleadership and outreach in 2000, a UnitAward for Excellence in Service in recog-nition of his management of the BlackjackBay Complex Fire, and most recently theWildlife Conservationist of the Yearaward from the National WildlifeFederation.

“Over the years, I’ve learned how impor-tant it is to get all viewpoints on an issueand then help people realize their commoninterests and go from there,” said Reeves.“That has helped us get through many achallenge at Okefenokee, at the same timehelping the refuge reach its potential as aninternationally acclaimed treasure.” ◆

Shawn Gillette is a refuge ranger at Okefenokee and

Banks Lakes NWRs, GA.

Leadership that Makes a DifferenceSkippy Reeves Retires from Okefenokee Refuge

Okefenokee Refuge Manager Skippy Reeves retiredin June after 20 years with the Fish and WildlifeService. He earned respect from peers and partnersalike for bringing people together to reach consensuson challenging management issues. (USFWS)


Hopper Mountain Refuge Shares Expertise with JapaneseBy Denise Stockton

Hopper Mountain NWRC, CA, hostedthree members of Japan’s fledging whitecrested ibis recovery program for a weekin March, giving them a firsthand look atthe captive breeding work of theCalifornia Condor Recovery Program,which is managed at the refuge. The visitlaunched an active working relationship.

Following the visit, Hopper MountainRefuge staff sent the Japanese teamCalifornia condor release protocols andput them in touch with California CentralValley rice farmers, who provide wetlandhabitat for wildlife by using innovativeland management practices.

The white crested ibis, known as the Tokiin Japanese and extinct in the wild in thatcountry, is a bird with significant historicaland cultural value to the Japanese. TheToki Project, considered by Japan’sMinistry of the Environment as one ofthat country’s most important conserva-tion efforts, is currently in a captivebreeding phase at the Sado TokiConservation Center, located on SadoIsland off the western coast of Japan. Thecenter has produced more than 50 birdsfrom just three founding birds obtainedfrom China. Scientists hope to reintro-duce birds into the wild on Sado Island ina couple of years.

Like the Toki, the California condor, alsoof cultural and historical value, nearlybecame extinct. Both species declinedfrom loss of habitat, pesticide use, beingkilled for their feathers or because theywere thought to be responsible for the lossof crops and livestock. Many of thesethreats can be ameliorated through publiceducation. The Condor Program has hadan active outreach program since itsbeginning.

Realizing the importance of education, theToki Project team was eager to discussthe public perceptions and resulting out-reach efforts that affect the CondorProgram. One educational challenge forToki reintroduction is Japanese rice farm-

ers’ belief that the birds damage riceseedlings.

The Japanese delegation met with variousCondor Program partners, saw condorfield reintroduction around the HopperMountain Refuge and visited breedingfacilities at the Los Angeles Zoo, SanDiego Wild Animal Park and the SanDiego Zoo. The team took a tour of theWestern Foundation of VertebrateZoology, another Condor Program partnerand site of the world’s largest collection ofbird eggs. The Japanese delegationincluded Junko Chida, chief of the min-istry’s wildlife protection section, NiigataWildlife Office; Kumiko Yoneda, seniorresearch scientist with the Japan WildlifeResearch Center; and Ichiro Aoyama, araptor specialist.

“Reintroducing species that have goneextinct in the wild is a complicated processand the Condor Program and Toki Project

share some of the same challenges,” saidProject Leader Marc Weitzel. “We hopethat our experiences through trial anderror can help the Japanese. We look for-ward to supporting the Toki Project asthey transition to the reintroduction phaseof recovery.” ◆

Denise Stockton is an outdoor recreation planner at

Hopper Mountain NWRC, CA.

Known as the Toki in Japanese, the white crested ibis is extinct in the wild in Japan, where the Ministry of theEnvironment is working to help the bird make a comeback. Hopper Mountain Refuge, CA, is advising theJapanese based on efforts to recover the California condor. (Japan Ministry of the Environment)


Interior Secretary Gale Norton madeBlackwater NWR, MD, one of her EarthDay stopovers on April 18. Workingalongside volunteers, the Secretary andCongressman Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD)planted marsh vegetation as part of anongoing wetlands restoration effort.

Responding to decades of wetlands degra-dation, the Fish and Wildlife Service andpartners are developing plans to restore8,000 acres of refuge wetlands in theBlackwater River watershed, hoping thearea can once again live up to its commonmoniker as the “Everglades of the North.”

Secretary Norton also toured part of a900-acre hazardous fuels reduction projectat the refuge made possible by theHealthy Forests Restoration Act signedby President Bush in 2003. The projectreduced excessive fuel loads to reduce therisk of uncontrolled wildfires. In addition,she participated in the reforestation of a55-acre forested wetland, an area dam-aged by a tornado in 2001 — a projectsupported by a 2003 Interior DepartmentCooperative Conservation InitiativeGrant.

Broad and successful partnerships madeBlackwater Refuge an appealing site forthe Secretary’s tour, with longstandingconservation projects supported bygroups ranging from the Chesapeake BayFoundation to the Boy Scouts of America,from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineersto Ducks Unlimited.

“We have a big job to do here atBlackwater and in the surrounding com-munity to help these forested wetlandsand marshes live up to their potential asworld-class habitat,” said Glenn Carowan,project leader for the ChesapeakeMarshlands NWRC. “We’re fortunate tohave a lot of partners and conservation-minded citizens here in the ChesapeakeBay area.”

Bringing Back the MarshBlackwater Refuge, established in 1933and now comprising more than 27,000

acres, is designated aWetland of InternationalImportance under theRamsar Convention andone of The NatureConservancy’s “Last GreatPlaces,” as well as a priori-ty wetland area under theNorth American WaterfowlManagement Plan. Evenwith this recognition andsupport, the challenges canbe overwhelming.According to Carowan, therefuge has lost 8,000 acresof highly productive marsh-land over the last severaldecades due to rising sealevels, subsidence, erosion,saltwater intrusion andinvasive species.

“We’re still losing 500-1,000 acres of wetlandseach year,” said Carowan,“but we’re hopeful that some of our newefforts are going to help us make a turn-around.”

Carowan was referring to two experimen-tal wetlands restoration efforts thatinvolved using clean sediment materialfrom another area of the refuge to restore12 acres in the 1980s and another 15 acresin 2003. These experimental effortsinvolved the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers, National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration, MarylandDepartment of Natural Resources,National Fish and Wildlife Foundation,National Aquarium in Baltimore, Friendsof Blackwater and Ducks Unlimited.Restoration was highly successful.

Carowan and a host of partners are work-ing with the Corps of Engineers on aneffort to restore 8,000 acres of Blackwatermarshlands using clean dredge materialfrom Maryland shipping channels, return-ing what are now lakes back to marsh-lands. The Corps is currently reviewingpublic comments on a draft

Environmental Impact Statement to useclean dredged material from Port ofBaltimore shipping channels to help fill inopen water at Blackwater Refuge andallow revegetation for marshlandsrestoration.

The EIS is just one hurdle, however,because even if Blackwater is chosen asone of the sites for dredge placement, aseparate feasibility study will need to becompleted before the work can commence.The good news is non-federal partnershave indicated they may be willing toshare the $5 million needed for the Corpsto complete the feasibility study.

“It will be a long road to make this hap-pen, but in the end, when we see themarsh and the birds return, it will beworth it,” said Carowan. ◆

Secretary Norton VisitsBlackwater Refuge for Earth Day

Interior Secretary Norton celebrated Earth Day by working alongsiderefuge volunteers planting vegetation in one of Blackwater Refuge’smany forested wetlands. (Tami A. Heilemann/DOI)


Scholarships Support Coral Reef ConservationBy Steve Farrell

The National Wildlife Refuge Systemwelcomed two recipients of the SecondAnnual Governor Tauese P.F. SuniaMemorial Coral Reef ConservationSummer Internship Awards in June. Theinternships support programs to improvemanagement of 14 refuges with coral reefecosystem resources, including coral reefs,associated hard bottom habitats, seagrassmeadows, mangrove forests and estuaries.

Kassandra Cerveny, a Daytona Beach,FL, native and graduate student attend-ing the University of Puerto Rico, andTiffany Robinson, a Honolulu, HI, nativeand undergraduate attending WesternWashington University in Bellingham, arethe Sunia Scholarship recipients.

Led by the Refuge System’s MarineProgram Specialist, Andrew Gude, theSunia scholars will spend the summer ana-lyzing coral reef resource issues from theRefuge System’s headquarters inArlington, VA.

Cerveny will investigate the history ofNavassa Island NWR and produce awhite paper summarizing the marine biol-ogy, geography, natural history andhuman use of the Caribbean refuge. The

white paper will include proposed man-agement strategies and foster cooperativeconservation of this spectacular coral reefecosystem.

Robinson will develop a comprehensiveanalysis of the Refuge System’s coral reefmanagement programs. She will compileand analyze the coral reef ecosystemresources and management activities forall refuges with coral reefs and associatedhabitats. The analysis will provide infor-mation about natural and culturalresources and challenges, in addition tomarine recreation opportunities for use ineducation materials.

The Department of the Interior Office ofInsular Affairs funds the SuniaScholarship. Awards are based on profes-sional experience, academic background,an essay and letters of recommendation.The selection committee matches candi-dates’ aspirations with the coral reef con-servation and management priorities ofthe U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. ◆

Steve Farrell is a communications specialist in the

Division of Visitor Services and Communications in

Refuge System Headquarters.

Kassandra Cerveny

Tiffany Robinson

Refuge System’s Coral ReefsO The 14 national wildlife refuges that

have coral reef ecosystems withintheir boundaries are considered thecrown jewels of the U.S. coralholdings and total about 3 millionacres.

O Among the nation’s most remote andpristine possessions, the “coral reef”refuges include, for example, theRemote Pacific Islands Complexencompassing Baker Island,Howland Island, Jarvis Islandrefuges, the atolls of Palymra,

Johnston and Rose Atolls, andKingman Reef, and Key Deer, KeyWest and Great White Heronrefuges in the lower Florida Keys.

O The Pacific, Hawaii and Navassanational wildlife refuges are naturallaboratory ecosystems that serve asbenchmarks against which otherfished and developed areas arecompared for coral health andpredator and species assemblages.

USFWS-NWRS4401 North Fairfax Dr. Room 634CArlington, VA 22203-1610

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Send Us Your CommentsLetters to the Editor or suggestions about Refuge Update can be e-mailed [email protected] or mailed to Refuge Update, USFWS-NWRS, 4401 North Fairfax Dr., Room 634C, Arlington, VA 22203-1610.

realized that the young bat could be rein-troduced into its natural environment, andbegan to work with the Fish and WildlifeService’s Ecological Services Office inHonolulu to have it transferred into theService’s care.

Brooke and two volunteers, JenniferFarley and Dusty Janecke, constructed alarge cage with room for the bat to fly andplaced it in a sheltered area near a cliffface on a part of Guam NWR that isclosed to public access. In late December,Brooke and her team took over as thebat’s foster parents.

The team visited the bat several times aday and fed her a variety of native fruits,weaning her off the apples and orangesshe had grown accustomed to eating.Brooke encouraged the young bat to flythrough activities designed to strengthenher wings, and even introduced her to abrown tree snake, a predator of youngbats. Feeling rain and wind and seeingthe world at night were all new experi-ences for the young bat.

In late January, the team decided it wastime for the bat to strike out on her own.

They left the cage open, and as teammembers took pictures, she flew up into atree and climbed to the top. They left foodand water in the tree. By morning thefood had been eaten and the young bathad flown away for good.

The Mariana fruit bat was listed as endan-gered on Guam in 1984, but subsequentresearch showed that the bats movebetween Guam and the NorthernMarianas, so the Service reclassified theGuam population as threatened in 2005and also listed the Northern Marianaspopulation as threatened. ◆

Susan Saul is an outreach specialist in External

Affairs in the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pacific

Regional Office.

Chief’s Corner– from pg 2

when George Benson, the reservationwarden at Malheur National WildlifeRefuge in Oregon, strapped his canoe tohis motorcycle’s sidecar, not only was heheaded for one of our water trails, buthe also was probably among the first touse an auto trail.

Early in my career, I had the chance toplay an active role in the developmentof the national trails program. My expe-rience in the purchase and acquisition ofparts of the Appalachian NationalScenic Trail, which runs throughWallkill River National Wildlife Refugein New Jersey, helped me appreciatethe value of trails. Today, the Fish andWildlife Service has special interest intrails because they bring people closerto their lands through boardwalks, autotrails, accessible trails and other facilityenhancements. For the first time, fed-eral legislation will allow the RefugeSystem to spend transportation moneyin FY 2006 for the maintenance andimprovement of our trails network.

The decision comes none too soon.Americans, conscious of their health andenamored of their lands, don their hikingboots, pack their tackle boxes, round upthe family and take to the trails. TheRefuge System stands ready to welcomeand orient visitors who find our trails thebest way to meet the world of wildlife.

Wildlife Biologist Anne Brooke, a fruit bat expert,holds an orphaned Mariana fruit bat that she helpedraise and reintroduce to the wild. (MattBrown/USFWS)

Foster Parents– from pg 7

july/august 2005 vol 2, no 4 a new line on refuge fishing ...€¦ · the refuge system has always...

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