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Update from the Gulf of Mexico
Last month I flew to Louisiana and Alabama to witness firsthand the impacts that the BP oil spill has had on wildlife and our national wildlife refuges along the Gulf Coast. Accompanied by a small film crew and escorted by dedicated Fish and Wildlife Staff we visited Delta and Breton NWRs in Louisiana, and Bon Secour NWR in Alabama.
My first impression upon visiting the region was amazement at the incredible bounty of wildlife that make the Gulf home. Tens of thousands of brown pelicans and laughing gulls nest on Breton NWR in the Chandeleur Islands. Known for their clumsy aerial acrobats and impressive feat of being able to pluck fish directly from the ocean, pelicans look nearly prehistoric at first glance, yet upon closer inspection possess a rare grace and beauty that was surely not lost on those who designated the pouched seabird to be the emblem of Louisiana. Only recently taken off the endangered species list, these birds really are the face of the disaster.
The exact toll of the spill may be never fully known. On the surface, a combination of fortuitous events prevented the disaster from becoming an all-out catastrophe. Rains in the Midwest helped swell the grand Mississippi, pushing oil away from many fragile coastal marshes, and the warm climate helps degrade oil more rapidly. The hard work of Fish and Wildlife Service staff and other agencies to boom off beaches and wetlands prevented oil from visibly affecting many federally managed lands in the Gulf, and drastic measures to protect and relocate hatchling sea-turtles prevented the loss of an entire generation. Playing an integral role in these preventative measures have been Refuge Volunteers and Friends groups, such as the Friends of Bon Secour, who have worked hard to relocate turtles and restore fragile dune ecosystems.
Yet amid the positive news that the well has finally been capped, you only need to scratch the surface to see that many more questions remain. At Bon Secour NWR, we were shown beaches that appeared to be free of oil, yet layers of congealed and weathered oil began to emerge once you dug down a few inches into the sand. Likewise, while the widespread and unprecedented use of dispersants helped prevent most of the oil from reaching beaches, out of sight does not necessarily mean out of harm’s way. Scientists fear that as microbes digest the millions of gallons of dispersed oil in the water column they have the potential to suck all of the oxygen from the water - possibly making vast tracts of open ocean inhospitable to life.
Even as BP continues to be on the hook financially for Gulf Coast recovery efforts, the immediacy of the disaster shifted federal resources away from many important wildlife conservation projects. At the peak of the response efforts, almost 800 FWS staff were deployed in the Gulf to address the oil spill, approaching 10% of the overall FWS workforce nationwide. This means that across the country, conservation projects far removed from any real impacts of the oil spill were being put on hold. Extremely time sensitive recovery efforts for endangered species like the red-cockaded woodpecker, one of the few birds endemic to and found exclusively in the United States, could face major setbacks.
Throughout my visit to the Gulf it was readily apparent that the Fish and Wildlife Service staff deployed throughout the Gulf are true silent heroes of the BP disaster. For an agency already short on money and manpower, the repercussions could continue to ripple throughout the Refuge System and have an adverse affect on our wildlife and wild lands for years to come.
Looking forward, the Administration and Congress should recognize the hard work that public servants in the Fish and Wildlife Service and on our national wildlife refuges put in every day to protect these species we care so much about - like the brown pelican - that have come to symbolize not only a locality or a region, but also a culture and way of life. In a time of crisis and with limited resources, the USFWS has proven to be more than capable. Now is the time to invest and insure our National Wildlife Refuge System remains the best and brightest newtork of public lands devoted to protecting wildlife.
Footage from our trip to the Gulf will be released as part of a short film in September. To see photographs from the trip featured in the slideshow above visit: http://nwra.zenfolio.com.
Onward and upward!
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Apply for a Friends Gulf Spill Grant
Since the start of the BP oil spill disaster, concerned citizens and Refuge Friends across the country have donated generously to NWRA’s Oil Spill Response Fund. While the crude may have stopped gushing from the underwater well, the effects of the oil spill on wildlife and Gulf communities will be felt for years to come.
If your refuge is one of the 39 the FWS identified as at risk to be impacted by oil, we want to know how your Friends Group is participating in the response. Is your group conducting additional cleanups, restoring or enhancing habitats, implementing turtle patrols, assisting FWS staff with inventory and monitoring, obtaining additional training, or otherwise involved in oil spill related activities? Have you incurred additional expenses? Please remember the NWRA’s Gulf Oil Spill Response Fund. You can apply to this fund for reimbursement of your expenses. Contact NWRA Director of Grassroots Outreach, Joan Patterson, jpatterson@refugeassociation.org, for more information.
The Friends of Bon Secour NWR in Alabama received NWRA’s first Respsonse Fund grant in June to help pay for restoration to stabilize the refuge’s fragile sand dunes and attempt to keep oil out of wetlands. One of the first Gulf coast wildlife refuges to be impacted by the BP oil gusher, Bon Secour is home to endangered sea turtles, rare least terns, and the endangered Alabama beach mouse. Click here for more information.
We also want to hear from Friends outside the Gulf on the ways you are assisting at your local refuge as refuge staff have deployed to the Gulf. At the height of deployment for FWS employees, almost 10% of staff nationwide were in the Gulf so we know this had a ripple impact on all refuges – please let us know how your group has been helping fill this void.
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Buy a Duck Stamp “Cachet” to Support Gulf Coast Restoration
Last month, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar unveiled a special envelope to be sold with the newest Federal Duck Stamp, with the proceeds to be used to benefit Gulf Coast restoration.
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Proceeds from this special envelope will help fund Gulf Coast restoration. ©FWS
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The “cachet” features a stunning silk-rendered image of St. Marks NWR on the Gulf Coast of Florida, taken by NWRA Refuge Photo Contest runner-up David Moynahan. The Federal Duck Stamp itself features an American widgeon by Maryland artist Robert Bealle. The special envelope was unveiled at an event in Memphis, with attendees including Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, CEO of Ducks Unlimited and former Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Dale Hall, and NWRA President Evan Hirsche, and included a field trip to nearby Wapanocca NWR.
The Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, also known as the “Duck Stamp,” was established in 1934 during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt as a federal waterfowl-hunting license whose proceeds went to buy wetlands for duck conservation on national wildlife refuges. Today, the Duck Stamp still protects waterfowl habitat but also serves a much larger purpose and is one of the most successful conservation programs in America. Ninety-eight cents out of every dollar generated by the sale of these stamps goes directly to acquire wetland habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since it started, over $750 million has been raised to protect over 5.3 million acres of wetland and grassland habitat!
The Federal Duck Stamp and Limited Edition Cachet can be purchased for $25 at http://www.duckstamp.com.
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House Committee Proposes Flat Funding for Next Year’s Refuge Budget but Boosts Land Acquisition
On July 22nd, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies unexpectedly passed their recommendations for the proposed Fiscal Year 2011 spending bill. Refuge System funding was left flat at $503 million, but Refuge System land acquisition received a much needed $68 million boost through an increase in the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to $518 million for next year. Unfortunately, flat funding for the Refuge System’s Operations and Maintenance account is essentially a cut of at least $15 million due to annual costs to maintain management capabilities on refuges nationwide.
Although nothing is scheduled, the Interior bill could be voted on in the full Appropriations committee after the August recess and potentially go all the way to the House floor. The Senate took no action before they adjourned for the August recess but they could bring up the matter when they return in September.
Below is a quick summary of what the House Subcommittee passed. While hardly what we had hoped for, the funding for Operations and Maintenance for the Refuge System is at least better than the President's request. Unfortunately, although the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is up $68 million from last year to $518 million for FY11, this is $72 million LESS than the President's request. The full list of LWCF funding below is followed by Construction projects, which include large-scale restoration projects. Further breakdown of funding within the FWS and Refuge System will be available after the full Committee votes on the bill.
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND:
| State |
Refuge |
LWCF Allocation |
| AK |
Alaska NWRs (inc. Yukon Delta NWR) |
$2,000,000 |
| AL |
Cahaba River NWR |
$500,000 |
| AR |
Cache River NWR |
$3,000,000 |
| CA |
Sacramento River NWR |
$1,300,000 |
| CA |
San Diego NWR |
$1,500,000 |
| CA |
San Joaquin River NWR |
$2,500,000 |
| CA |
Stone Lakes NWR |
$750,000 |
| FL |
St. Marks NWR |
$1,000,000 |
| GA |
Savannah NWR |
$1,375,000 |
| IL |
Cypress Creek NWR |
$500,000 |
| IL/MO |
Middle Mississippi NWR |
$500,000 |
| LA |
Red River NWR |
$1,000,000 |
| LA |
Upper Ouachita NWR |
$3,000,000 |
| MA/NH/VT/CT |
Silvio O. Conte NFWR |
$6,000,000 |
| MD |
Blackwater NWR |
$2,500,000 |
| MN |
Minnesota Valley NWR |
$750,000 |
| MN/IA |
Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR |
$1,500,000 |
| MN/WI/IA/IL |
Upper Mississippi NW&FR |
$2,500,000 |
| MT |
Red Rock Lakes NWR |
$3,000,000 |
| MT |
Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Area |
$7,223,000 |
| NH/ME |
Lake Umbagog NWR |
$2,000,000 |
| OH |
Ottawa NWR |
$750,000 |
| OK |
Ozark Plateau NWR |
$500,000 |
| PA |
Cherry Vallley NWR |
$500,000 |
| SC |
Waccamaw NWR |
$2,125,000 |
| TN |
Chickasaw NWR |
$500,000 |
| TX |
Balcones Canyonlands NWR |
$2,000,000 |
| TX |
Laguna Atascosa NWR |
$1,000,000 |
| TX |
Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR |
$2,500,000 |
| TX |
San Bernard NWR - Austin's Woods Unit |
$4,000,000 |
| TX |
Trinity River NWR |
$1,500,000 |
| VA |
Rappahhanock River Valley NWR |
$1,000,000 |
| WA |
Nisqually NWR |
$1,500,000 |
| WA |
Turnbull NWR |
$1,640,000 |
| WA |
Willapa NWR |
$1,500,000 |
| WY |
Cokeville Meadows NWR |
$500,000 |
CONSTRUCTION:
| State or Territory |
Refuge |
Project |
Construction Allocation |
| AK |
Kenai NWR |
Visitor Facility |
$2,448,000 |
| AR |
Pond Creek NWR |
Maintenance Shop |
$1,030,000 |
| CA |
Kern NWR |
Poso Creek Weir |
$550,000 |
| CA |
San Luis NWR |
Water monitoring Stations |
$245,000 |
| CA |
Don Edwards San Francisco Bay NWR |
Salt Ponds Restoration |
$2,150,000 |
| Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) |
Marianas Trench Marine NM |
Visitor Center |
$500,000 |
| MI |
Detroit River |
Youth Center |
$1,250,000 |
| WA |
Turnbull NWR |
Dam |
$1,250,000 |
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House Passes Legislation in Response to Oil Spill – Includes Full Funding for LWCF
On Friday, July 30th, in response to the runaway BP oil well in the Gulf, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3534, the Consolidated Land, Energy and Aquatic Resources Act or CLEAR Act. Within the bill were several provisions to help wildlife impacted by the devestation in the Gulf as well as full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), one of the most important ways the Refuge System acquires lands and water rights.
The bill helps wildlife and the people of the Gulf Coast in a number of ways. Of particular importance for the Refuge System, the bill would:
- Fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million annually without being subject to annual appropriations. Appropriators will still determine the percentage for federal and state projects including refuge land acquisitions, as well as what projects ultimately are funded every year;
- Give national wildlife refuges the ability to collect and keep funds for damages from oil spills;
- Provide $1.2 billion to fund a "Gulf Coast Restoration Program" and create a Gulf Restoration Task Force to bring together Gulf Coast Governors and representatives from the FWS and other agencies to develop a restoration plan with large-scale restoration projects for the Mississippi River Delta for Congressional approval.
If you’re curious about how your U.S. Representative voted, click here for a spreadsheet.
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Safeguards are needed to protect species like sea turtles and prevent future disasters from occuring ©Mike Reynolds, Friends of Bon Secour
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A companion bill, S. 3663, was introduced in the Senate but time ran out before the chamber could consider the measure. It is expected they may return to the bill as soon as they return the week of September 13th. Within the Senate bill are also provisions to dramatically increase funding for LWCF as well as the National Wildlife Refuge System Resource Protection Act of 2010, which would allow the Refuge System, through the Department of the Interior, to sue for damages resulting from the loss of a Refuge System resource. The Refuge System would have to show in court that the responsible party acted with negligence, but any settlement reached could be used to restore Refuge System resources to the condition prior to the damage or to place a monetary value upon any resource that cannot be restored or replaced. The bill would also allow the monitoring of the resource until it is determined to be whole again.
Another important aspect of the Senate bill would allow up to $5 million annually for the FWS from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, the fund created after the Exxon-Valdez spill, to ensure FWS is prepared for another disaster. This funding could be used for inventory and monitoring and other capacity needs of refuges where oil spills could have an impact. Tragically, no refuge had a comprehensive baseline inventory of their resources prior to the BP spill; refuge staff scrambled ahead of the oil to do basic inventories of birds, mammals, insects, fish and plants as well as water quality. This modification to the original Oil Pollution Act of 1990 would ensure these refuges have at least some resources for inventories every year. In the event of another major spill, the amount goes up to $20 million for a total of $25 million.
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NWRA Welcomes New Staff
NWRA is pleased to welcome two new staff members, Badge Blackett and Maribeth Oakes.
Arthur “Badge” Blackett joined the NWRA staff on August 1st as our new Project Manager for Landscape Conservation Programs. An experienced and successful practitioner of ecosystem services markets with more than 25 years of real estate experience protecting natural and historic resources around the country, Badge brings a strong commitment to develop and strengthen the connections between those markets and the Beyond the Boundaries program.
Previously, Badge was Vice President and Senior Investment Producer for MMA Sustainable Land Investments, where he negotiated a national portfolio of investments, primarily in wetlands mitigation and species conservation banks. Prior to SLI, Badge worked for the Trust for Public Land. As the Director of Projects and Senior Project Manager for TPL’s New England Region he completed close to 100 conservation transactions across the spectrum of New England’s natural, historic and cultural landscapes: from large wilderness tracts along the Appalachian Trail in Maine, to farms and community forests in dozens of southern New England towns, to museums, parks, and trail conversions in several of the region’s cities.
Badge holds a B.A. from Colorado College and an M.B.A. from Babson College. He can be contacted at bblackett@refugeassociation.org.
Also joining NWRA’s staff is Maribeth Oakes, who is serving as NWRA’s Conference Coordinator in preparation for the upcoming National Wildlife Refuge System “Vision” conference next summer.
Maribeth has over 20 years of legislative and program experience advocating for environmental protections and public education and has been active in the local Friends community with the Friends of Patuxent NWR. Most recently, she directed The Wilderness Society’s Wildlife Refuge Program, establishing and implementing the program’s goals of increasing federal funding for the operation of the Refuge System and land acquisition opportunities, strengthening federal agency stewardship policies, protecting sensitive lands and water from inappropriate development and promoting new wilderness designations. From 2003 to 2006, Maribeth served as Director of the Sierra Club’s Lands Protection Team where she provided oversight and direction on a variety of habitat and landscape protection and restoration campaigns.
A graduate of West Chester University in Pennsylvania, Maribeth received a degree in political science. She worked 18 years for the National PTA and directed the PTA’s governmental relations office in Washington, DC before shifting her focus to advocate for protection of our nation’s public lands and wildlife refuges.
Maribeth now lives in Takoma Park, MD. She can be reached at moakes@refugeassociation.org.
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NWRA Thanks Our Summer Intern
The Refuge Association extends special thanks to our intern Julia Czech for her hard work and dedication this summer at NWRA. Julia has been involved in many exciting projects over the past two months, including providing daily oil spill updates, drafting new web pages for NWRA’s “Beyond the Boundaries” programs, and attending mark-ups and hearings on the Hill.
A New Jersey native and rising senior at the University of Richmond, Julia is an art history and leadership double major with a minor in classical studies. She first became interested in landscape conservation work while volunteering at the National Elk Refuge in Wyoming in high school. NWRA has definitely benefited from her research, writing, observations, and insights, and we wish her the best as she returns to her studies.
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Three Sisters Springs Permanently Protected
Critical West Indian manatee habitat at the 57.8-acre Three Sisters Springs property in Crystal River, Florida, has been permanently protected and will be managed by Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. The result of a multiyear effort, this success showcases how diverse partners can come together to orchestrate a major conservation victory.
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Hundreds of West Indian manatees congregate in Three Sisters Springs every winter - now to be protected as a national wildlife refuge. ©Keith Ramos
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The Three Sisters Springs property is one of the most important parcels of manatee habitat in Florida, and has long been an NWRA priority. During chilly winter months hundreds of manatees seek refuge from the cold in the warm springs of Three Sisters Springs. Nestled amid suburban subdivisions, the property was threatened by a 485-unit condominium development, which could have destroyed one of the best places in Florida to see large concentrations of manatees during the winter.
Funding for the $10.5 million project came from a variety of sources: $3.3 million in federal funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the North America Wetlands Conservation Act, secured with the help of U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz; nearly $5 million in state funding from the Florida Forever / Florida Communities Trust program and the Southwest Florida Water Management District; $300,000 from the City of Crystal River, Citrus County and the Citrus County Tourist Development Council; and nearly $2 million from the Felburn Foundation. The Conservation Fund played a critical role in negotiating the transaction and providing project leadership, and additional support came from Jane’s Trust, the Brunckhorst Foundation, the Milton and Tamar Maltz Family Foundation and many individuals in the local community.
For more information, read our press release.
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NWRA Announces 2010 Photo Contest
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This image of northern harriers at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge took first place in the 2009 NWRA Refuge Photo Contest.
©Ted Steinke
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NWRA is pleased to announce the launch of the 2010 Refuge Photo contest. In its fifth year, the annual photo contest has drawn thousands of entries from amateur and professional digital photographers from all over the country. Past contests have yielded stunning images of wildlife and habitat that showcase the natural splendor of America’s national wildlife refuges.
The grand prize for this year’s contest includes two round trip plane tickets and a $2,000 dollar prize, graciously furnished by Southwest Airlines, the Official Airline of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. Other top prizes are provided by NWRA sponsors HaberVision, Wild Bird Centers of America, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Zenfolio will again host the image upload and display webpages.
Image submissions can be of wildlife, people, or scenery – or all three! – but must be taken on a national wildlife refuge. Top prize winning photographs and runners up will be featured on NWRA’s website and future NWRA publications that promote wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Entries must be submitted by September 24, 2010. Results will be announced in conjuction with Refuge Week in October.
Photographers, get your cameras ready, and give us your best shot!
Click here to see past contest winners.
Click here for contest details and more information.
Click here to find a national wildlife refuge near you.
Sponsors of the 2010 Refuge Photo Contest:
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Friends Focus: Friends of Quivira National Wildlife Refuge
Can you guess when the first bald eagles will be seen at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) this fall? The correct answer, if you were a local fourth grade student near Quivira NWR could mean an extra $20 in your pocket!
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Winners of the "When Eagles Land" program from Sterling Elementary in Kansas. ©Friends of Quivira
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An educational program at Quivira NWR in south-central Kansas asks local fourth and fifth grade students just this. The “When Eagles Land” program helps introduce fourth and fifth graders to the natural history of the eagles, hawks, owls and other birds of prey that can be found on the refuge. Last September, Joyce Lent from Great Plains Nature Center and Quivira NWR Visitor Services Specialist Barry Jones visited local schools to present live birds and teach about raptors. The Frends of Quivira helped organize the event, which takes place every two years and was planned by members of the Friends of Quivira Board.
Quivira NWR provides habitat for many different species of birds and other animals, not just eagles. Whooping cranes stop over at the refuge during migration in both the spring and fall. Record numbers of these rare birds were seen at the refuge this past spring, with 76 individuals seen at once last April. The 22,000-acre refuge was established in 1955 to provide wintering habitat and migration stopover points along the Central Flyway.
The Friends of Quivira are a non-profit organization dedicated to “support the development of the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge.” In addition to educational programs such as “When Eagles Land,” the Friends teach fishing and boating safety, provide tours of the refuge, and have a hosted a “Great Migration Rally” in May.
To learn more about the Friends visit http://www.friendsofquivira.org
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Upcoming Events!
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Coral reef at Midway Island, part of Papahānaumokuākea National Monument
©FWS
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Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is the first national wildlife refuge to be included on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is one of 21 World Heritage sites in the United States, and the first national wildlife refuge to receive the title. Selected for both its cultural and its natural values, the cluster of islands, atolls, and surrounding ocean comprises one of the largest marine protected areas in the world and provides habitat for countless marine species and seabirds.
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