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On Earth Day, A Greener Shade of Green
Now nearing its 40th anniversary, Earth Day inspires people around the globe to step back and consider the environmental picture on a planetary scale, while also finding ways to take action locally. Across America this past week, people demonstrated environmental awareness in a variety of ways -- attending events and concerts, exploring and enjoying wildlife refuges, parks, and other public lands, and planting organic gardens in their backyards.
To celebrate the occasion, as well as the beautiful spring weekend here in Washington, my family took a pleasant riverside hike, where my 6-year-old daughter discovered the joys of pulling garlic mustard. First introduced to the United States in the 19th century, garlic mustard is a particularly noxious example of an invasive plant that continues to aggressively spread throughout our landscape, disrupting local ecosystems and damaging native plant and animal populations. Thanks to my daughter’s enthusiastic efforts, hundreds of these harmful weeds are now wilting trailside, denied an opportunity to propagate.
Many communities are recruiting volunteers to support the battle against invasive plants at refuges and local parks. The National Wildlife Refuge Association is a partner in the National Wildlife Refuge System’s Volunteers and Invasives Program, which works to mitigate the nearly 2.3 million acres of refuge lands currently infested with invasive species. Over the past four years, 5,000 participants have volunteered more than 73,000 hours, treating, inventorying, or restoring more than 290,000 acres of refuge land.
While it is vital to recognize and counter the threat invasive plant species pose to our favorite wildlife refuges and other public lands, don’t overlook the impact you have on native wildlife and habitat through the choices you make in your own backyard. For example, you can help prevent the unnecessary spread of invasive plants by selecting native species from your local nursery and by not stocking your birdfeeder with invasive plant seeds that can be easily spread by birds (and squirrels). Not only do native flowers and other plants reflect the natural heritage of your locality, but many will also attract hummingbirds, butterflies and other “watchable wildlife” to your yard.
Even though this year’s Earth Day festivities are concluding, that’s no reason to let up on efforts to improve the health of our natural ecosystems. Whenever you make the extra effort to promote the plants and animals native to our neighborhoods and communities, or to help eliminate some of the most egregious invasive species on our refuges and other public lands, you are helping address a pressing environmental need. The spring weather now upon us provides an excellent opportunity to take action.
For more information on invasive species on our wildlife refuges, visit the USFWS Volunteer Invasives Program page and NWRA's VIP page.
For more information on native plants in your region, visit www.wildflower.org, for native plants that will attract birds visit http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/Plants.html and for selecting birdseed visit http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/bird_feeding/selecting_seeds.html.
Onward and upward!
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NWRA and Friends Testify in Support of FY 2010 Refuge Funding Priorities
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Desiree Sorenson-Groves, NWRA’s Vice President of Government Affairs, testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies concerning appropriations for Fiscal Year 2010.
© Patrick Woolford |
Desiree Sorenson-Groves, NWRA’s Vice President of Government Affairs, and Bill Durkin, President of the Friends of Rachel Carson NWR in Maine, testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies on April 23, 2009. Friends from four additional refuges will appear at a second Public Witness Day on Tuesday, April 28th: the Friends of Pool 9 (IA), Friends of Alaska NWRs, Friends of Back Bay NWR (VA) and Friends of Wallkill River NWR (NJ).
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies holds an annual "Public Witness Day" where groups sign up in advance to speak directly to decision makers. Subcommittee Chairman Norm Dicks (WA) and Ranking Member Mike Simpson (ID) were in attendance on April 23, and the Chairman specifically pointed out that after hearing testimony from Friends in 2007, he and the Subcommittee became even more committed to restoring funding to the Refuge System.
On the heels of Congress's allocation of a much needed $29 million increase for the current FY 09 fiscal year, NWRA's testimony requested an overall funding level of $514 million and emphasized that the National Wildlife Refuge System can meet its conservation objectives only with strong and consistent funding from Congress. NWRA's refuge funding priorities for the next fiscal year included funding for climate change adaptation, land acquisition, construction, invasive species and Volunteer Community Partnerships.
NWRA called upon Congress to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in the next 5 years, and to allocate $100 million for refuge land acquisition in FY 10. Even at a rate 8 times this amount, or roughly $827 million annually, it would take more 20 years for the Refuge System to acquire all the lands currently within approved acquisition boundaries. NWRA also highlighted several emblematic projects that are ready to move forward if funding is approved, including land acquisition at Crystal River NWR in Florida, Blackwater NWR in Maryland, Nestucca Bay NWR in Oregon, Cache River NWR in Arkansas, Sevilleta NWR in New Mexico, Patoka NWR in Indiana, and James Campbell NWR in Hawaii.
NWRA further asked the committee to prohibit any allocation to fund the “Road to Nowhere” through federally-designated Wilderness at Izembek NWR in Alaska.
Read NWRA's testimony here.
Click here to read samples of written testimony submitted by Friends organizations who were not able to testify in person regarding funding for the Refuge System for FY 2010. Written comments are entered into the record and considered as the subcommittee creates their funding recommendations.
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Friends Focus: Turkey Calls at Swan Lake: Friends of Swan Lake NWR
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Refuge staff at Swan Lake NWR help children identify items on their scavenger hunt.
© John Benson |
The American Legion post lowered the flag at Swan Lake NWR's successful new "First Fridays at the Refuge" program.
© John Benson |
Turkey-calling contests, scavenger hunts, and the twang of a banjo plucking “This Land is Your Land” -- these are a sampling of the fun activities to be enjoyed on the first Friday of the month at Swan Lake NWR in Sumner, Missouri.
The Friends of Swan Lake have joined with the Refuge, the American Legion, the Swan Lake Sportsmans Club and others to host “First Fridays at the Refuge,” and Refuge Manager Steve Whitson reported that more than 225 people attended the second such event held earlier this month. A children’s scavenger hunt sent kids running through woods, grasslands and fields with clipboards and nature journals in hand while volunteers served refreshments. The turkey-calling contest was a big hit, with many joining in to capture that perfect turkey sound, and the Friends awarded prizes to the top four gobblers. At dusk, the American Legion held a flag-lowering ceremony, and Jamin Bray of Shortleaf Interpretive Services led the group in songs of Missouri’s natural resources with a harmony of harmonica, guitar and banjo – All in all, an example of a great Friends event.
After launching its membership drive in February, the Friends of Swan Lake group already boasts more than 160 members, as well as NWRA affiliate group status, and its recently-opened Gift Shop at the Swan Lake Visitor Center has received an enthusiastic response.
Created in 1937, Swan Lake NWR encompasses more than 10,000 acres within the floodplain of the Grand River in north-central Missouri. The refuge serves as an important wintering ground for Canada Geese and provides stopover habitat along the Mississippi flyway for thousands of migratory waterfowl each year. Attracting 17,000 visitors annually, the refuge is a popular destination not only for wildlife viewing and hunting, but also berry picking and mushroom collecting. Visit Swan Lake NWR's website at: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/swanlake/.
Have you had an event NWRA should know about?
Email nwra@refugeassociation.org to be highlighted in a future Friends Focus!
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Southwest Profiles NWRA President in "Spirit" Magazine
If you were flipping through “Spirit” Magazine on your last Southwest flight and you think you saw someone you know – you’re right! As part of a continuing partnership, Southwest profiled NWRA president Evan Hirsche in its April “Southwest Freedom Story.” With nearly 9 million flyers each month, Southwest has given NWRA a great opportunity to spread awareness of NWRA and the National Wildlife Refuge System. Based on the fan mail Evan is receiving, it’s working!
NWRA appreciates Southwest’s support and partnership. As part of their Environmental Stewardship responsibility, Southwest Airlines supports a solution-based approach to addressing environmental challenges that will ultimately driving the industry towards a sustainable future. To learn more about Southwest Airlines, visit http://www.southwest.com.
Click here to view a PDF of the article.
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Spotlight: Oregon Coast
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Three Arch Rocks, Oregon
Islands & Cape Meares NWR are among the habitat NWRA's Beyond the Boundaries is working to protect. © Roy W. Lowe |
The Oregon Coast’s rocky headlands, sandy beaches, offshore rocks and islands, and meandering salt marshes offer a great diversity of wildlife habitat – and outdoor adventures for visitors. The Oregon Coastal Refuge Complex, headquartered in Newport, includes six major refuge units spread along the 320-mile coastline. But, to say six units and 320 miles masks the scope and inherent diversity of the Complex – just one of those units, the Oregon Islands NWR, consists of 1,400 islands, rocks and reefs that provide breeding, nesting and migratory habitat for more than 1.2 million seabirds. Project Leader (and past Refuge Manager of the Year) Roy Lowe and his staff have their work cut out for them as they manage this spectacular and challenging land and seascape. Fortunately, they are enthusiastically supported by many volunteers and four refuge Friends groups, as well as NWRA.
Of the six refuge units, three are marine refuges: Oregon Islands, Cape Meares, and Three Arch Rocks. These coastal rocks, reefs, islands and headlands support some of the most important seabird nesting colonies in the United States. More than a million seabirds, including common murres, tufted puffins, cormorants, and storm-petrels nest here. Coastal rocks provide breeding and haul-out sites for harbor seals and Steller and California sea lions; in the spring, migrating whales can be spotted just offshore. Haystack Rock, part of the Oregon Islands NWR, is known as the best spot on the coast for viewing tufted puffins in the summer.
The other three refuge units are estuarine refuges: Nestucca Bay, Siletz Bay, and Bandon Marsh. These refuges were established to protect saltmarsh, brackish marsh, riparian wetlands and wooded uplands. They offer sanctuary to a diverse array of waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, small mammals, amphibians and anadromous fish. Most of these refuges are surrounded by agricultural lands, where open fields provide important feeding and resting areas. The Nestucca Bay area alone supports roughly 10 percent of the world population of dusky Canada geese and 100% of the subpopulation of Semidi Island Aleutian cackling geese.
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Haystack Rock, part of the Oregon Islands NWR, is known as the best spot on the coast for viewing tufted puffins in the summer.
© Roy W. Lowe |
With so much territory to manage, the Oregon Coastal Refuges depend on good partnerships and a lot of public participation in stewardship efforts. Fortunately, many refuges are bordered by other protected areas such as Oregon State Parks, Oregon State Recreation and Natural Areas, Scenic Viewpoints, and National Forest units. More than 100 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) have been identified on the coast.
Over the past two years, through our Beyond the Boundaries Oregon Coast Initiative, NWRA has been working to help build capacity for the refuge on many levels, In 2009, NWRA is helping explore new collaborations with Oregon State Parks and other public land managers to enhance public outreach and education efforts. By working together to improve interpretive sites, kiosks, parking areas and pull-offs, both parks and refuges could offer the public better access to walking trails and viewpoints and create a more integrated nature education experience. Most importantly, the visitor experience would be further enriched by the addition of more volunteer rangers to greet visitors, identify wildlife like nesting bird colonies, and explain the importance of not disturbing sensitive habitat.
In addition, NWRA is supporting The Nature Conservancy’s effort to secure $2 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to support the acquisition of several properties as additions to Nestucca Bay NWR. These properties include open fields that offer habitat for Aleutian cackling geese, as well as a unique headland area offering panoramic ocean views and neo-tropical migratory songbird and raptor habitat.
NWRA’s Beyond the Boundaries Oregon Coast Initiative has been generously supported by the Bullitt Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We look forward to an exciting year of working in partnership with the Refuge!
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May 1 - Deadline to apply for Refuge Friends Grant Program (Check NFWF's grant page for information as it becomes available.)
May 1 - 2009 NWRA Photo Contest launches
May 9 - International Migratory Bird Day
May 15 – Deadline to submit testimony to Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies (See What You Can Do)
John Clark Salyer II became known as the “Father of the National Wildlife Refuge System” for his work protecting wetlands in the prairie potholes region during the 1930s. As head of the Division of Wildlife Refuges, the system rose in acreage from 1.5 million acres in the mid-1930's to nearly 29 million acres upon his retirement in 1961. Today both J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge and J. Clark Salyer Wetland Management District in North Dakota honor his legacy.
(Source: http://www.fws.gov/refuges/history/bio/salyer_fs.html,
Photograph: J. Clark Salyer II © FWS)
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