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The Heat is On
“The argument over global warming ‘is a classic inter-generational debate, where the short-term benefits of emitting carbon accrue mainly to us and where the dangers of them are largely put off until future generations.’” So reads a quote from Washington University professor of Philosophy Steve Gardiner in a Washington Post piece by reporter Juliet Eilperin that details new research showing carbon emissions must be brought to zero quickly if we expect to stave off rapid global warming for hundreds if not thousands of years into the future. While professor Gardiner was likely referring to future generations of people, the future of wildlife is unavoidably intertwined with our own.
Within this context, our national wildlife refuges can be considered canaries in the coalmine. Indeed, data presented by Dr. Michael Scott, Senior Scientist with the U.S. geological Survey and Professor of Wildlife Biology at the University of Idaho, shows that under current trends, 162 coastal refuges face a threat from sea level rise, while 61% of Endangered Species currently protected by refuges are predicted to fall outside of protected habitats as a result of changing climatic conditions associated with global warming. Download Dr. Scott's presentation (3MB).
As just half of the 548 refuges are large enough to support “demographically viable populations” of the species for which they were established according to Scott, we must act aggressively to develop and implement adaptive strategies that will best insulate wildlife from the extraordinary changes that are likely to take place absent radical action to curb the 10 billion tons of carbon humans emit into the atmosphere each year.
One vital strategy to meet the challenge is to expand the ecological footprint of refuges and ensure wildlife corridors are maintained or developed between refuges and other conservation areas. Indeed, this is the goal of NWRA’s Beyond the Boundaries program, a strategy that combines the science of State Wildlife Action Plans, refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plans, Nature Conservancy Ecoregional plans and other datasets to determine conservation priorities and create landscape level visions. Working with private landowners, local citizens, diverse organizations and decision-makers, Beyond the Boundaries protects key habitats while ensuring ecologically and economically sustainable communities.
While decision-makers at the national and international levels will continue to debate the logistical, economic and political feasibility of reducing emissions to zero in the near-term, we can and must work locally and regionally to counterbalance the impact of likely changes. Indeed we have a fundamental obligation to future generations of people and wildlife.
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Marina Again Threatens Back Bay NWR near Virginia Beach, VA
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A 76-slip marina threatens irreparable damage to the freshwater bay protected by Back Bay NWR, VA. © USFWS |
Three years after public outcry caused the shelving of a proposal to build a 76-slip marina less than half a mile from Back Bay NWR, VA, the developer is once again seeking approval from the Army Corps of Engineers to move forward with the project.
A significant resting and feeding area for migratory birds in both the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways, the 9,000-acre Back Bay NWR protects vital marshland, beach, dune, and mud and tidal flat habitat. The proposed marina would result in harmful jet-ski and motorboat traffic and degraded water quality, in direct conflict with federal, state and local initiatives to protect and enhance coastal fish and wildlife habitats. Waterfowl and shorebird populations nationwide would suffer from the loss of habitat.
Although the Army Corps of Engineers recommended approval last week for the marina proposal, the final decision rests with the district engineer, Colonel Dionysios (Dan) Anninos, who is expected to make a determination very soon. NWRA and the Friends of Back Bay NWR have launched a campaign to once again protect the refuge from this short-sighted proposal.
Please take a moment and send a letter to Colonel Anninos urging him to reject the permit for the marina. http://refugenet.e-actionmax.com/showalert.asp?aaid=3102
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NWRA/Friends Work to Protect Manatee Habitat Next to Crystal River NWR, FL
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A West Indian manatee leaves 3-Sisters Spring, an important habitat the Friends of Chassahowitzka and the NWRA seek to add to Crystal River NWR, FL.
© Evan Hirsche |
NWRA has teamed with the Friends of Chassahowitzka NWR in Florida to protect 57-acres that include Three Sisters Springs adjacent to Crystal River NWR. The parcel, recently put up for sale by a developer, would protect and enhance habitats used extensively by the federally endangered West Indian Manatee.
The parcel contains three “2nd Magnitude” – or high volume - springs that provide important habitat for manatees seeking warmer water during the winter months, and abuts two federally-designated manatee sanctuaries, the Magnolia Springs Manatee Sanctuary and the Three Sisters Springs Manatee Sanctuary. Development around the springs would be disastrous.
As human encroachment and developments close in on such pristine habitats, opportunities such as this are rare and offer a chance to connect already protected areas – enlarging the conservation footprint for the species. Mammals that mainly feed on submerged vegetation, manatee populations are dwindling, largely due to collisions with boats. Protecting habitats such as the Three Sisters will ensure this gentle creature has a better chance for survival.
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NWRA objects to a proposed land trade that would allow oil field development on lands currently at the core of Yukon Flats NWR, AK. © USFWS |
Proposed Land Exchange would divide Alaska’s Yukon Flats NWR
In comments submitted March 4 to the Yukon Flats Environmental Impact Statement Project Office, the NWRA has stated its opposition to a proposed land exchange that would cut Alaska’s Yukon Flats NWR into two parts in order to allow Doyon, Inc. to turn core refuge lands into an oil field. If this trade takes place, refuge lands that the refuge’s Comprehensive Conservation Plan approves as wilderness will instead be drilled for oil and the surrounding lands will be impacted by the resulting infrastructure.
The 9 million acres of the Yukon Flats NWR in eastern interior Alaska provide internationally significant waterfowl habitat. Salmon, moose, and furbearers such as beaver and lynx are among the diverse species that benefit from the Yukon River and the surrounding flats, uplands and highlands. The proposed Yukon Flats land exchange would divide the refuge into disconnected parcels, impacting wildlife movement and the natural diversity of the area, replace proposed wilderness with oil development and expose the remaining refuge lands to the threat of additional development. Consequently, the NWRA supports the No Land Exchanged Alternative. To view comments submitted by the NWRA regarding the EIS, please click here.
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$6 Million approved for Ash Meadows NWR, NV Visitor Center
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Thanks to a $6 million grant from the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act, visitors to Ash Meadows NWR will be able to see the endangered Ash Meadows pupfish - located nowhere else in the world. © USFWS |
A collaboration between NWRA and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) has resulted in the selection of Ash Meadows NWR - one of the units in Nevada’s Desert NWR Complex - to receive a $6 million grant from Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act (SNPLMA) to support construction of a Visitor Center.
The 23,000-acre refuge is undergoing intensive restoration of its wetlands, springs, and desert upland habitats. No fewer than 24 of the species of plants and animals found at Ash Meadows, including the endangered Ash Meadows pupfish are endemic, a distinction held by no other location in the United States. Just 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Ash Meadows receives more than 50,000 visitors annually, who arrive to find little in the way of interpretative materials beyond the popular Crystal Springs Interpretative Boardwalk Trail.
The funding will be used to construct a visitor center building; NWRA and FWS will apply for a follow-on SNPLMA grant to fund the interpretive exhibits and complete the kiosks and boardwalks. Funds from SNPLMA are collected through the sale of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands within the city limits of Las Vegas. Federal land management agencies can apply for funding for specific projects that will enhance the conservation efforts of the region.
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Wildlife Conservation Society Grant Helps NWRA Protect Landscapes in Delmarva/Rock River Watershed
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WCS grant will allow NWRA to conserve vital habitats beyond Blackwater NWR, MD boundaries. © G. Michael Brown |
The New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has awarded NWRA a $150,000 grant to implement Beyond the Boundaries initiatives conserving key habitats near national wildlife refuges in two geographically diverse landscapes: the Delmarva peninsula (Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia) and the Rock River watershed (Wisconsin). The grant is part of the Wildlife Action Opportunities Fund created with the support of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
NWRA’s Beyond the Boundaries campaign applies State Wildlife Action Plans and other conservation planning tools, including Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plans, to protect conservation landscapes surrounding and linking national wildlife refuges and other vital habitats.
The Chesapeake Bay is the nation’s largest and most productive estuary but its wildlife populations are suffering from impacts of rapid development and increased recreational uses. A priority in all three state action plans, the Delmarva Peninsula includes 8 national wildlife refuges, from Bombay Hook south to Fisherman Island, that protect marsh and coastal habitat.
Intensive agriculture and urban development have severely altered the natural hydrologic system of south central Wisconsin’s Upper Rock River Watershed. Horicon NWR is a vital migratory stopover for Canada geese, sandhill cranes, white pelicans and even whopping cranes. Our efforts would work directly with landowners to restore wetlands, address water quality and restore the natural flow of the Rock River.
With these funds, NWRA will coordinate with the states, the public, and decision-makers to create regional conservation vision plans for the Delmarva peninsula and the Rock River watershed – plans that detail priority conservation actions and recommend tools for implementation.
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NWRA/NFWF to Recognize Refuge System Standouts
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2008 Award Recipients (clockwise from top left):
Kevin Brennan for Refuge Manager of the Year, Clyde Morris for Employee of the Year, John Bertrand for Volunteer of the Year, and Friends of Sherburne NWR for Friends Group of the Year |
NWRA and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) will honor National Wildlife Refuge System supporters and employees in March and April with the presentation of the 2008 National Wildlife Refuge System Awards.
Kevin Brennan of Fergus Falls Wetland Management District, MN will receive the Paul Kroegel Refuge Manager of the Year Award.
Clyde Morris of Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, CA will receive the Refuge System Employee of the Year Award.
John Bertrand of Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, NM will receive the Volunteer of the Year Award.
Friends of Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge of Sherburne NWR, MN will receive the Friends Group of the Year Award.
The Refuge Manager and Employee awards will be presented at the 73rd North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, March 25 through 29 in Phoenix, AZ during the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director’s Reception at 7 p.m., March 27 in the Hyatt Regency Phoenix.
The Volunteer and Friends Group awards will be presented at the 2008 “Friends for the Future” National Friends Conference, April 4 through 6 at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in Shepherdstown, WV during the Refuge System Awards Reception at 6:30 p.m., April 5 in the NCTC Commons.
Visit the Awards page to learn more about this year’s incredible award recipients. For more information about either awards ceremony, contact NWRA at (202)333-9075 or via e-mail at nwra@refugeassociation.org.
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Friends Groups Still Have Opportunity to Impact Refuge System Funding Levels
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David Raskin of the Friends of Alaska NWRs testifies at Public Witness Day, April 2007. © Claire Stoker |
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies received so many requests from refuge and parks Friends groups to appear at their Public Witness Hearing, March 13th, that it’s having to rework how it will hear from these dedicated refuge advocates. Eighteen refuge Friends groups were among those whose requests were denied, and NWRA is working directly with the subcommittee to ensure they are heard.
Last year, five refuge Friends groups appeared for the Public Witness Hearing and their moving stories had an impact on members of the Subcommittee, including the Chairman, Norm Dicks, who said during debate on the bill, “…I couldn't believe the testimony this year of the people saying these refuges are in dire need, you have got to do something. That's why we are trying to put money back into these important areas.”
NWRA urges every Friends group to submit written testimony to both the House and Senate Interior Appropriations subcommittees. The deadline for the House is March 13th and for the Senate, April 25th. More information can be found on the Subcommittee’s websites, listed below, or by contacting Desiree Sorenson-Groves at dgroves@refugeassociation.org or 202-333-9075 x23.
House: http://appropriations.house.gov/News/pr_070220.shtml
Senate: http://appropriations.senate.gov/interior.cfm (Look under “Quick Links”)
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House and Senate Refuge Champions Author Letters to Appropriators
Wildlife Refuge Caucus Chairs Ron Kind (D-WI) and Jim Saxton (R-NJ) and vice Co-Chairs Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Michael Castle (R-DE) along with Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) are again leading letters to House and Senate Interior Appropriators calling for a substantial increase to the Refuge System’s budget. These “Dear Colleague” letters issued last week show Appropriators the wide bi-partisan support for increased funding and can be a deciding factor when crunch time comes in the budget process.
The letters (downloads: House letter, Senate letter) request $514 million for FY09 in funding for the Refuge System, the amount currently being advocated by the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE). This funding level will further stabilize losses of staffing and programs vital to ensuring the Refuge System’s wildlife conservation mission and will put the System on the path to reach adequate baseline funding, $765 million annually in FY2013.
The deadlines for members to sign on are fast approaching -- March 12th in the House and March 21st in the Senate. Last year, 80 Representatives and 30 Senators signed onto the letters; with the help of Friends and refuge supporters nationwide, CARE anticipates a better showing this year.
If you have not done so already, please contact your entire Congressional delegation and urge them to sign onto these important letters http://refugenet.e-actionmax.com/showalert.asp?aaid=3114.
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Friends Focus: Friends of Haystack Rock Fill Vital Role in Educating Visitors
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The Friends of Haystack Rock educate visitors about the fragile intertidal habitat and critical seabird nesting provided by the 235-ft Oregon coastal landmark. © Betsy Rosenbaum |
The coast of Northern Oregon is a fragile environment and host to a vast array of wildlife. However, the coast’s increasing population and the economic use of the natural resources threaten the integrity of the very ecosystems on which the economy depends. The Friends of Haystack Rock, through their work with the Haystack Rock Awareness Program, has been instrumental in educating the public about this vital ecosystem, and with the influx of new residents and visitors, their work is more important now than ever before.
“Without adequate environmental education and interpretation, visitors don’t fully realize the important role they play as stewards of precious wildlife and habitat,” said Tom Oxwang, Chair of the Friends. Through the Haystack Rock Awareness Program, the Friends made 73,879 contacts with visitors to the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge in 2007, in many cases intercepting or deterring damage to the habitat or harassment or collecting of wildlife, educating visitors who were unaware of the harmful consequences of their actions.
The Friends were among the participants in both recent “Beyond the Boundaries” workshops held by NWRA. Oxwang observed, “We are excited to be part of the Oregon Coast Beyond the Boundaries coalition. By working together, we’ll all accomplish more than any individual group would be able to. The entire Oregon Coast will benefit.”
For more information, visit the Friends website http://www.friendsofhaystackrock.org/index.html or the refuge website http://www.fws.gov/oregoncoast/oregonislands/index.htm
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March 13 - Public Witness Day
March 14 - 105th Anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge System
March 27 - Director's Reception at North American Conference - Employee and Manager of the Year to be recognized
March 29 - Deadline for Members of Congress to give personal requests
April 4 – Friends Conference, Washington, DC
61 National Wildlife Refuges were established to protect endangered species, ranging in size from the 116,585-acre Buenos Aires NWR in Arizona established to protect the masked bobwhite quail to the 7-acre Watercress Darter NWR in Alabama established to protect the watercress darter.
To read more, visit http://www.fws.gov/endangered/.
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