Refuge to be named for Sam Hamilton, late Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service

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February 15, 2012

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February 15, 2012

INSIDE WASHINGTON
Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge will be renamed in honor of the late FWS Director Sam Hamilton | Tami Heilemann

Yesterday, President Obama signed into law a bill officially designating Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge as the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge.

Sam Hamilton passed away February 2010 while serving as Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  He spent over 30 years working within the Service and was a champion of landscape level conservation.

The 48,000-acre Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge is located in central Mississippi and is a wetland stopover for migratory birds.

“Sam was a bright light in the world of wildlife conservation” said NWRA President Evan Hirsche. “He was a pioneer in innovative strategies to protect and restore wildlife habitat; as Director of FWS, he worked tirelessly to implement a larger, landscape-level wildlife conservation vision for the nation. With his passing, the conservation community suffered a great loss.”

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Permanent link to this article: http://refugeassociation.org/2012/02/sam-hamilton-refuge/

Moving the Conservation Needle

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February 15, 2012

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February 15, 2012

NWRA applauds Administration’s Budget for National Wildlife Refuge System
and vital Fish and Wildlife Service programs

The President’s budget for FY 2013 requests $494.8 million in funding for the operation and maintenance of the 150-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System and to protect species like this bald eagle | Stan Bousson

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Wildlife Refuge Association praised President Obama’s budget request for the National Wildlife Refuge System and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for next year. The budget proposal seeks to move the conservation needle by focusing funding on large, collaborative conservation projects while maintaining the current management capability of the Service. The proposal promotes using sound science to guide decisions, and will help the FWS leverage conservation programs by encouraging collaboration with other federal and state agencies to achieve substantial results.

“The President’s budget shows a standing commitment to our national wildlife refuges and wildlife conservation programs in a tough budget climate,” said NWRA President Evan Hirsche. “We hope Congress will agree that our wildlife refuges and related conservation programs protect not only our wildlife heritage, but also the local economies that depend on refuges for jobs, recreation, nature-based tourism and enhanced property values.”

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Permanent link to this article: http://refugeassociation.org/2012/02/moving-the-conservation-needle/

Birding Community E-bulletin: February

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February 7, 2012

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February 7, 2012

This Birding Community E-bulletin is being distributed to active and concerned birders, those dedicated to the joys of birding and the protection of birds and their habitats.

This issue is sponsored by the producers of superb quality birding binoculars and scopes, Carl Zeiss Sport Optics: www.zeiss.com/SPORTS

You can access an archive of past E-bulletins on the website of the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA):

http://refugeassociation.org/news/birding-bulletin/

February Birding Community E-bulletin

RARITY FOCUS

ACCESS MATTERS: CHAFFINCH CHATTER

DISCUSSION OVER INDIANAPOLIS ZOO MOVES TOWARD BIRD SAFETY

IBA NEWS: BLACK-CAPPED PETREL NESTING NEWS HAS IBA IMPLICATIONS

EVERGLADES HEADWATERS NWR AREA DECLARED

BOOK NOTES: DU STORY

MIDWAY MIRACLE: ALBATROSS HATCHES

TIP OF THE MONTH: BE A GUEST  Read the rest of this entry »

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Permanent link to this article: http://refugeassociation.org/2012/02/birding-community-e-bulletin-february/

The Flyer E-newsletter: February

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February 3, 2012

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February 3, 2012

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Bridging the Partisan Divide – With Conservation

If you thought politics were getting more and more polarized in Washington and throughout the country, you’d be right. The divide between Democratic and Republican approval levels for President Obama is at an all time high for any president in his third year in office. This is more than just a reflection of the current president – it has been the trend for the past decade. In fact, President George W. Bush continues to hold the record for the largest gap in presidential approval ratings by party, set during his fourth year in office.

This information tells us that the American public is becoming more and more entrenched in their ideologies and rejects presidents of opposing parties only on the basis of their affiliation. The public is increasingly saying ‘no’ to anyone whose voter registration card doesn’t mirror his or her own.

What does this political polarization mean for the future of conservation and environmental policy in America? It means that we need focus in on recent conservation successes to use as models for progress in an increasingly divided political ecosystem. Read the rest of this entry »

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Permanent link to this article: http://refugeassociation.org/2012/02/february-flyer/

Conservation Leaders Honored with 2012 Refuge System Awards

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February 2, 2012

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February 2, 2012

Washington D.C. – The National Wildlife Refuge Association and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation today announced the honorees for the prestigious annual Refuge System awards. The awards honor the Refuge Manager, Refuge Employee, Refuge Volunteer and Friends Group of the Year.

“The Refuge System could not function, let alone be the bright star of conservation in the United States that it is, if it weren’t for dedicated individuals and groups like these,” said Evan Hirsche, NWRA president.

Being honored this year are:

Charles A. Pelizza has been selected as the recipient of the Paul Kroegel Award for Refuge Manager of the Year for his leadership, professionalism and advocate of conservation leading to the creation of the Everglades Headwaters NWR and Conservation Area earlier this year. Charlie’s 32-year career with the NWRS sets a standard for other staff and managers to follow.  As the refuge manager for the Pelican Island NWR Complex, his conservation vision attracted the attention of the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation and led to Charlie receiving the “Champion of the Everglades” Award in 2011. Read the rest of this entry »

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Permanent link to this article: http://refugeassociation.org/2012/02/nwrs-awards/

Video: Swimming with Manatees at Crystal River NWR

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January 27, 2012

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January 27, 2012

West Indian manatees at Crystal River NWR | Carol Grant

 

For a truly up-close and personal experience with manatees one of the best places to visit is Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge in Florida.

Endangered West Indian manatees are found in fresh, brackish and salt water. They are most comfortable in temperatures above 86 degrees Fahrenheit and have a diet that consists of seagrass and other aquatic plants. In the winter manatees congregate in warm springs, making Crystal River NWR in Kings Bay an ideal place to see large groups of manatees in their native habitat.

In 2010 NWRA helped permanently protect Three Sisters Springs – now part of Crystal River NWR – insuring manatees will continue to have access to these beautiful natural springs.

Watch the clip below to take a dive with CNN to learn more about visiting Crystal River NWR and swimming with manatees! Read the rest of this entry »

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Permanent link to this article: http://refugeassociation.org/2012/01/video-swimming-with-manatees-at-crystal-river-nwr/

New Headwaters Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area Will Help Sustain Ranching, Increase Hunting, Fishing Opportunities in Everglades

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January 18, 2012

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January 18, 2012

NWRA praises the establishment of a new refuge and conservation area in the Northern Everglades. | Carlton Ward

“The Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area exemplifies how conservation should be done,” said Evan Hirsche, president of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. “The partnership announced today by Secretary Salazar is landscape-scale, collaborative by design, resilient to the effects of climate change, and benefits sportsmen, ranchers, the U.S. military, 8 million South Florida water users, the charismatic wildlife of the Everglades, and visitors from around the world.”

Hirsche’s statement refers to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar’s announcement earlier today of the formal establishment of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area in the northern Everglades, just south of Orlando. Secretary Salazar made the announcement at the Future Farmers of America leadership training center in Haines City, Florida. Hirsche and David Houghton, senior vice-president of Conservation programs for NWRA, attended the event.

The Everglades Headwaters Refuge and Conservation Area will use a combination of conservation easements, that leaves land in private ownership and on the tax rolls, as well as some land acquisition. Lands acquired as part of the new national wildlife refuge will be eligible for hunting programs which the FWS will administer in partnership with the Florida Wildlife Commission through a unique state-federal partnership.

“The NWRA has supported the creation of the new Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area in the Northern Everglades as part of President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors Initiative,” Hirsche said. “This Refuge and Conservation Area is a true partnership in action.” The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investments will complement outstanding work by the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Wetlands Reserve Program, the U.S. military’s base buffering program, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, State Parks and the Florida Department of Agriculture – as well as significant private investments by conservation groups like The Nature Conservancy and Audubon of Florida. Read the rest of this entry »

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Permanent link to this article: http://refugeassociation.org/2012/01/new-headwaters-refuge/

Interior Secretary to make major announcement about proposed Everglades Headwaters Refuge

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January 15, 2012

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January 15, 2012

The office of the Secretary of the Interior has alerted the media there will be an important announcement Wednesday, January 18, about the proposed Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area. A top Beyond the Boundaries priority for the NWRA, the proposal would create a 150,000-acre conservation area. In addition to providing habitat for more than 30 threatened and endangered species, the conservation area will bring added benefits of improved water quality and storage, aid in military preparedness by protecting base buffer zones, expand recreational opportunities including hunting and fishing, and support for Florida’s ranching economy.

Filmmaker Elam Stoltzfus is finalizing a film on Florida’s Kissimmee Basin south of Orlando that will air on public television stations in the year ahead. This film devotes attention to this exciting initiative. At our request, he’s kindly prepared a short clip that provides an excellent overview of the Everglades Headwaters and includes interviews with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Director Dan Ashe, NWRA’s Senior Vice-President for Conservation Programs David Houghton, along with ranchers and others who are vital to the project’s success.

Watch the clip below:

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Permanent link to this article: http://refugeassociation.org/2012/01/interior-secretary-to-make-major-announcement-about-proposed-everglades-headwaters-refuge/

Birding Community E-bulletin: January

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January 10, 2012

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January 10, 2012

This Birding Community E-bulletin is being distributed to active and concerned birders, those dedicated to the joys of birding and the protection of birds and their habitats.

This issue is sponsored by the producers of superb quality birding binoculars and scopes, Carl Zeiss Sport Optics: www.zeiss.com/SPORTS

You can access an archive of past E-bulletins on the website of the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA):

http://refugeassociation.org/news/birding-bulletin/

Note: this is our new archival location. See more details at the end of this month’s E-bulletin.

January Birding Community E-bulletin

RARITY FOCUS

HOODED CRANE:  A VERY CURIOUS REPORT

A “SNOWY” SEASON?

FARM BILL OPPORTUNITIES

DO FARM BILL PROGRAMS PROMOTE NATIVE GRASSLAND LOSSES?

MORE SAGE-GROUSE ASSESSMENT

GREBES CRASH-LAND IN UTAH

ACCESS MATTERS: AN UNREACHABLE BIRD

IBA NEWS:  NEW JERSEY’S DELAWARE BAYSHORE

TIP OF THE MONTH: WATCH OUT FOR SLOBS IN 2012

KIWI SURPRISE

BOOK NOTES:  ABOUT NOTES

LAST MONTH’S QUIZ WINNERS FOR A NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BIRD BOOK

SOME CHANGES FOR THE E-BULLETIN Read the rest of this entry »

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Permanent link to this article: http://refugeassociation.org/2012/01/birding-community-e-bulletin-january/

NWRA Featured on Great American Outdoor Trails Radio Magazine

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December 21, 2011

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December 21, 2011

If you tuned into Great American Outdoor Trails Radio recently you may have heard NWRA President Evan Hirsche’s interview with show hosts Jim & Trav. From supporting the Duck Stamp to becoming part of NWRA’s Refuge Action Network in support of refuges, Evan, Jim and Trav chatted about different ways sportsmen and women can become strong advocates for wildlife and the Refuge System, a top destination for hunters and anglers across the country. Read the rest of this entry »

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Permanent link to this article: http://refugeassociation.org/2011/12/nwra-featured-on-great-american-outdoor-trails/

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