If It Were Up To You…
If it were up to you, where would you spend limited land acquisition dollars in the United States to assist the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to achieve its mission? Would you expend these funds on coastal wetlands of North and South Carolina; on endangered pupfish habitat in the deserts of Arizona; on wintering waterfowl habitat of Arkansas; or on the diminishing grasslands of North and South Dakota? Would you expand existing units of the National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System) or would you propose new refuges? Of equal importance, how do you determine what is of more value to the Service and its mission – restoring the Everglades for Florida panthers, establishing a new urban refuge in Albuquerque, or securing grizzly bear habitat in Montana? These are just some of the questions and derivatives thereof that the Strategic Growth Implementation Team (SGIT) is facing as it charts the growth of the Refuge System over the next 15 to 25 years.
What is the role of science in rendering decisions about new or expanded refuges decisions? How will a changing climate and other stressors modify our approach to buying lands? What is the likelihood of success for any new refuge and how long will it take before it succeeds?
Since the SGIT began it work in September 2011, these and many other questions have crossed the collective mind of the team. Through all of this discussion, we have discovered that answers are elusive and certainly don’t come easy. Likewise, developing a comprehensive policy to guide the growth of the Refuge System is just as elusive.
What is clear is that (1) science must be the foundation of Refuge System growth; (2) factors beyond science such as cost, feasibility of success, and community support must be considered before a refuge is established; and (3) the Service cannot by itself do this job alone.
Our degree of success in any land conservation program will largely depend upon how effective we are in developing shared resource objectives, in developing a sense of ownership for these acquired lands, and in weaving wildlife conservation into fabric of our communities. We will only be successful in the long view where healthy lands, waters, and wildlife populations become relevant to today citizen’s and future generations.
This blog was written by Rick Schultz, co-chair of the Strategic Growth Implementation Team.
*This is the fifth “In the Spotlight” blog post that will keep you informed on the nine implementation teams and the work they are performing to make the vision a reality. Check out our Facebook page and Twitter for continual updates!
