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25th Anniversary of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program

By  in August 22nd 2012   1 Comment »
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Mission:  To efficiently achieve voluntary habitat restoration on private lands, through financial and technical assistance, for the benefit of federal trust species.

The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (Program) was officially established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1987. The Partners Program provides technical and financial assistance to private landowners and Tribes who are willing to work with us and other partners on a voluntary basis to help meet the habitat needs of our Federal Trust Species.

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Let’s Connect Locally With College Students

By  in August 10th 2012   6 Comments »
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Students paddle at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, NC. (Photo Credit: Steve Hillebrand/USFWS)

As Conserving the Future implementation teams consider how to attract larger audiences to national wildlife refuges and the mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, I recommend those teams encourage individual refuges to connect directly with undergraduate college students.

Hundreds of refuges – rural refuges as well as urban refuges – are within half an hour of a college or university. As we all know, refuges offer a natural diversion from the daily grind – and most refuges are free. As we all know, too, college students are always craving free diversions from the rigors of studying and the confines of their campuses.

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“In the Spotlight” – Community Partnerships Implementation Team

By  in August 9th 2012   1 Comment »
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We Get By With a Little Help from our Friends…

 

Actually, it’s more than just a little help. In fact, in 2011 alone, almost 42,000 volunteers contributed over 1.5 million hours of time to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

That’s why it was crucial to have two recommendations in the Conserving the Future: Wildlife Refuges and the Next Generation vision focused on volunteers, Friends, and community partners of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The two recommendations focus on how we can improve and expand our existing base of volunteers, Friends, and community partnerships.

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Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and Strategic Growth

By  in July 17th 2012   3 Comments »
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Craig Isola, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, Matt Hamman, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, with Ed Burton, NRCS California State Conservationist.

As we look forward at how to strategically grow the National Wildlife Refuge System, we cannot ignore the many Service programs that build support and partnerships that benefit our National Wildlife Refuges.  One of those programs is the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (Partners).  The program was born in western Minnesota through the eyes of Refuge Managers.   The managers needed a way to work with their neighbors to restore habitat on private land if they were to meet the national goals for waterfowl populations.  The mid-continent program began as a partnership with Refuge (Wetland Management District) staff, state and NGO partners.  They restored wetlands on private land around existing state and federal lands to build blocks of waterfowl habitat.  They agreed to short term contracts with these neighbors often with nothing more than a hand shake and a signature.

 

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Just Where I Want To Be

By  in July 11th 2012   2 Comments »
Filed Under Implementation, Message from Leadership          

Delissa Padilla and Anna Harris in Fort Collins, CO

One year ago a conference in Madison, WI, literally changed my life — and I know I’m not the only one.

Last summer I was on a two-month detail in Fort Collins, CO, working for Mark Chase in the newly minted Natural Resource Program Center. Coming from the Wildlife and Sport Fish program, this was my first exposure to the Refuge System and my first experience outside the Beltway. I saw firsthand the cutting edge research and the brilliant scientists being brought on-board. It’s a summer that I’ll never forget.

But the trip to Madison sealed the deal on my commitment to the U.S.  Fish and Wildlife Service and my enthusiasm for the National Wildlife Refuge System.  The week-long experience led me to meet some of my best friends in the Service, exposed me to new ideas and intellect, and brought a whole new meaning to why the Service is the greatest conservation organization in the world.

The energy, passion and enthusiasm from our employees and our conservation partners permeated the Monona Terrace Conference Center.  From the engaging work shop discussions to the phenomenal speakers, I was inspired. I still hear myself quoting Dewitt Jones and Juan Martinez and find myself reflecting back on how I was “spinning my wheels” at the time of the conference.

Michael Gale, Rebekah Martin, USFWS Director Dan Ashe, and Anna Harris commemorating the one year Conserving the Future conference anniversary.

Here I am today, vision implementation coordinator for Conserving the Future and I’m still inspired. This isn’t where I thought I’d be, but after Madison, this is exactly where I want to be.  This week is a time to reflect back on those experiences, reconnect with friends made in Madison, and take a moment to realize we’re charting the course for the next generation of leaders in the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Written by: Anna Harris, Vision Implementation Coordinator

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