I understand the passage to mean that environmental education is a lifelong activity and can be carried out for and by primary/secondary/post secondary schools/students/teachers, as well as community groups, for the benefit of all ages. It is a wonderful vision, and badly needed and well-suited to the NWR System.

This comment may not belong here, but it does not appear to belong anywhere else. Although the aging population is mentioned several times in other more general parts of the narrative, it does not appear to figure into any discussion. Aside from their demographic inevitability of the Boomers, seniors “belong” to a vision statement for [...]

I agree with other commenters that this section is well expressed. I would add, however, that another important community asset under the stewardship of the NWR System is the sense of place in human experience and the quest for life and livelihood. Refuges in one way or another have served as staging grounds for people [...]

The question of what is an appropriate “nature-based” experience already may be an issue at some refuges (e.g., the impact of a long line of cars going down a nature drive). I believe that it would be helpful to look carefully at all uses (including proposed ones) to see whether they can take place with [...]

I agree with other commenters that this section promises to address “re-creation” in the broadest sense, but limits most of the specifics to hunting and fishing (with a coda on birding). I would suggest: 1) Keeping the first paragraph as it is (although I am personally a bit uncomfortable with “autumnal years”); 2) Dropping the [...]

In advocating “targeted restoration,” the paper quickly takes the defensive and emphasizes that the strategy is not “backward-looking.” Yet replacing highly altered landscapes with native plant communities sounds to me like “returning to a lost condition in the past.” Given the enormity of the challenges of climate change, it will be necessary to choose strategies [...]

I agree that looking at (and planning according to) the big picture is essential for wildlife and for NWR relationships with adjoining communities. Taking a page from the Blackfoot Challenge and forming more groups that include adjoining community members could offer many advantages to other refuges: 1) identifying common priorities regarding habitat or environmental restoration/remediation, [...]

This section concludes the introductory “overture” with a broad and relevant sweep of trends. I would suggest here and there a slight rewording: In the “disconnection” paragraph, I would conclude the first sentence after “quality of life,” unless you want to be more specific about the people most affected. In that case you might want [...]

The first part of the introduction is a good “overture” to the work as a whole. I would second comments by other commenters re the beginning and end: First, I agree with Eric and Anon that quoting from TR is a challenge. Yes, he is revered generally and for his accomplishments in conservation and the [...]