Joanna Webb @joannataylorwebb ?
deleted
-
Michael Gale posted an update in the group
Beyond The Boundaries: 5 hours, 9 minutes ago · ViewHello Friends and colleagues – for those of us more new to the concept of ”beyond the boundaries” – where can we go to learn more about what you mean? thanks!
-
Michael Gale posted on the forum topic The Wildlife Society working on similar topic in the group
Leadership and Organizational Excellence: 5 hours, 12 minutes ago · ViewThanks Mark, if you could let us know when the report gets out, that would be great. You could also post a copy in the “Document” area for this group.
-
Michael Gale posted on the forum topic Comment on Draft Vision Document in the group
Relevance to a Changing America: 5 hours, 47 minutes ago · ViewWow, thanks Brian, Joanna, Betsy, Mark, and the list goes on of all the people providing your insights. Right now, there is a team of people working to refine and edit the draft vision document before posting it on this website later this month, and we’ve made them aware of your comments. Thank you again [...]
-
Michael Gale posted on the forum topic Comment on Draft Vision Document in the group
Relevance to a Changing America: 5 hours, 53 minutes ago · ViewLisa, you are the most important person to provide input into websites! It’s all about the users, especially nowadays with the saturated Internet market. I think the challenge with the websites of the National Wildlife Refuge System is an issue of capacity. We know websites need improving, and we are actually adopting a System-wide software [...]
-
Michael Gale posted on the forum topic Proposed Wilderness in the group
Conservation Delivery: 6 hours, 5 minutes ago · ViewGreat point Nancy, how does a wilderness review work? Where can folks go to learn more about how to conduct them?
-
don hultman posted an update in the group
Relevance to a Changing America: 10 hours, 42 minutes ago · ViewInteresting dialogue on instilling an ecological conscience or land ethic in America (and the the world?). A lofty goal, and if ever achieved, would certainly solve many of the fish and wildlife problems facing this country and beyond.
But let’s face it. This country set aside parks, forests, and refuges to protect a portion of the landscape from the darker consumptive side of humans. It was so 100 years ago and remains so today.
Attempting to influence or change the collective behaviors, beliefs, and value systems of the public is a worthwhile endeavor, as long as one keeps in perspective that it’s a long slog. And yet we must remember that our mission, our job, first and foremost is to take care of the lands, waters, and wildlife of the Refuge System. That is the charge from the American people through Congress. If we do that job to the best of our ability, we show millions of people an actual, concrete example of an ecological conscience and the land ethic of Aldo Leopold. Is it enough? No, but it is our charge.
For much of my career I worked on the prairies, a landscape of critical importance to two clashing value and economic systems: prairie wetlands and their wildlife and agriculture. Economic needs of farmers and agribusiness almost always trumps the land ethic. It was sad to see even new generations of farmers with the benefit of more education and knowledge of ecological systems still farm the land from road to road (I’d say fence row to fence row, but they are mostly gone). Without the acquisition of millions of acres in fee and especially easement on the northern prairies, I’m convinced the wetlands would have all gone the way of the bison. On landscapes across the country, the Refuge System has made a difference and shown by example to all citizens that there is another way.
We must remember that if everything becomes a priority, nothing is a priority. However, I do see a place for teaching and talking about environmental sustainability as we welcome visitors to their refuges and conduct our interpretive and educational programs. Rather than a goal that makes the communication of sustainability a high priority for the Refuge System and the Service, why not ensure that we live these values in our land management and public use programs. Leading by example may have more power to change than communication of the ideas alone.
-
Berk Moss posted on the forum topic Please check out the Transit and Trails Connections to NWRs document in the group
Relevance to a Changing America: 10 hours, 53 minutes ago · ViewGreat work. Let me just add that the Tualatin River NWR here in Oregon may be one of a very few Refuges that has a transit agency stop at our visitor center entrance. TRI_MET buses serve the Refuge about every 40 minutes from 6:44AM to 11:14PM (Owl service?)
Berk -
Nathan Caldwell started the forum topic Please check out the Transit and Trails Connections to NWRs document in the group
Relevance to a Changing America: 11 hours, 19 minutes ago · ViewWe have just completed “Transit and Trails Connections: Assessment of Visitor Access to NWRs”, using the Volpe Center, a part of the Research, Innovation, and Technology Administration of the DOT, and paid for with Federal Transit Administration funds from the Sarbanes Program research set-aside. Using the recommendations,and promoting the existing access by transit and trails [...]
-
Nathan Caldwell uploaded the file: Finding and Recommendations of the Transit and Trails Connections: Assessment of Visitor Access to NWRs to
Relevance to a Changing America 11 hours, 25 minutes ago · ViewFolks–Realizing that the T&T Connections document has a lot of detail in it, I have extracted just the findings and recommendation sections from it for those of you who may not have the time or interest in all the data.
A lot of this material will be incorporated into the National and Regional Long Range Transportation Plans that are in the works. Look for the Region One final draft later this month, and hopefully not too long afterwards, the Alaska Multi-Agency LRTP draft will be out.
-
Berk Moss started the forum topic Beyond the Boundries? environmental ed and awareness in the group
Beyond The Boundaries: 11 hours, 59 minutes ago · ViewWould this be the appropriate forum to discuss how the FWS and Friends can have an impact on Environmental Education and awareness nationally with Refuges being centers for leading such activities and encouraging action in communities?
-
Nathan Caldwell uploaded the file: Transit and Trails Connections: Assessment of Visitor Access to NWRs to
Relevance to a Changing America 14 hours, 5 minutes ago · ViewThis is the just completed “Transit and Trails Connections: Assessment of Visitor Access to NWRs”. The publication was done by the Volpe Center, a part of the Research, Innovation, and Technology Administration of the DOT, and paid for with Federal Transit Administration funds from the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in the Parks (and other Federal lands!) Program research set-aside. Soon to come will be a web-specific version of the document as well that will go on a new Transit and Trails webpage on the NWRS Transportation portion of the NWRS homepage.
-
Bill Perry posted on the forum topic Comment on Draft Vision Document in the group
Conservation Planning and Design: 1 day, 12 hours ago · ViewA couple of comments on the revised Conservation Planning and Design Vision: Under the Collaborative Landscape Conservation section, page 4. #2, Marine Refuges are a very important piece of the overall conservation suite. We are running into a potential overlap between national wildlife refuges and national marine sanctuaries. Part of developing a vision for marine [...]
-
Lisa Mayo posted on the forum topic Comment on Draft Vision Document in the group
Relevance to a Changing America: 2 days, 9 hours ago · ViewThanks, Mark. That’s very interesting regarding getting your input heard. And I agree, we don’t need to be IT experts to offer valuable input on websites. We’re all consumers of the Internet (and FWS websites), so we have something to offer in the way of user feedback and suggestions for making the Refuge System websites [...]
-
Mark Vaughn posted on the forum topic Comment on Draft Vision Document in the group
Relevance to a Changing America: 2 days, 10 hours ago · ViewI also have re-read the draft document for about the 3rd time and I think one thing that stands out in my mind is ts the words “Urgent Need”. There isn’t anything specified for “urgent” or defined in the document regarding this. If everything is an “Urgent Need” how are we or you going to [...]
-
Karen Lindsey joined the group
Conservation Delivery 2 days, 11 hours ago · View -
Mark Vaughn posted on the forum topic Comment on Draft Vision Document in the group
Relevance to a Changing America: 2 days, 13 hours ago · ViewLisa, I agree with your post. For many years I wrote HTML and created web sites and understand the importance of a well maintained, visual pleaseing, easy to navigate and most importantly up to date web site. Social media will not replace this and as I’m learning while working on my communications degree in social [...]
-
Thanks for contributing to this discussion about websites Mark. It is an important issue to me too that I believe needs serious, not urgent, attention.
-
-
Jim Kurth posted an update in the group
Relevance to a Changing America: 2 days, 16 hours ago · ViewI have found the discussion about an ecological conscience and how we can work to instill a land ethic in our communities to be fascinating. I struggle along with others to discern an effective and appropriate path forward. Last Fall, I attended a weekend training session call ”Land Ethic Leaders” at the Aldo Leopold Foundation. I think the approach they take to beginning meaningful discussions in communities may be a good one for us. Take a look at their approach: https://www.aldoleopold.org/greenfire/lel.html
-
Granted a lot of individuals posting on the ecological conscience and land ethic’s are college graduates, biologists and other people of noteworthy intentions. I don’t know if anyone has stopped for a moment and taken a deep breath and stopped trying to ”overthink” the issue. As a Layman and one who is still working on his college degree, I take more of a arm chair approach to our issues and though we want to use ”Good Science” in what we are doing, it is all too often that we tend to put these issues in the hands of the ”Educated” and we come up with over the top solutions to our issues. I applied to be a part of this group because I feel I had a great position as a ”new comer” a person who can view these issues from outside the window and use my experience as a computer and social media ”geek” to help solve some of these problems that we are tasked with solving. I wasn’t or didn’t make the ”Cut” to be a part of the group so I was excited when this site came online.
You can chose to ignore my ramblings or accept them, but I think what is needed here is a varied cross section with OPEN minds who want to come to the same conclusions.
-
Ok just read the Green Fire Website from top to bottome. I’m impressed by the Leopold group however, as I stated in a previous post, I think we are looking too narrow as far as getting the word out. Most groups like this cater to a very narrow demographic, what of the inner city kids who have never heard of conservation or land ethic. It isn’t something that is taught in schools as of yet.
Our focus needs to be on the masses not a small group of individuals. I know it sounds immense to think we need to reach the ”Planet” but it is how we need to look at this focus. Until I joined the FWS after retiring from the Air Force I didn’t even know the true mean of Conservation. I thought it was things like and I’m going to stereo type here a minute ”Tree Huggers” and ”Owl Lovers”. I didn’t realize that things like Hunter, wetlands and other important factors were involved in the conservation effort.
These are things that need to be taugh in schools starting with the very young. My wife who is a pre-school teacher has had me come in to her class and give short talks on birds, wildlife and other things I’m learning about. This is how we reach the masses.
It’s just my thought and I may be way off base, but wanted to throw my iron into the fire..
-
Mark,
I appreciate your perspectives and I’m glad you are taking the time to share them. I think you make good points. I believe we need a variety of communication strategies. We must use tools like the internet and other media to spread the conservation message far and wide. We can compliment those efforts with more in-depth discussions with Friends groups and local community organizations that may be interested in a higher level of engagement.
You are doing just what we hope would happen on this site, a great exchange of ideas and perspectives. Keep it up.jim
-
Thanks Jim and yes I do believe that we can use the other avenue’s to compliment the large scale efforts to reach our society’s. We need those groups who are truely working to reach all walks of life to come to the schools, to come to the public venue’s like Fair’s, events and other city, state and federal goings on. They can help augment the large efforts by reaching the nooks and cranies that the large scale efforts are not quite reaching!
-
-
-
Jim – Thank you for joining in the conversation. Your input will help us ask further questions. I had no idea the Leopold Foundation was moving in the direction of training like the Land Ethic Leaders. My initial reaction after reading the Web page on the program is positive. I like the idea of introducing community leaders to a land ethic and would like to learn more about ”how to organize and promote Leopold-themed events.” How or what role we could play in an effort like this will be good to think about. Many thanks to you and others sharing their thoughts on this topic!
-
-
Tim Haller posted on the forum topic Keeping NWRS website current and accurate in the group
Leadership and Organizational Excellence: 2 days, 18 hours ago · ViewJoanna, You are right on as I do the website for our refuge along with my other duties. Not having any training in website design etc.. I struggle to make it look as good as it should be as Dreamweaver software take some time to master. Now that we are converting to Content Management System [...]
-
Thanks for concurring with my opinion on this Tim. I am so looking forward to the Content Management System (CMS) rollout, but I’ve been told that it won’t be for another 2 years, so that sort deflates my excitement. This points to the core issue of our website management. If we can’t respond to the latest technology in a timely manner, we can’t be competitively relevant to the public and our partners at large. By the time two years comes around, CMS might be replaced with a newer, better technology.
Basically CMS will allow those with little knowledge of web programming languages to build and manage the sites content. It will be as easy as what we are doing on this blog site.
If anyone knows anything about the CMS rollout, I’d like to know if what I heard about timing is accurate. Thanks.
-
-
Vince Mathews posted on the forum topic Youth Conservation Corps in the group
Relevance to a Changing America: 3 days, 14 hours ago · ViewYCC was key in my career and the best government program I know of. Realize I was dragged into the program working with two bureaucracies (state and federal). It changed everything with the nature preserve involved. It become a local assess to the surrounding small farm communities while being a state and national important preserve. [...]
-
Vince Mathews joined the group
Relevance to a Changing America 3 days, 15 hours ago · View - Load More
Michael,
I was told that the Content Management System would take another two years to roll out field stations. Is this accurate?