Public Voices – What’s The Vision?

What is your vision for wildlife conservation and our nation’s 107 –year old National Wildlife Refuge System?  In September 2010, the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) launched a public engagement campaign by asking that question to members of the Refuge Friends Groups, non-governmental organizations, and relevant issue coalitions.  The public participation campaign continues into the summer of 2011. During the next few months please share your ideas too.

The goal of the public engagement campaign is to inform individuals about the Vision Process, while also providing a forum where individuals can offer ideas on the question of what should be included in a 10-year and beyond vision for wildlife conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) National Wildlife Refuge System.   The Refuge System is comprised of 553 national wildlife refuges (at least one in every state) and is home to hundreds of birds, mammals, reptiles, fish and plant species.

In September, representatives from over 20 sportsmen and other conservation organizations and nearly 60 refuge friends groups offered ideas for how to shape a long-term vision for wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge System.  NWRA held seven Friends Group webinars, one in-person Friends session, a number of one-on-one interviews with organizational leaders and addressed a number of DC-based coalitions that are organized around on such topics as federal funding, land acquisition, climate change/adaptation and endangered species.  Below are 10 of the over 200 ideas and comments captured during the partner sessions. Every few weeks the 10 comments will be replaced with a new set of 10, rotating through the full list.

  • Wildlife refuges put wildlife first and are valued by the public for the role they play in providing ecological services……clean air, clear water, recreation opportunities, a wildlife heritage.
  • The FWS/Refuge System is a leader (serves as a catalyst) for bringing together varying land management entities and inform people about the Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) concept.
  • Create capacity grants to conduct training on landscape planning from RS vantage point and train folks on how to engage in meaningful on-the-ground conversations.
  • Strategic growth important, prioritize this within the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of the Interior. Regularly survey partner groups to see if groups/individuals know of lands adjacent to the refuge that could be added to the System or placed in a conservation easement.
  • Present citizen science so its understandable to community members and so the public will engage.
  • Replicate successful models of landscape level planning in other places in U.S. through training and education programs.
  • Wilderness is critically important, yet too few know about wilderness areas on refuges and the risks they face and benefits they provide.
  • Changing demographics require a new way to look at outreach. The refuge system needs a new strategy on recruitment. Take a risk when recruiting.
  • Create service programs where youth work on refuges, similarly build-out the refuge intern program.
  • Institute a refuge exchange program so that members of the Refuge Friends Groups can learn about other refuges by spending time at them.