Kids, Conservation and the Future of America

With all the serious issues facing America today, why is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fretting about kids playing indoors?
Less than 50 years ago, about a third of the U.S. population lived in rural areas. Now over 80 percent of our citizens live in cities, and that’s growing every year. Urban kids today are disconnected from nature. They simply don’t experience the time outdoors that many of us enjoyed when we were growing up.

As a result, many young people lack a basic understanding and appreciation of the natural world. When conserving nature is no longer valued, there will be no support or funding for conservation projects. This will have consequences that go well beyond our agency and dedicated employees. Impacts will go even beyond our country. This would be a global tragedy.

The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program is leading the effort to reconnect children with nature. The landowners who participate in the program are devoted to conservation on private lands, which makes them perfect liaisons for communicating credibly and urgently about the importance of fish, wildlife and habitat. Our outdoor classroom projects are giving students a hands-on chance to learn about nature. Through Partners-sponsored programs like “National Archery in the Schools,” youth can engage in fun activities while coming to understand and appreciate the outdoors.
Conservation in America cannot afford to be relegated to the Kids, Conservation and the Future of America FWSbackburner, now or ever. That’s why you have my personal commitment that all of us with Partners in the Southwest Region will continue fretting — and working to overcome —the very real challenge of reconnecting kids with nature.

Dr. Benjamin Tuggle
Southwest Regional Director
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Regional Director and the Comanche Nation Visit

Regional Director, Dr. Benjamin Tuggle, gives heartfelt thanks to the Comanche Nation.

For years, even prior to my taking the position of Regional Director for the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Southwest Region, the Service has recognized the importance of assisting the tribes in lawfully obtaining eagle and other raptor feathers and parts for traditional purposes.  The Southwest Region was also the first region to have worked with tribes to establish their own eagle aviaries, and we continue to do so today.  The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, for example, was the first tribe in the country to be permitted as an eagle rehabilitator, with the first rehabilitated bald eagle being released back into the wild at our Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in 2006. On that day my heart softened as I watched the release of that eagle.  Two additional eagles have since been rehabilitated and released. 

On June 2, 2009, myself, our Regional Native American Liaison, and a Migratory Bird permit administrator had the pleasure of visiting one of the tribes that have also been permitted; the Comanche Nation of Oklahoma.  Because of the relationships we have established and the Service’s active pursuit to support our tribes, the Comanche Nation chose to honor me and our Region.  While there, we took a tour of their outstanding facility, as well as met with tribal representatives from the Comanche Nation, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Citizen Potawatomi Nation of Oklahoma, members of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, Cherokee, and Choctaw tribes and non-tribal community members.  During the ceremony we heard a heart-felt 'eagle song', I was blessed by a Comanche spiritual leader, and the Comanche Nation Chairman presented me with a beautiful blanket which will be permanently displayed within our Regional Office.  I was humbled as well as honored to have met with all of these tribal representatives.

The friendships that we forged there that day, and the interest that we share in eagles, hawks and all other birds of prey, will continue to link us in our efforts to protect and honor wildlife.  As an agency we need to pay more attention to what the tribes are doing.  It is about doing what is right, not only for the conservation of our wildlife, but for the conservation and protection of the cultural and religious uses of eagles and other raptors by our Native American neighbors.  Here in the southwest there is an essence in the community and the tribes represented here that goes beyond regulations.  Regulations only take us so far and then we speak to spirituality.  That level of spirituality is definitely found within our tribes and we will need to take advantage of the opportunity to do cooperative work with them in an effort to continue to honor these magnificent birds, as well as the tribes.

Tribal Wildlife Grants for 2009

Here in the southwest, we encompass a landscape rich in diversity and culture. Part of this culture is comprised of 84 federally recognized tribes that we are working with to establish good and trusting relations.

Since its inception in 2003, the competitive Tribal Wildlife Grants (TWG) program has awarded nearly $50 million to federally recognized Native American Tribes, enhancing their ability to manage, monitor, and conserve important fish and wildlife resources. Species benefiting from these grants include those of cultural significance; many species that are not hunted or fished, as well as those that are of significance to the Service.

This past fiscal year, the Service received a total of 101 proposals and selected 41 with the highest scores in a uniform ranking process. The maximum award was $200,000. For Region 2, seven tribes, including the Cocopah Tribe, Hopi Tribe, and Navajo Nation of AZ, the Pueblo of Santa Ana, NM, and the Osage Nation, Peoria Tribe of OK, and the Iowa Tribe of OK were awarded a total of $1,255,702 in TWG funding.

Projects range from habitat restoration along the riparian ecosystems of the Lower Colorado River, golden eagle prey base, occupancy and reproductive studies, comprehensive management plans for culturally-significant species, the expansion of an eagle aviary and rehabilitation center, the propagation, reintroduction, and comprehensive recovery plans for threatened and endangered freshwater mussels, as well as the hiring of tribal personnel and acquisition of needed equipment to accomplish these projects.

To date, Region 2 has ranked as one of the top Regions in the country to receive funding for tribes, as well as to provide technical and biological support to build upon better Government-to-Government relations. In support of this, Region 2 will be offering a two-day TWG writing and management course in conjunction with the southwest regional conference of the Native American Fish & Wildlife Society, Isleta Pueblo Casino, July 27-30, 2009. Requests for proposals for this year's funding are currently being accepted until September 30, 2009. For more information on the TWG training and program, please contact our Regional Native American Liaison, Joe Early at (505) 248-6602, or joe_early@fws.gov. Thank you.

Native American Liaison website

Climate Change in the Southwest Region

We all know that climate change is real, and is one of the greatest challenges ever faced by the conservation community as we work to conserve fish, wildlife, and their habitats. In response to these challenges, the Service is finalizing a strategic plan.

At the joint Region 2/Region 8 Climate Change Workshop held in Tucson, Arizona, this past August, Ken McDermond and I challenged Service and USGS employees to think about what each of us could do at our work sites to reduce the impacts of climate change on the precious natural resources we are charged to conserve. At the end of the workshop, I committed to fund several climate change “pilot” proposals generated by R2 employees.

The Southwest Region received a total of 66 proposals by the October 31 submission deadline, ranging in cost from $1,000 to $1,000,000. And today, we are proud to announce that the Region 2 RDT has made the commitment to fund $48,500 from all sources of our FY 2009 annual budget that will be re-directed as “seed money” to fund ten of these proposals.

All of the proposals were worthy. However, in order to maximize the number of projects within the limited dollars at our disposal, the RDT chose to fund some of the more immediate, short-term proposals that required funding of no more than $10,000 for this fiscal year. We were so impressed with the response to our call for proposals that we have decided to consider climate change proposals for funding annually.

Thanks to all members of our Service family for your innovative thinking in responding to the challenges of climate change. A special thank you to all that submitted proposals for this important endeavor. And I urge all of you to continue doing whatever you can – both in your professional and personal lives – to reduce your carbon footprint and to continue to show leadership in confronting this serious challenge to natural resource conservation.

A press release announcing the FY09 R2 funded climate change projects has been issued to media outlets throughout the region.

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