Fish and Wildlife Service

Welcome to the Cookeville Field Office

The Cookeville Field Office provides assistance throughout the State of Tennessee to Federal and State agencies, local governments, businesses, and the general public relative to conserving, protecting, and restoring habitat for migratory birds and federally threatened and endangered species. Our assistance is typically provided through six programs: pre-development consultation, federal permits and projects, endangered species, environmental contaminants, partners for fish and wildlife, and education/outreach.

Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Endangered Species Act Protection for the Shovelnose Sturgeon

The Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to treat the shovelnose sturgeon as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act due to its similarity of appearance to the endangered pallid sturgeon. The Service is also proposing a spcial rule that would prohibit the harvest of flesh or roe of the shovelnose sturgeon and shovelnose-pallid sturgeon hybrids when associated with a commmercial fishing activity.
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Tackling Climate Change in Tennessee’s State Wildlife Action Plan

Tackling climate change may seem like an impossible feat, like trying to find a tiny needle in an enormous hay stack. But, if you take a small handful of hay and begin sifting through it, suddenly the challenge seems less monstrous. This is exactly how our Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency planning team felt as we attempted to incorporate climate change in Tennessee’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP). As part of the State Wildlife Grants Program (SWG), each state had to complete a plan that identified species and habitats of greatest conservation need and outlined the steps to conserve them.

Early in January of 2005, Our SWG planning team met to begin discussions on species and habitat threats for inclusion in Tennessee’s SWAP. Our team was quite diverse and possessed the knowledge and years of experience needed to accomplish the task at hand. However, when it came to the topic of climate change, we scratched our heads. Climate change was beginning to get headlines in the national media and, to be honest, that was about the extent of our knowledge. We agreed climate change was a potential threat to Tennessee’s wildlife, but we also realized the enormity of the issue and decided to tackle this topic some other day.

Premier Hunting Experiences Accessible

Where is the closest National WildlifeRefuge that offers turkey hunting for people with disabilities?

You don’t need to guess or start phoning names on a long list. A new National Wildlife Refuge System interactive Web site, Your Guide to Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges, (http://www.fws.gov/refuges/hunting) provides hunters with an easy search mechanism to find a refuge by special interest, such as game species (i.e. deer, waterfowl, big game), zip code, youth or\ special needs (i.e. universally accessible), or using any combination of topics. You can also search by a refuge name or state name.

Service Assists in Response to Kingston, Tennessee, Fly Ash Slurry Spill

fly ash spill in Kingston, TN

Fish and Wildlife Service Environmental Contaminants and Law Enforcement personnel are responding to the release of approximately one billion gallons (5.4 million cubic yards) of fly ash slurry.

The spill occurred when an earthen dike broke at a retention pond at the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil Plant in Kingston, Tennessee.

Welcome to the Cookeville Field Office