If you ever have occasion to speak to the public, here’s a quick tip: Try to avoid coming to the stage after one of the greatest presidents of the 20th century.

It sounds unlikely, but it happened to me Friday, when I spoke after Teddy Roosevelt at the Centennial Celebration of the National Elk Refuge in Jackson, Wyoming.

Well, OK. It wasn’t exactly THE Teddy Roosevelt, but the impersonator sure looked and sounded like the old Rough Rider himself. And I’m sure “TR” would have been pleased and amazed at the growth and success of the National Wildlife Refuge System he founded more than a century ago.

The National Elk Refuge, established in 1912 to protect winter habitat vital to the Jackson elk herd, was among the first refuges created after Roosevelt left office. It signified that the Refuge System was not simply the passion of a single president, but an enduring linchpin for North American conservation.

[More]

Yesterday, in Washington-speak, was "budget day." The day that the President unveils his budget for the next fiscal year -- FY 2013. For agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this is the culmination of a process that began in November 2010, so it's a long time coming.

The President’s FY 2013 budget request for the Service is 1.5 billion, that’s $72 million more than the last fiscal year.  As with all budgets, we had to make some tough choices when we made our request; tough as they were, in a time of fiscal austerity, our request reflects the good conservation work that we do.  It also furthers our goal of transforming the agency to meet the many conservation challenges of the 21^st century. 

The Service’s budget includes an additional $4.0 million to support energy development including funding for enhanced studies of renewable energy projects, technical assistance in project design, and Endangered Species Act consultation. Photo: NOAA

[More]