FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Washington, D.C. 20240
|
United
States Department of the Interior
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
|
DIRECTOR'S ORDER NO. 116
Subject: Wilderness Stewardship Training
Sec. 1 What is the purpose of this Order? This Order establishes policy and procedures for wilderness training to ensure that supervisors and employees:
a. Are aware of their responsibilities for securing an enduring resource of wilderness for present and future generations;
b. Can properly manage and protect wilderness areas; and
c. Can better communicate about wilderness issues.
Sec. 2 What is the scope of this Order? This policy applies to all Regions and the Refuges and Wildlife, Ecological Services, and Fisheries programs.
Sec. 3 What are the duties of regional wilderness coordinators? Each Regional Director will appoint a regional wilderness coordinator to:
a. Serve as liaison between the Washington Office and project leaders;
b. Assist in the development of wilderness management policy;
c. Provide annual information to the Washington Office sufficient for the preparation of an annual report to Congress;
d. Assist in wilderness reviews of Service lands;
e. Coordinate the nomination of Service lands for inclusion in the Wilderness System;
f. Host a peer review/training exercise biannually with refuge staff associated with wilderness management; and
g. Work with Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center (Training Center) staff on the development of new courses.
Sec. 4 What are the training requirements for regional wilderness coordinators?
a. Regional wilderness coordinators will attend:
(1) The Training Center's Fiscal Year 2000 National Wilderness Stewardship training course unless they have attended a previous national session.
(2) A "Wilderness Issues" course, or another course designed by the Training Center to serve as a review of wilderness policy and an update on current wilderness issues, at least every 5 years.
b. Future regional wilderness coordinators will attend the next available National Wilderness Stewardship training course following their appointment to the position, unless they have attended a previous national session.
Sec. 5 What is the deadline for designating regional wilderness coordinators? Regional Directors will provide the name and contact information to the Assistant Director - Refuges and Wildlife no later than 30 days after the date of this Order.
Sec. 6 What are the training requirements for Refuges and Wildlife staff?
a. Refuge managers (including complex and unit managers) of refuges containing designated wilderness or a Wilderness Study Area (wilderness is proposed, recommended, or under review) will attend:
(1) The Training Center's National Wilderness Stewardship training course by 2001, unless they have attended a previous national session.
(2) A "Wilderness Issues" course, or another course designed by the Training Center to serve as a review of wilderness policy and an update on current wilderness issues, at least every 5 years.
b. Future refuge managers (including complex and unit managers) of refuges containing designated wilderness or a Wilderness Study Area will attend the National Wilderness Stewardship training course within 1 year of their appointment to the position, unless they have attended a previous national session.
c. Regional refuge supervisors will attend the Training Center's National Wilderness Stewardship training course by 2001, unless they have attended a previous national session.
d. Future refuge supervisors will attend the National Wilderness Stewardship training course within 2 years, following their appointment to the position, unless they have attended a previous national session.
e. Other refuge or Regional staff involved in wilderness planning, protection, management, or recreation should attend a Regional Wilderness Stewardship training course or specialized wilderness courses offered by the Training Center.
f. Programmatic Assistant Regional Directors, Geographic Assistant Regional Directors, and refuge managers (including complex and unit managers) should attend the National Wilderness Stewardship training course by 2003.
Sec. 7 If I have not attended training, can I make wilderness decisions? Refuge managers (including complex and unit managers) in the National Wildlife Refuge System who have not attended a National Wilderness Stewardship training course may not make minimum tool decisions regarding wilderness management.
Sec. 8 What are the training requirements for Ecological Services staff?
a. Project leaders with significant responsibility for Endangered Species Act consultations with wilderness managers within the Service or with any other Federal agency will attend the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center's National Wilderness Stewardship training course by 2002, unless they have attended a previous national session.
b. Ecological Services staff with significant involvement in issues that affect wilderness planning, protection, management, or recreation are encouraged to attend a Regional Wilderness Stewardship training course or specialized wilderness courses offered by the Training Center.
Sec. 9 What are the training requirements for Fisheries staff?
a. Project Leaders with significant responsibility for providing management or restoration to wilderness managers within the Service, or with any other Federal agency, will attend the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center's National Wilderness Stewardship training course by 2002, unless they have attended a previous National session.
b. Fisheries staff involved in issues that affect wilderness planning, protection, management, or recreation should attend a Regional Wilderness Stewardship training course or specialized wilderness courses offered by the Training Center.
Sec. 10 What are the training requirements for Washington Office staff?
a. The national wilderness coordinator will attend:
(1) The 1999 National Wilderness Stewardship training course, unless he/she has attended a previous national session.
(2) A "Wilderness Issues" course, or another course designed by the Training Center to serve as a review of wilderness policy and an update on current wilderness issues, at least every 2 years.
b. Future national wilderness coordinators will attend the next available National Wilderness Stewardship training course following their appointment to the position, unless they have attended a previous national session.
c. Washington Office staff involved in wilderness planning, protection, management, budget, or recreation should attend the National or Regional Wilderness Stewardship training course, or specialized wilderness courses offered by the Training Center.
Sec. 11 What are the annual reporting requirements? Within 30 days of the signature of this Order and thereafter by October 1 of each year, Regional Directors will provide the Wilderness Acreage Report (Reports Control Symbol R610-5) to the Assistant Director - Refuges and Wildlife, attention: Wilderness Coordinator, Division of Refuges. Include:
a. The number of units with designated wilderness, proposed wilderness, or Wilderness Study Areas and the acreage;
b. The total number of Refuge and Wildlife, Ecological Services, and Fisheries staff that have attended wilderness training;
c. A list of refuge managers, Ecological Service project leaders, or Fisheries project leaders at units with designated or proposed wilderness, or significant wilderness responsibilities that have not attended wilderness training; and
d. The schedule for employee wilderness training for the next fiscal year.
Sec. 12 What is the effective date of this Order? This
Order is effective immediately. We will incorporate its contents into
Part
610 of the Fish and Wildlife Service Manual. Its provisions will remain
in
effect until December 31, 2000, unless amended, superseded, or revoked.
/SGD/ JAMIE RAPPAPORT CLARK
DIRECTOR
Date: October 12, 1999