NEW PROJECT LEADER APPOINTED TO HEAD CARIBBEAN ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE COMPLEX

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has named Val Kevin Urban as the new project leader of its Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge complex. As project leader, Urban will manage the entire Caribbean complex, comprised of seven refuges: Buck Island, Cabo, Culebra, Desecheo, Laguna Cartagena, Green Cay and Sandy Point national wildlife refuges. Sandy Point has the largest sea turtle nesting site under U.S. jurisdiction.

"I look forward to the challenge of managing such a diverse and dynamic system of refuges," Urban said about his new position. "I also look forward to working with the people of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on a variety of wildlife and land management issues."

An employee of the Service for almost 8 years, Urban has served as Deputy Project Leader at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, near Tallahassee, Florida, for the past 5 years. He began his career with the Service in 1990 as a Refuge Operations Specialist at Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge in Chiefland, Florida. Prior to joining the Service, Urban served with the U.S. Forest Service. He received his Masters degree in wildlife management from West Virginia University in 1988, and a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife and forestry from Virginia Tech in 1985. In June of this year, he married Benita Smith, formerly a Service employee at the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, Crystal River, Florida.

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Release #: R97-105

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