James "Jim" Ruwaldt Oral History Transcript (Partners for Fish and Wildlife)

Jim worked in the Pierre Ecological Services Field Station in the late 1980s, and began to work implementing the 1985 Farm Bill, coordinating with the Soil Conservation Service on CRP and wetland restoration projects.He transferred to the Bloomington, Indiana ESFO and was given broad latitude from his supervisor, Dave Hudak, to work with private landowners and conservation groups to accelerate wetland restorations on private lands.   He worked extensively in Indiana to help landowners take advantage of wetland restoration opportunities.   In 1996 he became the State Coordinator for the Partners program in Madison, Wisconsin where he expanded the Partners program support to landowners throughout Wisconsin.   He helped coordinate large wetland restoration and protection projects, such as Duffy’s Marsh, and worked with landowners to enhance grassland habitats for the endangered Karner Blue Butterfly.    Jim retired from the FWS in 2009.