Alaska Refuge Manager Named "Refuge Manager of the Year"

Alaska Refuge Manager Named "Refuge Manager of the Year"
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Manager Jay Bellinger received the prestigious "Refuge Manager of the Year, award on March 21 in Florida. The National Wildlife Refuge Association and the National Audubon Society presented the Paul Kroegel-Refuge Manager of the Year Award at the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference.

Bellingers accomplishments and contributions span three decades. He joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) more than 30 years ago in 1967 and the Kodiak Refuge in 1984. Long recognized for his passion for the resource, his ability to work positively with partners and refuge inholders, and his concern for the conservation of Kodiak brown bears, Bellinger played a key role in securing the protection of 260,000 acres of habitat for bears, salmon, sea otters and other species occurring on private inholdings within the Kodiak Refuge in recent years.

"This is a man whose leadership has been instrumental in advancing the overall refuge mission and in developing and maintaining public outreach programs," said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Director for Alaska, Dave Allen. "Jays tireless commitment over the years to wildlife conservation and the refuge system make him a very worthy recipient of this award."

According to Glenn Elison, Assistant Regional Director for Refuges and Wildlife with the Alaska, Bellingers leadership is notable for his strong will, courage of conviction, and exceptional focus on protecting the integrity of the Kodiak Refuge and the fish and wildlife that depend upon it. "Jay Bellinger, through his actions and deeds, exemplifies the best of what is doubtlessly an extraordinary group of public servants, the refuge managers of the National Wildlife Refuge system," Elison said.

According to Anne Criss of the National wildlife Refuge Association, the Paul Kroegel Award was established to recognize outstanding accomplishments in the protection and management of our national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

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system and particularly, the men and women who manage the units of the system--the refuge managers. The award is given in memory of Paul Kroegel, the first refuge manager of the first refuge, established in 1903, Pelican in Florida.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages more that 500 national wildlife refuges, which includes more than 92 million acres of wildlife habitat throughout the country. In Alaska there are 16 wildlife refuges.

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