Increasing opportunities for disabled people to hunt, fish, and otherwise enjoy outdoor recreational activities on the 540 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System was the focus of an agreement signed today by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Wild Turkey Federation"s (NWTF) Wheelin" Sportsmen program.
In signing the agreement, Fish and Wildlife Service Director Steve Williams lauded NWTF and Wheelin" Sportsmen for really making a difference in sharing the outdoors with young people, women, and people with disabilities.
"A"This year marks the 100th anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge System,"@" Williams said. "A"There could be no better time for us to join with NWTF and Wheelin" Sportsmen to find ways to open new doors to the outdoors for disabled people."@"
The agreement was also signed by Kirk Thomas, Wheelin" Sportsmen NWTF national coordinator."
A"I want to thank the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their commitment to give disabled people the opportunity to participate in the great outdoors,"@" said Thomas. "A"We may not be able to reach every disabled individual in North America, but with this MOU that we"re signing here today, we"ve taken an important step toward that goal."@"
The agreement calls for the FWS and Wheelin" Sportsmen officials and members to identify a minimum of four cooperative events on refuges during the first year. It also commits both organizations to work together at the national, regional and local level to increase public awareness of both the Wheelin" Sportsmen program and the National Wildlife Refuge System"s centennial celebration.
"A"This is a good start,"@" said Williams, "A"but with more than 50 million disabled people in this country, I hope we can figure ways to do even more."@"
The agreement was signed at Cooleemee Plantation near Winston Salem, NC, during a press tour coordinated by the Wildlife Management Institute in conjunction with the 68th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, a major gathering of wildlife officials and organizations.
Wheelin" Sportsmen provides all disabled people the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors through chapter events across the country. Through this program, disabled participants enjoy activities such as hunting, fishing and shooting with an able bodied partner. In addition, all Wheelin" Sportsmen members receive a Wheelin" Sportsmen magazine four times a year.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 540 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
