With the year long celebration of the National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial in full swing 28 Southwest refuges are now under new leadership. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has selected Aaron Archibeque to serve as Regional Supervisor for the National Wildlife Refuges in Texas and Oklahoma.
From 1983 to 1990 Archibeque worked at six refuges in the Southwest Region, including four in the two states he will oversee. During this time he was stationed at Sequoyah, Atwatter Prarie Chicken, and McFaddin/Texas Point refuges.
As a native New Mexican, Archibeque returns to the Land of Enchantment from Alaska where, for the past 12 years, he has served as Refuge Manager for the 4.7 million acre Togiak National Wildlife Refuge. "My time in Alaska was simply incredible, it was a difficult decision to leave but I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work for the fine folks in Texas, Oklahoma and the Southwest Regional Office " said Archibeque.
Archibeque holds a Bachelors Degree in Wildlife Science from New Mexico State University. He is an avid outdoors man and enjoys most outdoor activities and spending time with his family. Archibeque is married to Dianna and they have two daughters, Maija (9) and Mariah (7).
The 28 refuges in Texas and Oklahoma are members of a larger family of 530 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System. The National Wildlife Refuge System, begun in 1903, encompasses lands nationwide that are protected and managed by the Service specifically for wildlife. Refuges promote wildlife diversity and protect wildlife habitat and natural systems, like wetland habitats, that serve us by holding flood waters, filtering pollutants and cleaning our water. More than 35 million Americans visit national wildlife refuges each 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 nearly 540 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 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 that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
