Three staff members of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge were presented with high-level Department of the Interior honor awards at a ceremony held in Winona, Minn., on Aug. 29.
Don Hultman, manager of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge and Jim Nissen, manager of the refuge’s La Crosse District, both received the Department’s Meritorious Service Award and Eric Nelson, biologist for the refuge, received the Department’s Superior Service Award.
Hultman has been with the Service for more than 30 years and spent the last five years as manager of the 240,000-acre Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.
Hultman was recognized for numerous accomplishments throughout his career that includes positions at seven national wildlife refuges, as well as regional and national offices. Hultman was the lead author of both the National Wildlife Refuge System’s Vision document and the Upper Mississippi River Refuge’s Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP).
Nissen has been the manager of the 46,000-acre La Crosse District for 18 years and was honored for his consistently high-level of dedication and accomplishment during his tenure. He has worked for the Service 28 years.
Nissen was recognized for his role in numerous habitat projects including the Pool 8 drawdown in 2000 and 2001 and several Environmental Management Projects benefiting 11,000 acres; his leadership in waterfowl ecology, research, and management; his creative and tenacious land acquisition efforts resulting to more than 1,200 acres being added to the refuge; his leadership and contributions for the refuge CCP completed in 2006; and his exemplary and sustained outreach and education efforts with conservation groups, elected officials and the media.
Established in 1948, the Meritorious Service award is the Department’s second highest honor awarded to a career employee. The award recognizes highly superior performance and devotion to duty over a considerable time period. Hultman’s and Nissen’s awards were signed by Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne.
Nelson has been the senior biologist for the 240,000-acre refuge for 17 years and has worked for the Service for 27 years. He was honored for his lead role in developing the CCP.
Nelson was recognized for his leadership role and high quality efforts in public involvement, research, and writing for the refuge’s CCP, and for his ability to foster positive working relationships during planning with four states and two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers districts. Nelson’s work on the CCP was accomplished in addition to many of his duties as refuge biologist.
Established in 1971, the Superior Service Award is granted for significant acts or achievements that help accomplish the Service’s or Department’s mission. It recognizes particularly difficult or important assignments that reflect well on the individual and the Service. Nelson’s award was signed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dale Hall.
The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is the most visited refuge in the United States. The refuge extends 261 miles along the Upper Mississippi River from Wabasha, Minnesota to Rock Island, Illinois, protecting and preserving habitat for migratory birds, fish, and a variety of other wildlife. This 240,000-acre refuge was established in 1924.
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 97-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 547 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 and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
