New Manager Reports for Duty at Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Steve Whitson, a 14 year veteran of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the new manager of Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Sumner, Mo. Whitson reported for duty on Oct. 22.

Whitson, his wife Carrie and their seven children are looking forward to becoming part of the community around Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge. "I want to work closely with the people of this community to fulfill the mission and purpose of Swan Lake Refuge," said Whitson. Whitson moves to Swan Lake from Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge in Montana, where he had been since 2004. During his career with the Service, Whitson has also worked at refuges in Nebraska, Oklahoma and North Dakota. Originally from Oklahoma, Whitson has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Wildlife Conservation and Criminal Justice from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Established in 1937, Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge includes nearly 11,000 acres of wildlife habitat in the flood plain of the Grand River. The refuge provides a resting, nesting and wintering areas for waterfowl, as well as habitat for resident wildlife and endangered species. Populations of more than 150,000 Canada geese, 100,000 ducks and 100 bald eagles have been recorded on the refuge. Portions of the refuge are open for hunting and fishing, as well as other wildlife-dependent recreation. 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 544 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.

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