New Manager Reports for Duty at Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge

Mike Brown, a 23-year veteran of federal government service – including 11 years with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service -- has been named as the new manager of Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge near Ullin, Ill. Brown reported for duty on Dec. 10. Brown and his wife Norma live in Marion, Ill. Their son attends college at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “The Cache River watershed is an amazing resource and I feel very fortunate to get the opportunity to be here,” said Brown. “I look forward to working with the staff, partners, and the community to manage the refuge. I’m also excited about my role as part of the Cache River Wetlands Joint Venture Partnership.” Prior to moving to Cypress Creek, Brown was the wildlife biologist at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge in Marion, Ill., since 2001. Brown has also worked for the Fish and Wildlife Service in Mississippi and Alaska, the U.S. Forest Service in Alaska, and the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission. Originally from northwestern Illinois, Brown has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Northern Illinois University and a Master of Science Degree in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University. Established in 1990, Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge is located in southern Illinois’ Cache River watershed. A large collection of swamps and wetlands, the area is often referred to as the Illinois bayou. The refuge includes more than 15,000 acres of cypress swamps, oak barrens and bottomland forests. The refuge provides habitat for more than 50 state protected species and is home to cypress trees estimated to be more than 1,000 years old. The refuge provides the public with many wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities such as hunting, fishing and wildlife observation. The refuge also partners with the Illinois DNR at the Cache River Wetland Center to provide environmental education programs for schools and other groups.