1999 Volunteer Report Volunteers conserve and interpret fish and wildlife and their habitat for present and future generations

              1999Volunteer Report
Volunteers conserve and
interpret fish and wildlife and
their habitat for present and
future generations
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
A Special Message from the Director
Dear Volunteers,
As this century winds down and we face the
challenges of a new millennium, I would like to
take a moment to reflect on the growth and
accomplishments of our Volunteer Program.
In FY 1982, 4,000 of you helped us preser ve natural
resources. In FY 1999, nearly 29,000 of you donated
almost 1,300,000 hours of time and talents toward
conser ving America’s fish and wildlife heritage.
You made a difference in so many ways. Whether
it was collecting salmon eggs for rearing at a
hatchery, completing a habitat restoration project,
or impacting young lives by leading field trips to
refuges, your contributions have been invaluable.
Because of your generosity and dedication, the
American public appreciates our Nation’s wild
places. Your devotion has enabled us to reach out
to neighboring communities and instill a
stewardship ethic in America’s young people.
Volunteers truly do “make it happen!”
With great thanks,
Jamie Rappaport Clark
Key
AARP American Association of Retired Persons
ESO Ecological Services Office
FRO Fisheries Resource Office
LEO Law Enforcement Office
NFH National Fish Hatchery
NWFR National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
NWR National Wildlife Refuge
SCA Student Conservation Association
WMD Wetland Management District
1
Volunteers Make It Happen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
A Legacy of Volunteerism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Growth of The Volunteer Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What Is the Volunteer Program? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Who Are Our Volunteers? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Volunteer Program Value. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Special Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Partnerships and Support Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recognition of Outstanding Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Volunteers’ Conservation Achievements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wildlife. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Habitat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
People. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Facilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Innovative Approaches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Challenges and Concerns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Our Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Regional Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Table of Contents
The annual National Volunteer
Report is our way of highlighting
the incredible amount of work
volunteers accomplish for the
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service each
year. It is with great thanks and
appreciation that we acknowledge
nearly 29,000 individuals and the
hundreds of groups and
organizations who contributed time
and energy to our programs and to
our Nation’s wildlife.
What Gives Us the Authority to
Accept Volunteer Services?
The Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956
(16 U.S.C. 742a-j), as amended by
the Fish and Wildlife Improvement
Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 7421) and
the National Wildlife Refuge
System Volunteer and Community
Partnership Enhancement Act of
1998 (Pub.L. 105-242) authorizes us
to accept volunteer services.
It is our goal to engage the public in
fulfilling our mission of…“working
with others, to conserve, protect and
enhance fish, wildlife and plants and
their habitats for the continuing
benefit of the American people.”
Volunteers are vital in assisting us in
protecting and conserving our
Nation’s fish, wildlife, and plants and
the wild places they need. Volunteers
work in the field and in visitor
centers, at refuges or hatcheries,
and in all programs and levels of our
organization. They play a vital role
in education, promoting a better
understanding of the natural world
and our contributions to its
conservation.
For more information visit our
website at www.fws.gov or write to:
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service,
Division of Refuges-Room 670,
4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington,
VA 22203. Contact the Regional
Volunteer Coordinator in your area
for specific programs (addresses and
phone numbers are listed on
page 17).
Volunteers
Make It Happen
2
Volunteer Matt Romero at Mora NFH (NM) conducts water quality analysis tests.
3
It is through the hard work and
dedication of volunteers that the
Service and the National Wildlife
Refuge System have grown and
flourished. When plume hunters
were slaughtering millions of
migratory birds at the turn of the
century, it was a concerned citizen
named Paul Kroegel who donated
his time and stepped in to stop the
killing. From his home on the Indian
River Lagoon in Florida, Paul
witnessed thousands of pelicans and
other marsh birds being annihilated
on their nests to feed the demands of
the plume hungry fashion industry.
Paul Kroegel made a promise to
protect the wildlife of Pelican Island.
Nearly 100 years later we (the U.S.
Fish & Wildlife Service) are
sustaining that promise. Kroegel,
who would eventually become the
first Refuge Manager in the Nation,
started a volunteer legacy that today
nearly 29,000 people uphold.
A Legacy of
Volunteerism
A Few 1999 Program Highlights
Need: More Volunteer Coordinator positions around the country to
manage the growing number of volunteers on refuges and hatcheries.
Response: The National Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and
Community Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998 authorized up to 20
Volunteer Pilot Programs. To date, 12 new Volunteer Coordinator
positions are in place with 4 more being filled in FY 2000!
Need: More educational programs on national wildlife refuges to instill a
conservation ethic in our youth.
Response: The National Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and
Community Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998 authorized Refuge
Education Program Enhancement. The Division of Refuges developed
guidance for this program.
Need: In the age of the Information Superhighway, a web site to reach a
wider audience of potential volunteers.
Response: The Volunteer Web Page at www.fws.gov is up and running!
This site contains information on our program and a list of other natural
resource agencies that work with volunteers. Interested parties can
search for opportunities by State or title. The program will instantly find
available volunteer openings and provide a job description, site address,
and contact number.
Need: Stations asked for tools to help them better manage volunteers.
Response: We completed, printed and distributed the updated
“Guidebook for Working with Volunteers” to all field stations in
December 1999.
Paul Kroegel
4
Fiscal Number of Hours Dollar
Year Volunteers Donated Value
1982 4,251 128,440 $854,000
1983 8,638 479,319 $3,187,000
1984 11,447 527,150 $3,632,000
1985 9,103 441,820 $3,532,000
1986 7,892 386,934 $3,094,000
1987 8,891 383,983 $3,157,000
1988 12,416 478,568 $3,871,000
1989 9,036 575,695 $4,427,095
1990 14,382 713,441 $5,593,377
1991 16,895 768,820 $6,273,571
1992 18,103 968,401 $8,231,409
1993 19,460 993,681 $8,734,447
1994 21,186 880,999* $8,069,951
1995 23,034 909,072 $8,590,729
1996 25,840 1,108,208 $10,860,439
1997 29,734 1,335,738 $13,090,232
1998 28,780 1,505,222 $14,841,489**
1999 28,757 1,277,207 $13,078,599
*In FY 1994 Region 8 Volunteer Program transferred from FWS to National Biological
Survey.
**The FY 1998 National Volunteer Report contained figures using the nationally accepted
private sector labor rate of $13.74 per hour. Previous years’ reports and the FY 1999 report use
a value derived from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, General Pay Schedule at a
GS-5 step 1. We corrected the 1998 value so that statistics remain comparable over time.
Growth of the
Volunteer Program
Number of Volunteers
In Thousands
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1982 1986 1990 1994 1999
Hours Donated
In Millions
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
1982 1986 1990 1994 1999
Dollar Value
In Millions
0
5
10
15
20
1982 1986 1990 1994 1999
5
Volunteer Program within the
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service vary
as much as the volunteers who get
involved. You can find volunteers
on national wildlife refuges,
fish hatcheries, and wetland
management districts, in regional
and state offices, and even in our
Headquarters Office in Washington,
D.C. Some programs offer college
students opportunities to get
“in-field” experience, other
programs use the worldly talents
and life-long skills of retirees, still
other programs are a mix of both!
No matter what the task, volunteers
are there to make it happen!
What Is the
Volunteer Program?
Volunteer Diane Bruell gets a personal
lesson in raptor handling at Rocky
Mountain Arsenal NWR in Colorado.
Diane has donated more than 5,000 hours!
Volunteer Linda Conlin is rinsing
Lahontan Cutthroat Trout eggs in the
spawning shed located at Pyramid
Lake, Nevada.
6
Our volunteers are high school
students planting trees, Girl Scouts
working on merit badges, college
students surveying duck nests,
outdoor enthusiasts maintaining
trails, and retirees staffing visitor
centers, just to name a few.
Volunteers come from all walks of
life and bring all levels of expertise.
Each one is unique and offers their
own special skills to our Nation’s
wild places.
Volunteers include talented and
dedicated people:
Like Paul Blevins at Bon Secor
National Wildlife Refuge in
Alabama who has volunteered at the
refuge for the last 20 years! Every
day, Mr. Blevins, walks the refuge’s
Jeff Friend Trail to fill brochure
boxes, trim branches and keep the
trail free from litter. He maintains
the refuge’s beautiful hummingbird/
butterfly gardens, opens and closes
trail gates daily, and provides
birding information to the visiting
public. Mr. Blevins is a shining
example of what it means to be
78 years young!
Marian and Russel Frobe at
Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge
in Washington. For the last 7 years
they have annually donated more
than 400 hours! They band and count
songbirds, conduct marsh bird
surveys, and assist with riparian
restoration projects. Marian is also
an active board member of the
refuge’s newly established Refuge
Support Group, Friends of
Turnbull NWR.
Matt Domenech has put in more
than 100 volunteer hours this year
at Don Edwards San Francisco
Bay National Wildlife Refuge in
California. The Bay Area summer
youth program, “Kids Who Care,”
honored 11 year old Matt for his
service to the refuge.
Congratulations Matt!
Who Are Our Volunteers?
Age Range of Volunteers
Region Under 18 18-35 36-61 Over 61
1 1,480 4,324 3,075 1,127
2 1,150 629 778 424
3 1,415 1,249 1,084 524
4 1,227 1,132 1,126 729
5 1,270 1,003 1,394 673
6 1,090 647 694 211
7 39 162 85 16
Totals 7,671 9,146 8,236 3,704
Age Range of Volunteers
Under 18
Over 61
36–61 18–35
Paul Blevins at Bon Secor NWR in Alabama provides refuge information to visitors.
7
Volunteer Program Values
The value of volunteers is
astounding! We realized a 650%
return on our investment in Fiscal
Year 1999. Volunteers contributed
1,277,207 hours valued at more
than $13 million. Service staff
contributed 37,856 hours ensuring
that volunteers had supervision,
proper training, housing, adequate
supplies and equipment and, of
course, fun!
Volunteer Hours/Value
Region Volunteers Hours Value*
1 10,006 320,251 $3,095,050
2 2,981 177,252 $1,815,060
3 4,272 173,511 $1,776,753
4 4,214 240,672 $2,464,481
5 4,340 207,304 $2,122,834
6 2,642 123,266 $1,262,244
7 302** 52,947 $ 542,177
Totals 28,757 1,277,207 $13,078,599
*Value is derived using the U.S. Office of Personnel Management 1999 General Pay
Schedule of a GS 5-1.
**Historically, Alaska (Region 7) has the fewest numbers of volunteers. However, these
volunteers work long hours to accomplish their goals within the short, demanding
summer season.
Volunteer Program Operating Costs
Operations Staff
Region Costs Hours
1 $353,500 2,349
2 $254,322 11,542
3 $141,687 1,671
4 $242,770 2,349
5 $661,596 15,183
6 $210,908 4,412
7 $185,800 350
Totals $2,050,583 37,856
Number of Volunteers
By Region
Volunteer Program Operating Costs
By Region
1
2
4
5
6
7
3
1
2
4
5
6
7
3
8
Student Conservation Association
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
and the Student Conservation
Association (SCA) have enjoyed 18
years of partnership of volunteers.
SCA is an important source of
qualified, full-time volunteers. In
1999, SCA recruited, placed, and
supported more than 100 Service
volunteers nationwide. Through
SCA, we obtain qualified students
and help them develop conservation
and leadership skills. SCA provided
volunteers and interns to us through
four programs: the Resource
Assistant Program, the
Conservation Associates Program,
the Conservation Work Crew
Program, and the Conservation
Career Development Program.
Resource Assistant Program
SCA Resource Assistants are
college-age volunteers placed in
positions similar to that of seasonal
employees. Many of these volunteers
serve as interns and receive college
credit for their efforts. The
Resource Assistant Program is the
most popular among college-age
students. Seventy-eight of SCA’s 957
volunteers worked for the U.S. Fish
& Wildlife Service. This program
allowed students to gain highly
valued hands-on field experience
while working under the supervision
of professionals in their field of
study. This year 42 stations hosted
SCA interns and volunteers.
Conservation Associates Program
Established in 1996, the
Conservation Associates Program
provides longer term volunteer work
and consists primarily of students
over 21 years of age. Of the 171
Conservation Associates placed,
9 worked on Service lands.
Conservation Work Crew Program
Conservation Work Crews consist of
up to eight students per crew. The
crews accomplished a tremendous
amount of trail work at Great Bay
NWR, ME; Kenai NWR, AK; and
the Duwamish River, WA. Along
with building, cleaning, and
maintaining trails, the crews
participated in a wide range of
environmental education programs
exposing them to a variety of
environmental issues and concerns.
Conservation Career
Development Program
The Service’s Office of Diversity and
Civil Rights in Arlington, Virginia,
hosted a Conservation Career
Development Intern. We place
Conservation Career Development
Program interns in offices that allow
them to gain an understanding of
and be exposed to the many career
options and choices in the field of
conservation.
For more information,
please contact:
Wallace Elton, Director,
Resource Assistant Program
The Student Conservation
Association
P. O. Box 550
Charlestown, NH 03603
603/543 1700
American Association of Retired
Persons Volunteer Talent Bank
The Volunteer Talent Bank is a
national volunteer referral service
managed by the American
Association of Retired Persons
(AARP). Members of the AARP and
others, age 50 and over, interested in
volunteer opportunities can register
with the Talent Bank. We match
potential volunteers with volunteer
positions that best suit their
interests, skills, time commitment,
and geographic location. We have
drawn upon Talent Bank volunteers
many times. These individuals bring
life-long skills and knowledge and
are great resources. Of the 9,500
people who have registered with the
Talent Bank, 25% indicated an
interest in volunteering in the area
of conservation. This is good news
for us and other environmental and
conservation groups.
For more information about the
talent bank or to see if there is
a potential volunteer for your
needs, contact:
Cynthia Langley
AARP Volunteer Talent Bank
601 E. Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20049
202/434 3211
Special Programs
SCA volunteer at Warm Springs Regional
Fisheries Center (GA) conducts an
environmental education program in the
visitor center.
9
Partnerships are vital to us. These
joint efforts help us accomplish the
many goals we have set for our
agency. We enter into agreements
with a diverse group of organizations
and individuals, at the national,
regional, State, and local levels to
involve the public in fulfilling our
mission. Numerous national and
local groups have made significant
contributions to the many successes
the National Wildlife Refuge System
and the Service. Notable partners
include the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation, the National
Wildlife Refuge Association, the
National Audubon Society, Refuge
Support Groups, the American
Association of Retired Persons, the
Cooperative Alliance for Refuge
Enhancement, Ducks Unlimited,
Inc., Safari Club International, the
Outdoor Writers Association, the
Student Conservation Association,
and many, many others.
Cooperative Alliance for Refuge
Enhancement (C.A.R.E.)
The Cooperative Alliance for Refuge
Enhancement, or C.A.R.E., is a
coalition of 18 diverse conservation
and environmental organizations
brought together by a common goal:
to support and enhance the National
Wildlife Refuge System by
addressing operations and
maintenance needs. Funding
shortfalls have plagued the Refuge
System for years. Roads, buildings,
and facilities are in disrepair; we are
not meeting national safety
standards; habitats are degrading;
and under staffing is common place.
Through the hard work and
dedication of C.A.R.E., the Refuge
System continues to receive much
needed increases in funding to help
alleviate these needs. We are
realizing improvements in facilities,
visitor services, and habitat
restoration.
Support Groups
Support Groups (often referred to as
“Friends”) are local citizens who
have established a partnership with
their hometown national wildlife
refuge, fish hatchery, or other
Service site. In an effort to
encourage and increase public
involvement in the National Wildlife
Refuge System, the Division of
Refuges established a “Friends
Initiative”in 1996. In only 3 years we
have assisted in forming 34 new
groups.
Congress passed the National
Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer
and Community Partnership
Enhancement Act of 1998, which
broadened our ability to partner
with local citizens. Through this
initiative, Support Groups have been
sprouting up across the country. The
need for information and guidance
on how to create and organize a
group has increased steadily for the
last several years. To meet this need,
we developed and implemented
several new and innovative ideas.
We established a “Friends” training
course and offer it annually to
managers interested in learning
about working with a Support
Group. Mentors from established
Support Groups travel around the
country facilitating the formation of
new groups. A small grant program
is available through the National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation to aid
groups with start-up, capacity
building, and other projects. Most
importantly, the support groups
developed a network of support and
camaraderie nationwide.
Audubon Refuge Keepers (ARK)
The 1996 National Audubon
Society’s nationwide initiative to
build and encourage community
appreciation and support for wildlife
refuges has reaped tremendous
benefits for us. We involve local
support groups, called Audubon
Refuge Keepers (ARK), in all
aspects of refuge enhancement, from
habitat restoration to environmental
education. As of September 30, 1999,
Audubon established 75 ARK groups
to assist local refuges. The ARK
program is an integral part of
Partnerships and Support Groups
Alaska Natural History Association volunteer Deb Hanson staffs an outreach booth for
International Migratory Bird Day.
10
Audubon’s Wildlife Refuge
Campaign working to build a
broader nationwide understanding
and appreciation for national
wildlife refuges.
Cooperating Associations
Cooperating Associations are
“not for profit” partner corporations
which receive authorization to
create revenue on public lands.
The National Wildlife Refuge
System Administration Act of 1966
and the Refuge Recreation Act of
1962, as amended, approved this
authorization. These Associations
have a 501c(3) filing with the
Internal Revenue Service, allowing
them tax-exempt status.
Cooperating Associations are among
our earliest partners dating back
more than 35 years! Associations
enhance our mission by creating,
producing, and selling educational
and interpretive materials and
articles to the public. Many field
stations who partner with an
association allow them space in
an office or visitor center for a
bookstore or sales area. These
interpretive and educational
materials and services enhance
the visitors’ understanding of the
natural, cultural, and recreation
resources of the area, as well as
our need to conserve them. Each
year millions of dollars are
generated through associations.
These Associations fund many of
our interpretive, educational,
recreational and biological
initiatives. Cooperating Associations
have been key to our efforts in
educating the American people
about the value of our wild places!
Partnerships and
Support Group Highlights
The Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society
(NC) was a major partner in the
creation of the Charles Kuralt Trail.
The Trail is a driving tour that links
eleven national wildlife refuges and
one fish hatchery in eastern North
Carolina and Virginia. Two
Interpretive Waysides are in place
with more to come.
The Atlantic Audubon Society (NJ)
designed a new and exciting program
called the “Refuge Series of Birding”
to raise community awareness of the
Edwin B. Forsythe NWR. They
invited community members to
partake in a short fun-filled trip
around the refuge in search of as
many bird species as they could find.
Contestants came from near and
far and Audubon member John
Williamson “umpired” the event.
A great day was had by all!
Members of the Alaska Natural
History Association (AK)
successfully raised more than
$40,000 to continue running the
Kodiak Summer Science and Salmon
Camp after funding had been
eliminated.
The Friends of Bombay Hook NWR
(DE) and the refuge’s volunteers
won Delaware’s “Governors’s
Outstanding Environmental Group
Award” for their hard work and
dedication in supporting the refuge
and its mission!
The Sequoia Audubon Society (CA)
helped secure the transfer of Bair
Island in San Francisco Bay to the
National Wildlife Refuge System.
We will now spare the unique habitat
on this island from the threat of
development. The ARK group
educates the public about the
habitats and uses of the island.
Partnerships and Support Groups
Atlantic Audubon Society members partaking in the Refuge Series of Birding at
Edwin B. Forsythe NWR (NJ).
11
This year the National Wildlife
Refuge Association and the National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation
sponsored the National Wildlife
Refuge System Awards. Among
them are the Volunteer of the Year
Award and the Support Group of the
Year Award, two of the most
prestigious honors in the Refuge
System. They present these at an
awards ceremony held during the
annual North American Wildlife and
Natural Resources Conference.
Volunteer of The Year Award
This years recipients of the
distinguished award are husband
and wife, Paul and Ann Smith. The
Smiths volunteer at Chincoteague
National Wildlife Refuge on the
Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Volunteers since 1990, they have
contributed thousands of hours to
the refuge’s many programs
including biology, visitor service,
maintenance, and planning. Some of
their most important work has been
with shorebirds. Their weekly and
biweekly shorebird counts have
provided solid data to the Service
and other national and international
organizations that monitor
shorebirds around the world. The
Smith’s survey routes cover 20 miles
of beach and 6 impoundments.
During peak migration, more than
40 species of up to 10,000 shorebirds
need to be counted and identified at
one time! The Smith’s are dedicated
to providing quality visitor tours and
programs and have trained new
personnel and other volunteers to do
the same. Their efforts over the last
ten years have been invaluable to
Chincoteague and the Service.
Thank you, Paul and Ann, for your
outstanding work and dedication!
Support Group of The Year Award
The Friends of the Rydell Refuge
Association are the recipients of the
Support Group of the Year Award. It
was only three years ago that a
small group of local citizens banded
together as a nonprofit organization
to help develop programs and
facilities at Rydell National Wildlife
Refuge in northwestern Minnesota.
Established in 1992, the 2,120 acre
Rydell National Wildlife Refuge has
only one full-time Service employee.
In their three years of existence the
Friends of the Rydell Refuge
Association have raised more than
$260,000 for refuge facilities,
received more than $7,500 of in-kind
donations, and their 65 volunteers
have contributed nearly 12,000
volunteer hours. A few major
projects the group has taken on
include staffing the Visitor Center,
providing educational programs to
the public, and fostering more than
47 partnerships! The Association has
been instrumental in making its
programs accessible to all audiences.
More than 7 miles of trail are now
universally accessible and each year
up to 25 individuals with disabilities
partake in the refuge’s special deer
hunt. Accessible fishing access,
overlooks, restrooms, and benches
enhance the visitor’s experience to
this unique refuge. We are honored
to acknowledge the wonderful and
important accomplishments of the
Friends of Rydell Refuge
Association. The efforts of this group
are a shining example of what
enthusiasm, dedication and
cooperation can produce.
Recognition of
Outstanding Volunteers
Support Group of The Year Award. From left to right: Wayne Goeken, Friends Secretary;
Bill Hartwig, Regional Director; William Roeszler, Friends President; and Dick Julian,
Refuge Manager.
Volunteer of The Year Award recipients
Paul and Ann Smith.
Jennifer Cording, Chincoteague Beacon
12
Other Outstanding Volunteers
Volunteer Karen Parlett of Ohio
River Islands National Wildlife
Refuge (WV), who is also a local
school teacher, wrote and received a
$10,000 Toyota Tapestry education
grant which targeted the refuge
for outreach and on-the-ground
improvements to visitor services.
Over half of the grant money went
directly to purchasing materials for
a wildlife viewing blind, trail head
signs, and education/interpretative
materials.
William G. Phippen, Jr., a volunteer
at the Arizona Ecological Services
Field Office (AZ) developed a
brochure for the Arizona Partners in
Fish and Wildlife Program. He
created the framework for an
outreach initiative so the staff can
promote the Service’s mission to
diverse audiences.
Bruce Radabaugh a volunteer at
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife
Refuge (TX) was recognized for his
efforts in supporting the refuge’s
biological program. Bruce works
three days a week electronically
tracking endangered ocelots through
radio telemetry. He also assists
with waterfowl surveys, breeding
bird surveys, and monitoring
black-bellied whistling duck boxes.
The refuge staff greatly appreciates
his hard work.
Bruce Taylor, a practicing physician
and volunteer at the Service’s Clark
R. Bavin National Forensics
Laboratory (OR), conducted more
than 1,200 micro satellite analyses of
DNA from North American black
bears and wolves.
Steve Williams at Kealia Pond NWR
(HI) trained and managed 22 other
volunteers to monitor the
endangered hawksbill sea turtles
nesting on non-refuge property
along Maui beaches. His attention to
detail and his outreach effort
concerning the turtles has allowed
us to work “beyond our boundaries.”
Mark Burkholder plays an
important role at Seal Beach
National Wildlife Refuge (CA). He
has taken the lead role in the native
plant garden where he is involved in
all aspects of the project including
soil sampling, trail building,
planting, and mulching. We use
these plants to restore native coastal
sage shrub. Mark is the editor of the
“Friends of Seal Beach National
Wildlife Refuge” newsletter and is
an active member of the Support
Groups Board of Directors.
Recognition of
Outstanding Volunteers
Arizona Ecological Services Office
volunteer, Julia Wesley, removes a
hummingbird from a mist net.
13
Wildlife
For the past several years, Chad
Gideon at Rainwater Basin WMD
(NE) has been surveying Canada
goose flocks reading neck collars and
leg bands which helps monitor their
migration and habitat uses.
Twenty volunteers at Agassiz NWR
(MN) donated nearly 20,000 hours
tracking moose, capturing and
tracking wolves, performing wildlife
surveys, and entering all this
important information into a
computer database.
The volunteers at Bozeman Fish
Technology Center (MT) assist in
setting up experiments, collecting
scientific data, conducting studies,
and feeding fish.
Sixteen year-old Mark Mapel is
already a seasoned volunteer at
Washita NWR (OK). He developed
and completed two special projects
including a much needed raptor
nesting survey and a reptile/
amphibian survey. He collected the
data and made it usable by
producing well-written reports of his
findings.
Dan Sutherland volunteers one day
a week at Jordan River NFH (MI).
Dan is associated with the
Eisenhower Center, a facility
supporting programs that assist in
the rehabilitation of persons with
closed-head injuries. Dan’s
communication skills have greatly
improved, and he is a valued asset
with fish culture activities.
Volunteers and interns at Currituck
NWR (NC) spent more than 40
nights insuring hatchling loggerhead
turtles would reach the Atlantic
Ocean safely.
At Parker River NWR (MA)
volunteers continue to educate the
beach-going public about closures
to protect nesting habitat of the
piping plover.
Habitat
More than 150 volunteers spent 3
weekends at Balcones Canyonlands
NWR (TX) planting 3,000 shin oak
bare root seedlings to restore 35
acres of black-capped vireo nesting
habitat.
Two volunteers at the Rock Island
ESO (MI) assisted contaminants
biologists on the Nahant Marsh
Superfund Site. Their work included
researching remedial action on the
site, interviewing restoration
experts, and compiling information
to help the biologist write a final
restoration plan for the Superfund
Site.
A total of 120 seventh-grade
students logged 1,440 hours
conducting water quality tests on 5
sites on Sherbourne NWR (MN).
At Chattahoochee Forest NFH (GA)
volunteers constructed a 300-foot
retaining wall to stabilize an eroding
creek bank. The wall will offset
erosion and sediment pollution into
Rock Creek.
One hundred and twenty-five
volunteers cleaned up 1,784 pounds
of garbage from the coastal areas of
St. Marks NWR (FL).
John McGovern at Detroit Lakes
WMD (MN) provided valuable
support to the District’s seed
harvesting and cleaning programs,
maintained vehicles, and always is
willing to lend assistance.
For more than ten years Carol Silva
at Hakalau Forest NWR (HI) has
been organizing and leading
volunteer groups in reforestation
and weed control projects.
People
At Piedmont NWR (GA) 30
volunteers donated more than 653
hours of service during the 8th
annual deer hunt for wheelchair
bound participants.
Volunteers at the Arthur R.
Marshall Loxahatchee NWR (FL)
made it possible for the refuge
to hold an incredible 100 special
events.
Volunteers’ Conservation
Achievements
Cory Laxson, a volunteer at the Lower Great Lakes Fishery Resource Office, returns a
sonic tagged adult male sturgeon to the lower Niagra River.
14
Even rainy coastal weather can’t
keep Makah NFH (WA) volunteer
Weldon Sharp off the job! No matter
the task or the weather conditions,
Weldon is sure to get it done. His
duties include spawning of adult
salmon and steelhead trout, care for
incubating eggs and fry, and feeding
and rearing young salmon and
steelhead trout.
Mary and Larry Jordan have
contributed more than 2,500
volunteer hours staffing the
bookstore at Neal Smith NWR (IA).
Volunteer, Naomi Sherer manages
recruiting, staffing, and operations
of the McNary Environmental
Education Center at McNary NWR
(WA). She works many hours each
week to promote the Education
Center and to keep it open for school
groups and visitors.
Sheryl Carnegi at Bosque del
Apache NWR (NM) serves as the
refuges Volunteer Coordinator. A
volunteer herself, Sheryl helps
organize the large program and
makes sure things run smoothly.
At Hobe Sound NWR (FL) a cadre
of highly talented and passionate
volunteers donated more than 1,700
hours to serve over 11,000 visitors on
site and nearly 26,000 people off site.
They conducted the vast majority of
refuge outreach and led more than
70 special events that highlighted
the refuge!
Facilities
Full-time seasonal volunteers
Charles and Cynthia Curtis parked
their RV at Chassahowitzka NWR
(FL) and got right to work. They
rehabilitated exhibits, maintained
the yard and grounds, and staffed
the visitor contact area.
Whitney Mattson at the Yreka Fish
and Wildlife Office (WA)
volunteered long hours constructing
a web page for the office. A high
school student, Whitney impressed
everyone with his dedication and
hard work.
Jack Webb and his wife, Shirley,
have volunteered at Okefenokee
NWR (GA) for 11 years. Jack rebuilt
canoe shelters in the swamp, rebuilt
a 4,000 foot boardwalk, re-roofed
buildings, and maintained signs.
Cory Borum at Innoko NWR (AK)
donated more than 720 hours
building heated resident cabins for
field personnel. These cabins greatly
expand our field capabilities,
especially during colder weather.
Mary Beth Conney at Great Swamp
NWR (NJ) recruited 48 new
volunteers who cleared 4 miles of
trails and rebuilt a bridge in the
wilderness area of the refuge.
High school students from a local
vocational-technical school
constructed a wildlife viewing blind
and trail-head sign structure at Ohio
River Islands NWR (WV).
Dave Tyler, a volunteer at Black
Bayou Lake NWR (LA), has taken
on the monumental task of
supervising the renovation of a
101-year old two story planter’s
house that we will use as an
Environmental Education Center.
Volunteers’ Conservation
Achievements
Judy Arnold at Tensas River NWR (LA) escorts mascot “Small Claw” during
National Hunting and Fishing Day celebrations.
15
AT&T has been a significant partner
to Great Swamp NWR (NJ). AT&T
has provided funding for the refuge
Intern Program which allows the
refuge to bring on three Interns
throughout the year and provide
them with a small stipend. The
company has also been active in the
Volunteer Program by allowing their
employees to volunteer at the refuge
on company time.
Leavenworth NFH (WA) partnered
with a variety of local organizations
to carry out the mission of the
hatchery including Trout Unlimited,
Chelan County Worker Inmate
Crew, Private Industry Council-
Wenatchee Washington Office, and
Entiat High School. These groups
provided essential support to the
hatchery for operations,
maintenance, education, and
outreach.
Employees from the Morrison
Knudsen Environmental
Corporation were recruited to
conduct environmental education
programs at the Rocky Mountain
Arsenal NWR (CO) during their
work hours. Shell Oil Company
funded half of the hours with the
other half being contributed to the
Volunteer Program.
Hamden Slough NWR (ND)
partnered with North Dakota State
University, National Soils
Laboratory, and the National Hydric
Soils Technical Committee to bring
scientists from around the Nation to
a soil seminar that demonstrated
new techniques and new information
for determining seepage potential
from soil profiles.
Innovative Approaches
16
Each year the Volunteer Program
becomes more and more important
to the Service. As budgets become
tighter and workloads increase, we
find ourselves relying more heavily
upon our partners and volunteers.
Despite the obvious value of these
volunteers to the Refuge System, we
find that many of our stations and
offices are underfunded and
understaffed in supporting the
volunteer programs.
Needs
  Increase funding for volunteer
programs, especially at the field
level.
  Establish additional Volunteer
Coordinator positions in key
locations to keep pace with this
ever-growing program. Fully fund
these positions.
  Improve lodging, equipment,
supplies, and access to training to
better accommodate volunteers.
The future of the Volunteer Program
lies in our continued commitment to
each and every individual who has
donated time and energy to our
Nation’s wildlife and the wild places
they need. With a shared vision and
a common goal, our partners and
volunteers are helping us fulfill our
promise to wildlife. As we approach
our Centennial Celebration in the
year 2003, it is more important than
ever for us to recognize and
acknowledge the profound role
volunteers have played in our past
and the pivotal role they will play in
our future. With their help we face
the new millennium with a renewed
sense of accomplishment and the
excitement of what is yet to come.
Challenges and Concerns Our Future
Opportunities are available to
contribute to the conservation of
wildlife on national wildlife refuges,
fish facilities, ecological services
offices, and numerous other offices
from Hawaii to Maine and from
Alaska to Puerto Rico. More than 93
million acres of wildlife habitat is
encompassed within the Service.
The diversity of these habitats range
from deserts in the southwest to
urban wetlands in Philadelphia and
from forests of the Pacific northwest
to swamps in Georgia. We need
volunteers for biological and
archaeological inventories, outdoor
recreation planning, population
censussing, maintenance of habitats
and facilities, natural resource
planning, clerical assistance,
environmental education, and public
outreach. For complete details,
contact the office nearest you.
CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, WA
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
911 N. E. 11th Avenue
Eastside Federal Complex
Portland, OR 97232-4181
503/231 2077
AZ, NM, OK, TX
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
P. O. Box 1306
Albuquerque, NM 87103
505/248 6635
IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, MO, OH, WI
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
1 Federal Dr., Federal Bldg.
Fort Snelling, MN 55111
612/713 5444
AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS,
NC, SC, TN, PR
Contact Volunteer Coordinator
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
1875 Century Blvd., NW
Atlanta, GA 30345
404/679 7178
CT, DE, MA, ME, NH, NJ,
NY, PA, RI, VT, VA, WV
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
300 Westgate Center Drive
Hadley, MA 01035
413/253 8303
CO, KS, MT, NE, ND, SD, UT, WY
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Denver Federal Center
P. O. Box 25486
Denver, CO 80225-0486
303/236 8145, ext. 606
Alaska
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
1011 E. Tudor Road
Anchorage, AK 99503
907/786 3391
or
Visit Our Web Site
http://www.fws.gov and
select ‘Volunteers.’
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Regional Contacts
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
http://www.fws.gov
August 2000