Joint Committee Meeting to be Held at AFWA's Annual Meeting to Discuss the 75th Anniversary of the Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Program

The success of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs and its 75 years of partnership to restore America's fish and wildlife may be the greatest untold conservation story. But, you can help tell the story by celebrating WSFR’s 75th Anniversary with us in 2012.

The Education, Outreach & Diversity Committee of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies invites members of the Angler/Boater and Hunting and Shooting Sports Participation Committees (and anyone interested) to participate in a joint collaborative session to learn more about the timeline and tools available to promote the anniversary as well as to brainstorm ideas for celebrating 75 years of better hunting, fishing and wildlife-related recreation through WSFR. This joint session will lead off the scheduled EOD Committee meeting on Tuesday, September 13, 2011 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. at the Omaha Hilton, Murray Room.

> View the meeting agenda

The Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports Names Bill Creighton as Its Inaugural CEO

WASHINGTON, DC — The Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports, a national coalition focused on the recruitment and retention of hunters and shooters, today announced that Bill Creighton has been selected as the recently formed organization’s first chief executive officer.

Mr. Creighton brings more than 25 years of senior executive leadership experience spanning 76 countries at leading global media, Internet and technology companies. He previously served as the president and CEO of Fotoglif where he successfully repositioned and commercialized the Toronto-based start-up company’s digital media business. He also served as managing director of Newscom, vice president of sales and marketing for United Press International and is an award-winning journalist with two Pulitzer Prize nominations.

“Bill’s creative marketing, partnership-building and fundraising expertise, plus his extensive track record of growing new businesses, are exactly what the Council needs to lead the development of a national strategy for sustaining America’s hunting and shooting sports traditions,” said Ron Regan, the Council’s chairman and executive director of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. “As an avid hunter himself, Bill understands that hunting and shooting are cornerstones of wildlife conservation and an important part of our nation’s history and identity.”

With a 28-member board of directors, the Council unites state fish and wildlife agencies, the hunting, shooting sports and greater conservation communities and the archery and firearms industries to focus on the recruitment and retention of hunters and shooters, the development of shooting facilities and the protection and expansion of access for hunting. In the short-term, the Council is focused on developing a national recruitment and retention strategic plan and a sustainable funding model to support its efforts and those of the state agencies.

“I have seen the very positive impact that hunting and shooting have had on me, my family and my friends and this is my opportunity to share the wonderful gift that is hunting with this and future generations,” said Mr. Creighton. “I am honored and humbled to become a part of the Council and look forward to working together to grow the hunting and shooting communities.”

Mr. Creighton earned a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Charleston (SC). As a journalist, he covered four Olympic Games, the Masters, the Soviet Union collapse, the Middle East conflict, G-8 Summits, the U.S. invasion of Grenada, five U.S. presidents and 15 Space Shuttle launches and earned two Pulitzer Prize nominations for photography. He is a native of the South Carolina Lowcountry and was introduced to shooting sports at age nine.

Mr. Creighton begins his tenure as CEO on August 15, 2011. His office will be located in Washington, DC with the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies.

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The Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports is a coalition of state fish and wildlife agencies and hunting and shooting-related companies, organizations and associations that have joined together to focus on the recruitment and retention of hunters and shooters, the development of shooting facilities and the protection and expansion of access for hunting. Established in 2010, the Council is a non-profit, 501(c) 3 tax-exempt, educational organization.

Commissioner of the Kentucky Dept. of Fish & Wildlife Resources Testifies before House Subcommittee on White-Nose Syndrome and Bats

Dr. Jon Gassett, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, testified on June 24, 2011 before a House Natural Resources Subcommittee concerning the incidence and spread of White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) in hibernating bat species, and the development and implementation of a federal-state national response plan.

WNS has devastated populations of several species of hibernating bats since it was first identified in the United States in 2006. State and federal agencies are mobilizing efforts to monitor the disease and hopefully bring it under control.

"During the last several years, my personal involvement with WNS has grown from watching its advance--moving southward and westward--to bearing responsibility in my own state upon confirming WNS in Kentucky this spring," said Gassett. "I am encouraged at the the amount of dedication and commitment by a community of individuals who care deeply about our bat resources. At the same time, I am concerned at the rate of spread, the high suspect ability of certain species and the lack of available treatment options."

Dr. Gassett is the Vice President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Chair of AFWA's WNS Working Group.

Read Dr. Jon Gassett's full testimony >

Senator Lieberman Introduces the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act to Protect Fish Habitats, Improve Health of Waterways

Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) today announced the introduction of the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act to significantly advance ongoing efforts to restore and protect fish habitats by establishing the most comprehensive effort ever attempted to treat the causes of fish habitat decline. This legislation would improve the health of America’s waterways and ensure that the United States has robust fish populations well into the future.

“Healthy waterways and robust fish populations are vital to the well-being of our society and are essential in many communities throughout the United States,” said Lieberman. “This bill will help provide clean water and sustainable fisheries in this country and provide recreational value to those who fish, whether it is in wild waters or canoeing through peaceful streams. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this important legislation and reverse the decline of our ailing waterways and fisheries.”



The National Fish Habitat Conservation Act authorizes assistance grants for fish habitat projects that are supported by pre-existing regional Fish Habitat Partnerships. Based on the highly successful North American Wetlands Conservation Act model, the bill establishes a multi-stakeholder National Fish Habitat Board to recommend science-based conservation projects to the Secretary of Interior for assistance. Regional partners will then work to implement those conservation projects to protect, restore and enhance fish habitats and fish populations. 



The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jon Tester (D-MT), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mark Begich (D-AK), Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Mark Udall (D-CO).
The Bill number is S.1201 and should be available soon at thomas.gov.

For more information about fish habitat conservation, go to www.fishhabitat.org.

2011 State of the Birds Report Assesses Bird Conservation on America’s Publicly Owned Lands and Waters

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Agriculture Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Harris Sherman released the 2011 State of the Birds Report this week. The third in the series, this year’s State of the Birds report is the first assessment of the status of and tremendous potential for bird conservation on the more than 850 million acres of land and 3.5 million square miles of ocean that are publicly owned in the Unites States. These habitats support more than 800 bird species, one-third of which are endangered, threatened or of conservation concern.

The report highlighted findings especially relevant to state fish and wildlife agencies. These include:
• State wildlife agencies set regulations and provide management recommendations for all of the nation’s 19 native resident game bird including grouse, ptarmigan, turkey and quail. Many native resident game bird species have a high distribution on state lands such as Spruce Grouse (22%) and Montezuma Quail (14%).

• Funding and capacity are two of the greatest challenges limiting state agencies’ efforts to implement priority resident game bird conservation plans at scales that are relevant on public lands.

• Wild turkey restoration is one of the nation’s greatest conservation success stories—in the 1920s, wild turkey populations hovered around 30,000 birds total, today there are more than 7 million wild turkeys largely due to conservation on public lands.

• State wildlife agencies participate in the stewardship of migratory birds with Canada and Mexico to conserve waterfowl through efforts such as the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and the Flyway Councils. Through the Southern Wings program, many states participate in bird conservation activities with Latin America and the Caribbean and 10 states have developed their own state-specific initiatives to conserve species such as Greater Prairie-Chicken and Upland Sandpiper.

• State lands are home to more boreal forest (34%), marsh (24%) and grassland (4%), more than any single federal entity.

The report concludes that America’s public lands and waters, ranging from national wildlife refuges to national parks to national forests, offer significant opportunities to halt or reverse the decline of many species. The report provides a scientific tool to help public agencies, including state fish and wildlife agencies, identify the most significant conservation opportunities in each habitat.

The 2011 State of the Birds report is a collaborative effort as part of the U.S. North American Bird Conservation Initiative, involving federal and state wildlife agencies, and scientific and conservation organizations. These include the American Bird Conservancy, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the Bureau of Land Management, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Department of Defense, the National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, the National Park Service, the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey.

The full report is available at www.stateofthebirds.org.

> Learn more about AFWA's bird conservation initiatives.

Montezuma Quail photo by George Andrejko, Arizona Game and Fish Department

First-of-its-kind Status of Fish Habitats Report Gives "Fish Eye View" of National Waters

The National Fish Habitat Board today released a first-of-its-kind status of fish habitats in the United States report as envisioned in the National Fish Habitat Action Plan, an effort to protect, restore and enhance our nation’s aquatic habitats. The report titled THROUGH A FISH’S EYE: The Status of Fish Habitats In The United States 2010 summarizes the results of an unprecedented, nationwide assessment of the human effects on fish habitat in the rivers and estuaries of the United States.

THROUGH A FISH’S EYE provides an important picture of the challenges and opportunities facing fish and those engaged in fish habitat conservation efforts. Urbanization, agriculture, dams, culverts, pollution and other human impacts have resulted in specific areas of degraded habitat where restoration is most likely needed to bring back the healthy habitats and fishing opportunities that once existed. Addressing degraded habitat also requires reducing or eliminating the sources of degradation mentioned in this report, through best management practices, land use planning, and engaging landowners, businesses and local communities in the effort.

The assessment detailed in the report assigns watersheds and estuaries a risk of current habitat degradation ranging from very low to very high. These results allow comparisons of aquatic habitats across the nation and within 14 sub-regions. The results also identify some of the major sources of habitat degradation that plague waterways across the nation.

Overall, 27 percent of the miles of stream in the lower 48 states are at high or very high risk of current habitat degradation and 44 percent are at low or very low risk. Twenty-nine percent of stream miles in the lower 48 states are at moderate risk of current habitat degradation.

Fifty-three percent of estuaries (by area) are at high or very high risk of current habitat degradation, while 23 percent of estuaries are at low or very low risk of current habitat degradation. Marine habitats of the United States tend to be most degraded near the coast, where they are most affected by human activity.

The goal of the national assessment was to estimate disturbance levels to fish habitats in rivers and estuaries from information about human activities occurring in the watersheds and the local areas affecting each aquatic habitat. This approach is supported by a large body of scientific research showing that human disturbances to the land transfer to receiving waters and contribute to disturbance in downstream fish habitats in rivers, estuaries, and the ocean.

While the specific analytical approaches used to assess habitats in the lower-48 states, Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. estuaries differed slightly, the end product of each analysis was similar—an estimate of the risk that discrete habitat units will be degraded due to current human activities on the landscape.

“This report identifies areas where those efforts are most needed and points to areas where fish habitat is most likely still intact and should be protected to maintain its value for fish and other aquatic organisms. Resources for fish habitat conservation are limited, especially for the next few years,” said Kelly Hepler, Chairman of the National Fish Habitat Board.

“Fish Habitat partnerships ensure coordinated work around specific habitat challenges,” said Eric Schwaab, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “This information will help bring strategic focus to conservation efforts and allow rigorous measurement of results.”

“This report clearly illustrates the need for strategic use of existing resources through partnerships that can identify the most effective use of funds and help the nation as a whole make progress in fish habitat conservation,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Acting Director, Rowan Gould. “There are many major threats to the health of fish habitat and the National Fish Habitat Action plan helps to focus and leverage available funds, pool technical expertise and enlist new partners to address the challenges to fish habitat.”

Key findings from the THROUGH A FISH’S EYE: The Status of Fish Habitats In The United States 2010 include:

Habitats with a very high risk of current habitat degradation include those in or near urban development, livestock grazing, agriculture, point source pollution or areas with high numbers of active mines and dams. Specific locations that stand out as regions at high risk of current habitat degradation include: the urban corridor between Boston and Atlanta; the Central Midwestern states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio; the Mississippi River Basin, including habitats adjacent to the lower Mississippi River in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana; habitats in eastern Texas; and habitats in Central California and along the Columbia River in Oregon and Washington.

Areas that stand out as being at very low risk of current habitat degradation include rural areas in New England and the Great Lakes states; many habitats throughout the Mountain, Southwest and Pacific Coast states; and most of Alaska. It should be noted that not all water and land management issues could be addressed in the assessment, so some of the areas mapped as at low risk of current habitat degradation actually may be at higher risk due to disturbance factors not assessed. For example, most arid regions of the western United States were found to be at low risk of current habitat degradation.

Estuaries in the mid-Atlantic have a very high risk of habitat degradation related to polluted run-off and other effects of the intense urbanization and agriculture in this area. The estuaries of Southern California also have a high risk of current habitat degradation for similar reasons. Estuaries in the north Pacific and downeast Maine have a low risk of current habitat degradation.

The release of this report is also accompanied with the release of a map viewer, which offers the maps that are in the report in greater detail. The National Fish Habitat Action Plan map and data web tool (www.nbii.gov/far/nfhap) was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey's Biological Informatics Program under guidance of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan Science and Data Committee. This tool not only enables users to see multiple views depicting the condition of stream and coastal habitats across the country, but also means that users can access more detailed information at finer scales, as well as the option to download data files and map services.

To read the report in its entirety or download a PDF, visit www.fishhabitat.org or go to http://fishhabitat.org/images/documents/fishhabitatreport_012611.pdf.

The National Conservation Leadership Institute Wants You to Nominate Tomorrow’s Conservation Champions for Cohort 6

April 30 Deadline Approaching to Submit Nominations for the 2011-2012 National Conservation Leadership Institute

Today’s conservation leaders are starting to retire – who will fill their seats? The National Conservation Leadership Institute (NCLI) is calling for state fish and wildlife agencies, federal conservation agencies, Tribes, industry and non-governmental organizations with natural resources to nominate their “rising stars” or individuals with high potential to be considered for acceptance as a Fellow for the 2011-2012 leadership development program.

April 30 is the deadline for submitting a nomination application for the NCLI’s Cohort 6 beginning in September 2011. Applicants must be nominated by their organization's chief executive. To learn more about becoming an NCLI Fellow including application and nomination requirements, tuition costs and scholarship opportunities, go to http://www.conservationleadership.org/.

The NCLI was created to train tomorrow’s conservation leaders in the latest leadership thinking and practice, and each Fellow will focus on a variety of issues, including a specific leadership challenge from each participant’s own agency or organization. Becoming an NCLI Fellow is a major step in career advancement and contributing to the future of conservation. The NCLI is suited for the highest-potential, future leaders.

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The Management Assistance Team (MAT) is the Association's most unique and diverse program. Located at the National Conservation Training Center, MAT is a consulting and training resource for all 50 of the United States’ fish and wildlife agencies. MAT is responsible for program development and administration of the National Conservation Leadership Institute.

AFWA Now Accepting Letters of Intent for 2012 Multistate Conservation Grant Program Cycle

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies is now accepting Letters of Intent for the 2012 funding cycle of the Multistate Conservation Grant Program (MSCGP). Up to $6 million dollars is available each calendar year for projects that address regional- or national-level priorities of the state fish and wildlife agencies.

Letters of Intent must address one the six 2012 MSCGP National Conservation Needs:

Subject 1: Improve benefits for fish, wildlife and their habitats as provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill are implemented

Subject 2: Outdoor heritage - participation, recruitment and retention in hunting, fishing, boating and conservation-related recreational activities

Subject 3: Incorporating fish and wildlife considerations into energy development decisions

Subject 4: State Fish and Wildlife Agency Coordination and Administration

Subject 5: Formation and Operations of Fish Habitat Partnerships to Facilitate National Fish Habitat Action Plan Implementation

Subject 6: Multistate Conservation Grant Program Coordination

Letters of Intent are due to the MSCGP Coordinator, Chad Klinkenborg, by Wednesday, May 4, 2011. No federal forms are required for Letters of Intent. The Association’s National Grants Committee will reconvene at the end of May to review and select the most competitive Letters of Intent to invite to submit full grant proposals. Grants are awarded on a calendar-year basis for one, two or three years to eligible recipients.

Please read the full RFP for details or contact the MSCGP Coordinator, Chad Klinkenborg, at cklinkenborg@fishwildlife.org.

2012 MSCGP Request for Letters of Intent

2012 Selected MSCGP National Conservation Needs

Schedule for the 2012 MSCGP Cycle

Learn more about the MSCGP

AFWA Releases its 2010 Annual Report, Names Winner of the “Land the Cover” Photo Contest

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies has released its 2010 Annual Report featuring the winning “Land the Cover” contest image, Bob’s Ram, submitted by Bob Grier of NEBRASKAland Magazine.

The 2010 Annual Report represents the views and voices of fish and wildlife agencies as they stand on the frontlines of conservation as stewards for North America’s fish and wildlife and the public’s trust. The report also highlights the outstanding participation of state, provincial, territorial and federal agencies as well as the greater conservation community and sportsmen industries in collaborating to realize the year’s accomplishments.

In 2010, the Association focused on these issues and outcomes:
• Protecting conservation authority through Congressional legislation and international representation;

• Securing conservation funding through the Farm Bill and State and Tribal Wildlife Grants;

• Coordinating science-based conservation on species-based programs and cross-cutting concerns;

• Connecting youth to conservation and enhancing relationships between agencies and the archery, hunting, shooting sports, boating and sportfishing industries through the Industry/Agency Coalition and the new Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports;

• Fostering conservation leadership; and

• Recognizing the recipients of AFWA’s 2010 Annual Awards.

In addition, the report features stunning photography contributed by individuals from state fish and wildlife agencies and regional associations. Jesse Lee Varnado from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks was the “Land the Cover” Contest Runner-up and George Andrejko of Arizona Game and Fish Department was the President’s Choice Award winner for Best Gray Squirrel photo. An Honorable Mention goes to Larry Kruckenberg of the Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies.

Click here to download a PDF copy of AFWA's 2010 Annual Report

To order print copies of the report, contact Laura MacLean at lmaclean@fishwildlife.org.

AFWA Names New Vice Chair and Adds Three Members to its Executive Committee

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies’ Executive Committee named Dan Forster, Director of the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division, as the new Vice Chair of its Executive Committee. Forster’s appointment is one of several Executive Committee actions that took place last week at the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Forster previously served as an Executive Committee member.

Upon the recommendations of AFWA’s Nominating Committee, the Executive Committee named Carter Smith, Executive Director of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and Nick Wiley, Executive Director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee, as voting members. The Executive Committee also re-elected Ken Mayer, Acting Director of the Nevada Department of Wildlife, to the committee.

AFWA Officers & Executive Committee

OFFICERS
President: Curtis Taylor, WV DNR
Vice President: Jon Gassett, KY DFWR
Secretary/Treasurer: Dave Chanda, NJ DFW
Past President: John Frampton, SC DNR

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chair: Jeff Vonk, SD GFPD
Vice Chair: Dan Forster, GA WRD

MEMBERS
Wayne MacCallum, MA DFW
Ken Mayer, NV DOW
Paul Peditto, MD DNR
Carter Smith, TX PWD
Larry Voyles, AZ GFD
Nick Wiley, FL FWCC

EX-OFFICIO & REGIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
Canada: Mike Sullivan, NB DNRE
Midwest: Patricia Boddy, IA DNR
Northeast: Glenn Normandeau, NH GFD
Southeast: Bob Duncan, VA DGIF
Western: Joe Maurier, MT DFWP

Teaming With Wildlife Honors Members of Congress for Helping to Keep Wildlife Off the Endangered Species List

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the Teaming With Wildlife steering committee honored Senators Patrick J. Leahy (VT) and Mike Crapo (ID) and Congressmen Jim Moran (VA) and Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ) last night for their outstanding leadership to advance wildlife conservation at a Congressional Reception “Celebrating Champions of Wildlife & the Environment” held to culminate the 10th Annual Teaming With Wildlife Fly-In.

The Teaming With Wildlife Fly-In is the most important outreach event on Capitol Hill for the 6,300+ member Teaming With Wildlife Coalition to secure dedicated funding to support on-the-ground conservation action in every state and territory to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered through State Wildlife Action Plans.

“In the U.S., fish and wildlife are part of the public trust. This means that it is our collective responsibility to take care of them and the places where they live,” said Ron Regan, Executive Director of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. “We appreciate these champions on Capitol Hill for their support of important legislation that invests in state fish and wildlife conservation to safeguard imperiled species and their habitats.”

Congressional award recipients were recognized for:

Senator Patrick J. Leahy (VT) – his consistent support of increased funding for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program.

Senator Mike Crapo (ID) – his consistent support of increased funding for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program.

Congressman Jim Moran (VA) – his consistent support of increased funding for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program.

Congressman Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ) – his consistent support of funding through the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program and his leadership in co-leading a Dear Colleague letter in support of increased funding for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program.

“These are difficult fiscal times but this investment in fish and wildlife will help save taxpayer dollars in the future by preventing endangered species,” said Mark Humpert, Teaming With Wildlife Director. “The goal of preventing endangered species listings goes hand-in-hand with job creation and economic sustainability.”

At the “Celebrating Champions of Wildlife & the Environment” Reception, the Association and the Teaming With Wildlife Coalition also presented awards to two partners for their significant efforts to protect critical fish and wildlife populations.

The Teaming With Wildlife Coalition Member Achievement Award was presented to the Texas Teaming With Wildlife Coalition for supporting the Texas Wildlife Action Plan through a scholarship program to support legislative advocacy that was successful in garnering support in the US Congress for the State & Tribal Wildlife Grants Program.

The State Wildlife Action Plan Partnership Award was presented to the Conservation Federation of Missouri and the Missouri Department of Conservation for their collaboration to lead the Missouri Teaming With Wildlife Coalition and implement the Missouri Wildlife Action Plan by managing the Missouri Mini-Grants Program.

This year, Teaming With Wildlife Fly-in participants urged their Members of Congress to help ensure there is sufficient funding in the FY11 and FY12 budgets. HR1 passed by the House of Representatives would eliminate funding for the program in FY11.

Despite historical successes in bringing many wildlife species back from the brink of extinction, other species have continued to decline as evidenced by the staggering numbers listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. State hunting and fishing license dollars, federal excise taxes on hunting and fishing gear and motorboat fuel taxes have provided the backbone for funding the nation’s state wildlife conservation programs over the past century. However, there has always been a gap in funding for species that are not hunted or fished. State Wildlife Grants have provided state fish and wildlife agencies with the resources they critically need to partially fill that gap.

For more information about Teaming With Wildlife, visit www.teaming.com.

AFWA Joins Sportsmen and Conservation Community in Appeals to House Members for Proportional Budget Cuts

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies joined with 31 organizations in the hunting, angling and conservation community to urgently appeal to U.S. House Members for fair and proportional cuts to conservation funding proposed in House Continuing Resolution for FY11 (HR1). The CR proposes, among other cuts, to zero-fund the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants programs, which are vital to helping state fish and wildlife agencies meet their conservation objectives. Other programs such as Farm Bill Conservation programs, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, Forest Legacy and the National Fish Habitat Action Plan would be severely reduced or eliminated.

While the CR cuts spending to many programs valued by Americans, zero-funding fish and wildlife conservation programs is disproportionate to cuts endured by most other programs, and the deep cuts are magnified because these are matching grant programs where state and NGO partner dollars are leveraged with federal dollars to put more conservation on the ground.

The letter to Representatives states:
We, the hunting, fishing and conservation community, are writing you with great urgency to ensure that you understand that various provisions of HR 1 and several amendments to that bill strike directly at America’s longstanding tradition of federal support for conservation and management of fish, wildlife and their habitat. Among these are the elimination of funding for State and Tribal Wildlife Grants, the elimination of funding for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, significant cuts to Farm Bill Conservation Programs, the drastic reduction or elimination of funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, Forest Legacy, the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, and the National Fish Habitat Action Plan, and the elimination of federal funding for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

While we fully acknowledge that conservation programs should shoulder a fair and proportional burden of reductions to the Federal budget as required to address the budget deficit, these provisions of HR 1, in our view, represent a deliberate move away from America’s long conservation tradition and, specifically with respect to the interests of the hunting, fishing and outdoor community. We are very disappointed that the Congress would consider these actions without consultation with the hunting, fishing and conservation community. These vital programs with long-standing track records of success are foundational to fish, wildlife and habitat conservation, good for the economy in creating jobs particularly in rural communities, and critical to providing opportunities for America’s sportsmen and women.

We urge that before acting on HR 1, you alter the deep cuts cited above to reflect a proportional share of the budget reductions you are seeking. Thank you for your sincere consideration of our views.

Intergovernmental Executive Committee Convenes To Lead International White-Nose Syndrome Response

Members of a new intergovernmental executive committee tasked with implementation of the white-nose syndrome (WNS) national plan met in late December to discuss the coordinated national response to this deadly wildlife disease. WNS has killed more than one million bats in the Northeast, and has spread rapidly across the United States and into Canada since its discovery in 2007.

The White-Nose Syndrome Executive Committee will provide oversight across participating state and federal agencies and tribal governments to ensure consistency and coordination in management action, policy interpretation, communication, and collection of scientific information related to WNS.

Co-chaired by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), the committee also includes representatives from five Native American tribes, four states, and six federal agencies in addition to the Service: U.S. Geologic Survey, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Department of Defense. The committee will also include representatives from federal wildlife management agencies in Canada and Mexico.

“The Committee will provide the cooperative leadership necessary for the implementation of the national plan, and an opportunity to build on the science and work that has been ongoing since discovery of WNS,” said Dr. Jon Gassett, Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and AFWA co-chair of the WNS Executive Committee.

“The cooperative response to this unprecedented wildlife disease has been tremendous,” said Marvin Moriarty, executive committee co-chair and Northeast Regional Director for the Service. “But as WNS continues to spread, the work of this team to ensure we are working closely to leave no stone unturned will be critical to conserving North American bat species.”

The committee’s work to implement the national plan will include:

• Guiding cooperative intergovernmental leadership in response to WNS,
• Providing oversight across participating agencies and organizations to ensure consistency in management, science, policy decisions, and funding,
• Addressing need for intra-organizational resources, and
• Ensuring exceptional scientific and technical expert representation in WNS organizational structure.

The national plan, which was open for public comment from October 27, 2010 through December 26, 2010, will be finalized in early 2011. For more information, visit http://www.fws.gov/WhiteNoseSyndrome/.

Source: USFWS; http://www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome/news/011411.html

Announcing AFWA's 3rd Annual "Land the Cover" Photo Contest

Chad Coppes from South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks landed the cover of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies’ Annual Report with this photo last year in a tight competition with runners up Ben Davis from Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and George Andrejko with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Who will take the spot and get bragging rights this year?

Submit your best hi-resolution photos of fish, wildlife, habitats, state fish and wildlife agency staff at work or people enjoying your state’s natural resources. Images can be from state publications, personal photography or previous Association of Conservation Information (ACI) Awards entries.

New this year is the “President’s Choice” Award (otherwise known as an AFWA coffee mug) for the best photo of the current AFWA President’s favorite critter. President Curtis Taylor (WV) selected the Gray Squirrel as his choice.

Every photo reproduced in the 2010 Annual Report will include a photographer credit. Photos may also be featured on the all-new fishwildlife.org web site and in other materials (such as fact sheets for Congress and the Administration). You retain the rights to your photograph; however, by entering the contest, you grant the Association use of the image. Digital images must be a resolution of at least 300 dpi and 8” x 10.” To look at previous Annual Reports, visit www.fishwildlife.org/index.php?section=publication%20archive.

Deadline to enter the Third Annual “Land the Cover” Contest is January 21, 2011.

Please email entries to lmaclean@fishwildlife.org. Alternatively, you can mail a CD to the address below. Feel free to forward this announcement on or call with questions. Thank you and good luck!


Laura MacLean
Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies
444 North Capitol St., NW
Suite725
WashingtonDC, 20001
202/624-7744

Happy Holidays!

Dr. Jon Gassett Selected AFWA Vice President

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) selected Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commissioner Dr. Jon Gassett as its new vice president Monday, Dec.13, at its Washington D.C. headquarters.

AFWA's Executive Committee named Gassett to the vice president position when Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment Director Rebecca Humphries stepped down to accept a position with Ducks Unlimited Inc.

Gassett previously served as AFWA's secretary/treasurer and is currently vice-chair of its executive committee. He is an alumnus of the AFWA-managed National Conservation Leadership Institute, a world-class forum for developing leaders in natural resource conservation.

Over the past century, AFWA has emerged as a powerful, effective and collective voice for fish and wildlife conservation. The association consists of fish and wildlife agencies from all 50 states along with more than 100 other representatives from territorial, provincial and federal fish and wildlife agencies, the conservation community and sportsmen industries.

They work together toward achieving AFWA's vision of healthy fish and wildlife resources throughout North America managed by effective, well-funded fish and wildlife agencies and supported by informed and involved citizens.

"We had a vacancy and Jon was gracious enough to step up and volunteer his help," said AFWA President Curtis Taylor, Chief of West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Section. "He and I will be working closely together over the next several months. Jon has always done an excellent job in everything he's done for us."

Gassett came to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife in 1999 to head the agency's elk restoration program. He was promoted to Wildlife Division Director in 2001. He has served as KDFWR commissioner since 2005.

"AFWA is a strong and unified voice for all 50 states, and I look forward to working with all of them in addressing the various issues that can benefit our fish and wildlife resources," said Gassett.

Gassett's term as AFWA vice president begins Jan. 1, 2011.

Article courtesy of Kentucky Fish & Wildlife Commission
Contact:
Mark Marraccini (800) 858-1549 ext.4425

Statement from AFWA on the Nomination of Dan Ashe as USFWS Director

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies congratulates Dan Ashe on his nomination yesterday as the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Association’s membership has worked with Mr. Ashe on many of the pressing issues facing the conservation of our nation’s fish, wildlife and their habitats. We look forward to Mr. Ashe’s continuing support of professional, science-based fish and wildlife management and policy development and look toward strengthening the cooperation between state fish and wildlife agencies and the Service.

AFWA Releases a Literature Review on the Benefits of Outdoor Skills to Health, Learning and Lifestyle

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies today released a white paper Benefits of Outdoor Skills to Health, Learning and Lifestyle: A Literature Review documenting the contributions of outdoor skills and wildlife-related outdoor education to health, learning and lifestyle in general and fishing and hunting participation in particular.

Research into the benefits of outdoor skills education highlights the valuable contribution they make to personal health and wellbeing. When young people are able to connect with the outdoors regularly, the positive outcomes are profound. They are happier, healthier from the physical exercise, effects of attention-deficit disorder are reduced and they score higher on standardized tests when natural environments are integrated into school curricula.

Outdoor skills activities such as hunting and fishing provide opportunities for the connection of individuals with nature (the natural environment), direct connection with other people (interpersonal) and with themselves (personal). Specifically, the benefits of these connections lie in the strength and placement of these connections from the leisure context to everyday lives.

This comprehensive report draws on research from adult learning, education (i.e., adventure, boating, conservation, experiential, hunting, fishing, outdoor, physical and wilderness), health, leisure, recreation, sport, therapy, and at-risk-youth to highlight the evidence of the positive contributions of outdoor skills education on hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities. The white paper includes abstracts for 99 documents; highlights some best practice outdoor skills education programs delivered by state fish and wildlife agencies and other partners; and offers recommendations for consideration when developing new or updating existing outdoor skills programs.

Highlighted Research Findings – The Benefits of Taking It Outdoors:

• A growing body of studies suggests that contact with nature is as important to children as good nutrition and adequate sleep: time spent outdoors correlates with increased physical activity and fitness in children; exposure to green space reduces crime, increases general wellbeing and ability to focus; children as young as five have shown a significant reduction in the symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) when they are engaged in outdoor activities in natural settings. Research indicates that there could be reductions in crime as a result of outdoor education.
  


• Interpersonal and intrapersonal skills developed through engaging in nature-based activities in meaningful ways represent some of the main benefits of outdoor skills education.
  


• The benefits that result from participating in outdoor activities can be enhanced through appropriate facility provision and access to natural resources as well as the design of outdoor skills education programs that work towards specific objectives.
  


• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that children who are more active outdoors and hang out outdoors tend to engage in greater physical activity as youth and later as adults.

Overall, the literature implies the need to adopt a broader-based conception of health from a holistic ecological perspective that moves beyond human physical and mental health to one that includes familial, communal, national, international and global ecological health. Active living is crucial to healthy lifestyles and leads to potentially greater participation in fishing and hunting.

The report was developed by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ North American Conservation Education Strategy under contract with Cottrell & Associates: Environmental Consulting. Designed by experts from state fish and wildlife agencies, the North American Conservation Education (CE) Strategy delivers unified, research-based Core Concepts and messages about fish and wildlife conservation, translated into K-12 academic standards to shape students’ environmental literacy, stewardship and outdoor skills. The Core Concepts identify what every citizen should know, feel and do related to fish and wildlife conservation.

Funding for the report was provided by the Multistate Conservation Grant Program, which is supported through special excise taxes on hunting, shooting, archery and angling equipment, a tax on boating fuels and license fees paid by America’s hunters and anglers.

The white paper can be downloaded from http://www.fishwildlife.org/pdfs/BenefitsofOutdoorSkills_WhitePaper_11-2010.pdf.

NFHAP Meets Objectives Set for 2010 & More

The National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP) met its ambitious objectives for 2010. When the Action Plan was enacted in 2006, the following four objectives were set to be completed by 2010:

> Conduct a condition analysis of all fish habitats within the United States by 2010.

> Identify priority fish habitats and establish Fish Habitat Partnerships targeting these habitats by 2010.

> Establish 12 or more Fish Habitat Partnerships throughout the United States by 2010.

> Prepare a “Status of Fish Habitats in the United States” report in 2010 and every five years thereafter.

Through a cooperative arrangement with Michigan State University, the NFHAP Science and Data team completed a full habitat condition analysis of all streams in the lower 48 states. The Michigan State University team also completed initial habitat risk assessments for rivers in Hawaii and Alaska.

On the coastal side, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have completed a complementary habitat risk assessment for coastal waters in the lower 48 states and southeastern AK. These assessments are the first of their kind, portraying the condition of habitat nation-wide and at the individual river level.

> Read More


NFHAP Inducted into Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame
NFAHP has been inducted into the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame for 2011. The Action Plan joins 41 other groups inducted since 2000 including the other three 2011 inductees Fargo-Moorhead Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited, Kennebec Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation. The Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame (http://www.freshwater-fishing.org/) is located in Hayward, WI.

2012 Cycle Multistate Conservation Grant NCNs

The Association is now soliciting National Conservation Needs (NCNs) for the 2012 Multistate Conservation Grant Program (MSCGP). NCNs are the foundation of the MSCGP and establish the states’ priorities for the grant cycle. Each AFWA committee is allowed to submit one NCN. NCNs are due by February 11, 2011. Committees are encouraged to work together and submit joint NCNs.

Before submitting a new NCN, review the selected NCNs for the 2011 MSCGP since these NCNs may still be of highest importance and priority. Typically, if a committee is considering more than one NCN, the Chair asks committee members to vote and/or the Chair makes the final selection. It may be appropriate to refer NCNs to other committees or regional associations for their consideration.

All proposed NCNs from committees and the regional associations will be evaluated by the National Grants Committee, which will select NCNs to recommend for state directors’ approval at the March 2011 North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. Letters of Intent will be solicited beginning in April to address the NCNs.

The guidelines for submitting 2012 NCNs, last year’s NCNs and a general timeline for the 2012 MSCGP are available online at www.fishwildlife.org/multistate_grants.html or visit AFWA's MSCGP blog to ask questions, http://fishwildlifemscgp.blogspot.com.

John Frampton Receives ASMFC Captain David H. Hart Award

Charleston, SC – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission presented John Frampton, Director of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies 2009-2010 President, the David H. Hart Award, its highest annual award, at the Commission’s 69th Annual Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina. Frampton received the award in recognition of his long and distinguished career advocating for the greater good of fish and wildlife management and conservation along the Atlantic coast and throughout the entire nation.

The Commission instituted the “Captain David H. Hart Award” in 1991 to recognize individuals who have made outstanding efforts to improve Atlantic coast marine fisheries. The award is named for one of the Commission’s longest serving members, who dedicated himself to the advancement and protection of marine fishery resources.

Frampton has been an a leader in building strong personal and professional relationships within the natural resource community. His actions reflect his fundamental belief that such relationships lead to cooperation among state and federal natural resource management agencies and conservation and industry stakeholders, resulting in more effective conservation and management. This spirit of cooperation is one of the founding principles of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

For more than thirty years, Frampton also has been a champion for legislation and funding benefiting state natural resource management activities, securing millions of dollars for the states to restore and sustainably manage their fish and wildlife resources. In his own state, he secured significant state funds to acquire tens of thousands of acres of land for conservation easements and habitat restoration.

He was a guiding force in the development of the National Fish Habitat Initiative, directly benefiting Atlantic coastal states through the significant funding awarded to the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP). This coast-wide collaborative partnership strives to accelerate the conservation of habitat for Atlantic coastal, estuarine-dependent, and diadromous fish, and has great potential to restore Atlantic waterways and enhance productivity of many marine fisheries.

Frampton’s efforts to elevate the importance of natural resource management have greatly benefitted Atlantic states and have contributed to the betterment of the marine fisheries of the Atlantic coast.


ASMFC Vision: Healthy, self-sustaining populations for all Atlantic coast fish species or successful restoration well in progress by the year 2015.

From left: Vince O’Shea, Michael McShane, Robert Boyles Jr., John Frampton, Caroline Rhodes and Malcolm Rhodes

Assoc. of Fish & Wildlife Agencies HQ (Highlights Quarterly) -- AFWA Activities for July, August & September 2010

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies released today its latest issue of the Association HQ (Highlights Quarterly), a summary of what the Association accomplished in the third quarter of 2010.

Leading off this edition of the HQ, Ron Regan discusses the “Making of” AFWA’s Lead Ammunition and Tackle Resolution and why it gets at the heart of what the Association does best—developing policy and applying it at the national level.

Inside the HQ/3Q, we also identify issues and outcomes from AFWA’s recent 100th Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan and report on progress achieved to secure conservation funding; advance favorable Congressional legislation; and coordinate cross-cutting member issues and species-based interests through programs, partnerships, outreach and other initiatives.

On behalf of all the staff at the Association, we hope that you continue to find the HQ beneficial. The HQ/3Q 2010 can be found online at:
http://www.fishwildlife.org/pdfs/StaffReports/AssociationHQ_3Q-2010.pdf

AFWA is Hiring - Two Job Openings!

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies is seeking to fill two positions at its Washington, DC office. If you are interested in applying for a position, please read the full job announcements for qualifications, salary and benefits information and specific application instructions.

Teaming With Wildlife Program Associate
The Teaming With Wildlife Program Associate supports state fish and wildlife agency efforts to implement and revise State Wildlife Action Plans. Responsibilities include assisting and facilitating communication between State Wildlife Action Plan coordinators, conducting outreach and developing partnerships with federal agencies and private conservation organizations to improve support for State Wildlife Action Plans. Other duties include assisting with outreach on the State Wildlife Grants Program and management of the 6,300 member Teaming With Wildlife coalition (www.teaming.com). Candidates must be willing to travel. The application period is open until filled.

Read the full Teaming With Wildlife Program Associate job announcement>


Climate Adaptation Research Assistant/Policy Aid (part-time)
The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies is looking for a talented natural resource professional for a part-time position to assist in developing a National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy. The Association is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, other federal agencies, state fish and wildlife agencies, tribal agencies and other conservation partnership to develop this strategy. This challenging position will include researching and assembling background information to develop the strategy; communicating with conservation partners; and drafting sections of the strategy in collaboration with other participants. Deadline to apply for this position is November 15, 2010.

Read the full Climate Adaptation Research Assistant/Policy Aid job announcement>

Dr. Sally Guynn Receives Prestigious Paul C. Weikel Award

Dr. Sally Guynn, Project Leader for the Management Assistance Team and Executive Director of the National Conservation Leadership Institute, was presented with the prestigious Paul C. Weikel Award by the Organization of Wildlife Planners (OWP) on September 27, 2010.

The Paul C. Weikel Award recognizes individuals for their outstanding or distinctive contributions to improved agency management, on a national or international level. It was established in 1992 in memory of Paul C. Weikel, whose personal history of innovative management, and desire to improve agency performance, inspired the creation of the award.

Coincidentally, on the same day that she was presented with the Weikel Award, Guynn received one of the Association’s Special Recognition Awards at AFWA’s Annual Awards ceremony.

The Organization of Wildlife Planners is a professional organization concerned with the management and future of government agencies that manage fish and wildlife populations and habitat. It is an Affiliate member of the Association.

Congratulations Sally!

photo (r-l): Dr. Sally Guynn and Verdie Abel, OWP President

AFWA Honors Recipients of the 2010 Annual Awards

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies honored nine individuals and two entities for their outstanding and longstanding commitment to conservation stewardship at the Association’s Annual Awards Ceremony held on September 28, 2010 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

John Frampton, Director of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and AFWA’s 2009-2010 President received the top honor, the Seth Gordon Award. Wyoming Game and Fish Department and its Deputy Director, John Emmerich, took home the Ernest Thompson Seton Award for leadership in scientific wildlife management.

Cristy Gayle Burch, GIS Specialist with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department was recognized as an outstanding young wildlife management professional with the Mark Reeff Memorial Award and the Bamberger Ranch in Texas received the National Private Lands Fish and Wildlife Stewardship Award.

Lt. Richard Thomas and Investigator Dan Sullivan of the New York Department of Conservation Law Enforcement Division received the Conservation Law Enforcement Award for “Operation Shellshock,” a multi-year undercover operation to stop the illegal reptiles and amphibians.

In addition, special recognition awards were presented to Christopher Estes, Chief of Alaska Fish and Game’s Aquatic Resources Coordination Unit; Dr. Robert Blohm, Chief of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Division of Migratory Bird Management; Dr. Sally Guynn AFWA’s Management Assistance Team Project Leader; and Jay McAninch, President and CEO of the Archery Trade Association.

Congratulations to all of the honorees!

> Read a full description of the achievements of the 2010 Annual Awards recipients

West Virginia’s Curtis I. Taylor Elected AFWA's 2010-2011 President

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies elected West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Section Chief, Curtis I. Taylor, its new president on Spetember 29, 2010 during the Association’s 100th Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is tasked to lead AFWA’s national agenda for sound, science-based fish and wildlife management through September 2011.

Taylor has more than 31 years of experience with DNR, where prior to becoming Chief in 2001, he was the Federal Aid Coordinator and worked on various turkey research projects and other fish and wildlife management programs including serving as co-project leader on the Wild Turkey Population Dynamics Study. He directed the first radio telemetry study of ocellated turkeys in Guatemala for Wildlife Conservation International and Hornocker Wildlife Institute and has served on the National Wild Turkey Federation Technical Committee since 1985, receiving the organization’s highly coveted Henry S. Mosby Award in 2005. Taylor also serves on the Steering Committee for the West Virginia University Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.

“There is nothing like a 100th Annual Meeting to think about what we’ve done and where we will be going,” said Taylor, the first AFWA President to hail from West Virginia. “We still believe in a cooperative, scientifically sound and legally firm approach to protect and enhance the North American Model of fish and wildlife management that is unique to the United States and the envy of other countries that have tried to duplicate it. Our partnership with industry through the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Acts is the cornerstone for funding conservation."

During his tenure as president, Taylor plans to focus the work of the Association membership on fostering better relationships with the angling, hunting and shooting sports industries; recruitment and retention of license-buying hunters and anglers; and the impacts of energy development on fish and wildlife resources.

“Energy does not come without a price,” said Taylor. “We need to make sure that wildlife is not stuck with the bill.”

In addition to his responsibilities as President, Taylor also serves as the Co-Chair of AFWA’s International Relations Committee. In this role, he represented the United States at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in Qatar in early 2010 to advance state and federal statutory partnerships and work cooperatively on international fish and wildlife policy.

“I appreciate the trust [the Association members] have put in me,” concluded Taylor.

Taylor has served as Treasurer and President of the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and is currently on its Executive Committee. He is also on the Executive Committee of the Southeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Photo (l-r): The passing of the President's gavel from John Frampton (SC) to Curtis Taylor (WV)

Just Announced... Plenary Session Speakers at AFWA's Annual Meeting

100th Annual Meeting Plenary Session
Milestones in American Conservation—Learning from the Past, Envisioning our Future

SPEAKERS:
Tom Strickland, Assistant Secretary of Interior for Fish & Wildlife and Parks
Douglas Brinkley, Acclaimed Author & Historian

In honor of the 100th meeting of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, join us for a special Plenary Session on Monday, September 27 from 8:00 am to 10:00 am in Grand Rapids, MI that will challenge you to consider whether the future of American conservation and its challenges are not so different from the past.

Tom Strickland, Assistant Secretary of Interior for Fish & Wildlife and Parks and Chief of Staff to Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, will discuss the accomplishments of the U.S. Department of the Interior during this current Administration and share the federal vision for natural resource management and the importance of North America’s fish and wildlife agencies to its success.

Acclaimed historian Dr. Douglas Brinkley, author of The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America and professor of history at Rice University, will offer his insights about the “naturalist president” and how Roosevelt’s achievements can inspire the legacy we promote as today’s caretakers of America’s fish and wildlife and their habitats.

Following the Plenary, Mr. Brinkley will sign copies of his book.

AFWA Welcomes Matt Menashes as Director of Operations

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies is pleased to welcome Matt Menashes as the new Director of Operations. Matt brings 10 years of association management and a background in coastal and marine policy to the position. Matt will focus on the Association’s internal business operations and fisheries and aquatic resources issues, and will staff the Fisheries and Water Resources Policy and Ocean Resources Policy committees.

Prior to coming to the Association, Matt was the Executive Director of the National Estuarine Research Reserve Association (NERRA) for two years. NERRA represents the state agencies and universities that operate the nation’s 27 estuarine research reserves in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

“A good part of my career has been working with state agencies to support their resource and program needs,” said Matt. “One of my proudest career accomplishments was collaborating with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to establish the Kachemak Bay research reserve in the late 1990s. And for the past two years, I was honored to represent the state agencies that operate the research reserves in their dealings here in Washington, DC. I am looking forward to continuing to support the states while assisting Ron (Regan) and the rest of the AFWA staff in day-to-day operations"

From 2000 through 2008, Matt was President/CEO of the Paddlesports Industry Association, a trade association representing the manufacturers, retailers and outfitters of canoes, kayaks and rafts. His sdditional experience includes nearly seven years with NOAA and two years on Capitol Hill. He has served on the boards of the American Canoe Association, Paddler Magazine and the International Whitewater Hall of Fame.

Matt holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in marine policy from the University of Delaware.

You can contact Matt at 202/624-3602; mattm@fishwildlife.org

Teaming With Wildlife Week Celebrates the 10-year Anniversary of the State Wildlife Grants Program

Through September 11, Teaming With Wildlife Week will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the State Wildlife Grant program, which funds state-based conservation efforts to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered.

The State Wildlife Grants (SWG) Program provides federal grant dollars to every U.S. state and territory to support the development and implementation of their unique State Wildlife Action Plans. Wildlife Action Plans assess the health of each state’s wildlife and habitats; identify the problems they face; and outline the actions needed to conserve them over the long term.
For more than a decade, the SWG Program has served as a stable federal funding source for state fish and wildlife agencies in excess of $600 million. This stability has been critical to the recovery and conservation of many species in greatest need of conservation.

“The SWG program is part of the Department of the Interior’s ongoing commitment to the essential conservation efforts of states,” said Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar. “In our challenging economic climate, the program ensures that states will have the necessary resources to help conserve their highest priority wildlife, plants, and habitats – an investment that will pay dividends for years to come.”

“The SWG Program was created to meet a long-standing need for funding the conservation of fish and wildlife species that are typically neither hunted nor fished,” said Ron Regan, Executive Director at the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. “The program has been an important source of funds to help keep America’s common species common and to conserve wildlife before they become too rare and costly to protect them.”

States and their partners have used funding from the SWG Program to combat invasive species, protect natural areas, restore habitat, conduct research and implement monitoring programs that will provide better data on imperiled species and their habitats. Priority for use of grant funds is placed on those species and habitats with the greatest conservation need.

Teaming With Wildlife Week is sponsored by the national, bipartisan Teaming With Wildlife coalition, composed of 6,300+ conservation organizations and nature-based businesses including state fish and wildlife agencies, wildlife biologists, hunters and anglers, birdwatchers, hikers and other conservationists. The Teaming With Wildlife coalition is working to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered by supporting increased funding for wildlife conservation, education and nature-based recreation.

Across the country, state fish and wildlife agencies are hosting Teaming With Wildlife Week events. For more information, visit http://www.teaming.com/.

To learn more about funding allocations through the State Wildlife Grants Program for state, commonwealth, territories, and the District of Columbia visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program Web site at http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/.

AFWA’s President John Frampton Appointed to New Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Council

John Frampton, the President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Director of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, was appointed to the new Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council (WHHCC) today by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. The announcement was made at a joint federal agency press conference to name the 18 Council members who will serve two-year terms on the official advisory group which was chartered to provide advice to the government on wildlife conservation and hunting issues and on carrying forward the nation’s hunting tradition.

“It is an honor to be appointed to the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Council and represent state fish and wildlife agencies to advance one of our most important agency functions—hunting and shooting sports,” said Frampton. “More effective cooperation between the states, federal agencies, Native American Tribes and our wildlife conservation and archery, shooting and hunting sports industry colleagues is the key to success to ensure Americans have enhanced opportunities to enjoy the benefits of our great outdoors.”

The Executive Director of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Ron Regan, will serve as an ex officio member of the Council. The WHHCC will meet twice yearly.

Barham Testifies on Impacts of Gulf Oil Spill on Fish, Wildlife and Habitats

Robert Barham, Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries delivered testimony today before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife regarding the impacts of the Gulf oil spill on fish, wildlife and their habitats.

“The economy and culture of coastal Louisiana is a unique blend of many things similar to the unique blends prepared by our great chef’s in New Orleans when they prepare that succulent dish of gumbo,” said Barham. “In the case of coastal Louisiana our coastal ecology and fishing is and always has been the main ingredient. At this point the main ingredient is threatened and the future is anything but certain.”

Secretary Barham’s full testimony can be viewed at http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/images/Documents/testimony_barham.pdf

Association Testifies on Sikes Act Amendment

The Association testified on May 25 in support of an amendment to the Sikes Act, which would clarify its application to Army National Guard (ANG) bases. Where title to the land is held by the state and not the federal government, these ANG bases—if they have significant natural resources subject to the requirements of an Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan jointly concluded by the DoD installation, the state fish and wildlife agency, and the USFWS—would be eligible for funding under the Sikes Act.

State fish and wildlife agencies have long enjoyed a good relationship with military installations, and the Sikes Act Improvement Act of 1997 directed the preparation, development and implementation of INRMPs, and with respect to the fish and wildlife conservation provisions, requires that they be mutually agreed to by the DoD installation, state fish and wildlife agency and USFWS.

“We can all be proud of the conservation benefits achieved from this often unknown and unheralded success story of public lands management on approximately 30 million acres,” observed Gary Taylor, AFWA's Legislative Director, in the Association's testimony. “Our successes have certainly substantiated that not only is achievement of the military preparedness mission and sound stewardship of the land and its fish and wildlife resources not mutually exclusive, they are indeed mutually necessary and beneficial.”

Six State Fish and Wildlife Agencies to Receive Nearly $5 Million in State Wildlife Grants

Approximately $5 million will be distributed to state wildlife agencies in Arkansas, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Nebraska and Washington through the State Wildlife Grants Competitive Program to support cost-effective conservation aimed at preventing wildlife from becoming endangered, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced yesterday.

The State Wildlife Grants Competitive Program provides federal dollars to support the development and implementation of each state’s unique State Wildlife Action Plan, which assesses the health of wildlife and habitats, identifies the problems they face and outlines the actions needed to conserve and recover imperiled fish and wildlife species over the long term.

“Across the country, conserving high quality habitat, restoring degraded lands and waters and removing invasive species are among the top priorities for conservation,” said Ron Regan, Executive Director of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. “Though the challenges to keeping wildlife from becoming endangered are greater than ever before, State Wildlife Action Plans present a national action agenda for the conservation of wildlife species that have not benefited from conservation attention due to lack of funding.”

Priority for State Wildlife Competitive Grant funding is placed on multistate, cooperative conservation projects focused on species and habitats with the greatest conservation need. States and their partners will match the federal funding by more than $2 million in non-federal funds.

“We can wait for wildlife to decline and react to problems with expensive, last-ditch efforts or we can take proactive, cost-effective steps to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered before it is too late,” said Mark Humpert, Teaming With Wildlife Director at the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. The 6,300-member Teaming With Wildlife coalition, made up of organizations and businesses, strongly supports increased State Wildlife Grant funding for wildlife conservation, education and nature-based recreation. “The State Wildlife Grants Program helps states turn the trend around and reduce the need for listing many species and costly recovery efforts,” added Humpert.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded State Wildlife Competitive Grants to the following projects:

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission: Coordinated Multi-State Response to a Deadly, Emerging Threat – White-Nose Syndrome in Bats—to support a multi-regional coordinated response to white-nose syndrome (WNS), an emerging threat to cave-dwelling bats. State partners include Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin as well as Bat Conservation International (Austin, TX). Federal funds awarded: $998,834; non-federal match: $450,797

Iowa Department of Natural Resources: The Use of Fire and Grazing to Improve Grassland Habitats for Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)—to support the development of an effective management framework for increasing the diversity of grasslands in working landscapes, thereby increasing the capacity of these areas to support viable populations of SGCN. Project activities will take place on both public and private lands. Iowa DNR will partner with the Missouri Department of Conservation as well as personnel from Illinois and Oklahoma to accomplish project goals. Federal funds awarded: $732,904; non-federal match: $317,113

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife: The Conservation of Marsh Tidal Birds: Guiding Action at the Intersection of Our Changing Landscape—to provide information for the New England and Mid-Atlantic coast states to protect regionally important habitats for tidal marsh birds (including 26 species of greatest conservation need) and to provide a regionally consistent platform for tidal marsh monitoring in anticipation of sea-level rise and upland/watershed development. Primary state partners include Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland with work also occurring in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Virginia. Federal funds awarded: $760,202; non-federal match: $412,159

Michigan Department of Natural Resources: Oak Savanna, Pine Barrens and Jack Pine Restoration in Michigan and Ohio for Species of Greatest Conservation Need—to restore and enhance 600 acres of oak savanna in Michigan and Ohio for the recovery and benefit of the Karner blue butterfly and restore 400 acres of pine barrens and jack pine forest in Michigan for the recovery and benefit of Kirtland’s warbler. The project also will potentially benefit 188 species of greatest conservation need. Forty-five percent (or 450 acres) of the project lands fall under private ownership. Federal funds awarded: $852,484; non-federal match: $383,000

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Nebraska Natural Legacy Project: Phase III—to implement conservation partnerships and actions on private and public lands in Nebraska and South Dakota to enhance and improve native prairies, wetlands and woodlands for the benefit of SGCN in both states. This project will benefit Bell’s vireo, greater prairie chicken, ottoe skipper, swift fox and the Northern red belly dace. Federal funds awarded: $1,000,000; non-federal match: $333,333

Washington Department of Game and Fish: State Wildlife Grants Effectiveness Monitoring—to implement the third phase of development of a spatially enabled decision support system, which allows states to share common data with their conservation partners and strategically prioritize actions across multiple states. The system will facilitate strategic implementation of State Wildlife Grant program funds across multiple states including Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon. Federal funds awarded: $514,059; non-federal match: $171,353

Congress created the State Wildlife Grants Program in FY2002, funded from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Funds appropriated under the program are allocated to each state and other eligible jurisdictions according to a formula based on land area and population. Since the program’s inception, Congress has distributed more than $500 million for conservation work on state and private lands.

To view the State Wildlife Grant allocations for each state, go to http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/SWG/SWG09Apportionment.pdf.

For more information about State Wildlife Action Plans and to read an accomplishments report, visit www.wildlifeactionplans.org.