Thursday, April 22, 2010

Keep Your Eyes on These "10 Waters to Watch" in 2010

The National Fish Habitat Action Plan today announced its “10 Waters to Watch” for 2010 at the Jim Range National Casting Call event in Washington, DC.

The annual “10 Waters to Watch” list, assembled by the nation’s leading authorities on aquatic conservation, is a collection of rivers, streams and shores that will be cleaner and healthier habitats for the many fish and wildlife species and people who call these areas home. They are representative of freshwater to marine waters across the country including lakes and reservoirs that are improving through the conservation efforts of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan — a bold initiative to reverse persistent declines in aquatic habitat.

The Action Plan’s “10 Waters to Watch” Initiative was first unveiled in 2007 through its Fish Habitat Partnerships. Since 2006, the Fish and Wildlife Service has provided $8.5 million to support 188 on-the-ground projects in 36 states, leveraging $20 million in partner match, to address the priorities of the Fish Habitat Partnerships, along with funding from several other state and federal agencies and NGO’s.

“Our approach—teaming federal, state and local partners—is helping to bring these waters back to life in most cases…in a faster more strategic way,” said Kelly Hepler, Chairman of the National Fish Habitat Board. “By watching these 10 models of our nation’s aquatic conservation efforts, we can see real progress in treating the causes of fish habitat decline, not just the symptoms. Through sound science and on-the-ground partnerships, these select projects can be held high as a vision of what quality habitat should be, which affects all people throughout the United States.”

The 10 Waters to Watch in 2010

Bobs Creek, Pennsylvania
(National Fish Habitat Partnership – Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture)
This project will benefit brook trout populations in Wallack’s Branch of Bobs Creek, PA by removing fish barriers and creating in-stream habitat. Modifications to five small structures (including small dams), which currently reduce free movement of trout within the stream in Wallack’s Branch, will allow fish to move without impediment through the stream.

Diamond Lake, Iowa
(National Fish Habitat Partnership – Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership)
This project focuses on improving water quality by shifting the lake to a clear water state using water-level management to consolidate bottom sediments, re-establish aquatic plants, and control common carp populations. The restoration of Diamond Lake is Iowa’s inaugural shallow lake restoration project providing resource management professionals with experience and expertise for managing shallow lakes. The project also provides stakeholders a demonstration of the restoration potential for other shallow lakes.

Fairbanks and Soda Springs, Nevada
(National Fish Habitat Partnership – Desert Fish Habitat Partnership)
Anthropogenic landscape alteration has resulted in the loss of habitats vital to Ash Meadows speckled dace and Ash Meadows pupfish and has resulted in the alteration of hydrologic processes that create and maintain those aquatic habitats. This project supports the restoration of Fairbanks and Soda Springs as a component of the larger Upper Carson Slough restoration across the northern extent of Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.

Georgetown Creek, Idaho
(National Fish Habitat Partnership – Western Native Trout Initiative)
The Georgetown Road Relocation Project is a multi-year project to remove approximately two miles of road from the bottom of Georgetown Creek (including three impassable culverts) to improve aquatic and riparian habitat, water quality, and fish passage in the canyon. The project will restore water quality and riparian and in-stream habitat through the removal of the old road and the building of a fish ladder.

Green River Basin, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming
(National Fish Habitat Partnership(s) –
Desert Fish Habitat Partnership and Western Native Trout Initiative)

Both the Desert Fish Habitat Partnership and the Western Native Trout Initiative have recognized the outstanding aquatic resources of the Green River Basin. Both partnerships support projects, directly and indirectly, that benefit fish populations and habitat in ways that place local projects within a larger basin-wide perspective.

Koktuli River, Alaska
(National Fish Habitat Partnership – Southwest Alaska Salmon Habitat Partnership)
This fish habitat partnership conservation project was initiated through voluntary actions to ensure public protection of important and intact fisheries. The work on the Koktuli River project will be adequately balanced with considerations of other natural resource uses including uses of land and water resources associated with improved access and human population growth and other future actions that might be considered, for enhancing socioeconomic conditions for local residents and others.

Lake Vermilion, Minnesota
(National Fish Habitat Partnership – Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership)
The purpose of this project is to protect undeveloped shoreline and provide public access to the land and water via a state park, scheduled to open in 2010. The state of Minnesota will acquire 3,000 acres and 4.93 miles of undeveloped shoreline on Lake Vermilion in St. Louis County. Minnesota state parks allow visitors to fish for free. It is expected that this park will quickly become one of the most visited parks in the state, with an estimated 500,000 visitors per year.

Mackeys Creek, Mississippi
(National Fish Habitat Partnership – Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership)
The focus of the Mackeys Creek project involves restoration of a Gulf Coast Strain (GCS) of walleye in a headwater stream of the Tombigbee River. An 80-ft long rock dike was constructed in 2009 with fill material backfilled behind it to restore the natural slope. The bank was seeded, and willow tree shoots were planted to restore riparian habitat. Washed gravel was placed in the adjacent shoal to create a potential GCS walleye spawning site. Plans for 2010 include creating or enhancing additional GCS walleye spawning habitat and stocking hatchery-reared fish.

Wasilla Creek, Alaska
(National Fish Habitat Partnership – Mat-Su Basin Salmon Habitat Partnership)
Wasilla Creek is one of three main creeks draining the core area of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley and is home to five species of Pacific salmon. Many partner organizations are working on projects to assure sufficient amounts of clean water, continuous fish passage and overall healthy fish habitats will be maintained within the Wasilla Creek drainage. Significant efforts have been completed and others are in progress to protect and restore salmon habitat in Wasilla Creek.

West Branch, Machias River, Maine
(National Fish Habitat Partnership – Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture)
With stream connectivity functionally restored to the main-stem of the Machias River, current restoration needs are focused predominately in its major headwater tributaries including the West Branch. A range-wide Conservation Success Index indicates that the West Branch Machias River sub-watershed ranks very high in terms of both habitat quality for native Eastern brook trout and future security from anthropogenic threats such as urbanization.

“Whether you measure the effect of these 10 success stories in feet or miles of fish and wildlife habitat conserved, these kinds of concerted actions are what it is going to take to get our nation’s waters back into shape,” said Hepler. “We believe the Waters recognized today will be the impetus for thousands of projects accomplished in the future.”

For more information about the National Fish Habitat Action Plan and Fish Habitat Partnerships, visit www.fishhabitat.org.

Friday, April 16, 2010

State Fish and Wildlife Agency Representatives Attend White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors

Rebecca Humphries (MI), Jon Gassett (KY), Matt Frank (WI), Nick Wiley (FL), Marc Miller (IL), Ken Elowe (ME), Greg Wathen (TN), Joe Maurier (MT), Bob Broscheid (AZ), Lauren Martinson (MN) and John Griffen (MD) represented state fish and wildlife agencies at today’s White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors. At the event, President Obama signed a Memorandum of Understanding launching the “America’s Great Outdoors Initiative,” which is intended to promote community-level conservation efforts and encourage families to spend more time outside.

“This was a very encouraging day—one that’s rooted in the 102nd anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt first convening a national conservation forum and the 40th anniversary of Earth Day,” said Rebecca Humphries, Director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment and Chair of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Executive Committee. “I hope the energy from today combined with the apparent commitment of many government agencies and non-governmental entities produces great results for the future of conserving America’s outdoor spaces and connecting more people to nature.”

“The White House Conference on the Great Outdoors was an invigorating opportunity to participate in a national forum with strong representation from state fish and wildlife agencies to help shape a 21st century conservation agenda,” said Ron Regan, AFWA Executive Director. “I was pleased to hear President Obama convey that ‘America’s Great Outdoors Initiative’ will build on the successful conservation efforts of state governments. The Association looks forward to engaging with the President’s administration officials leading the effort to promote sound resource management and conservation in the public interest.”

To read Presidential Memorandum – America’s Great Outdoors, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-memorandum-americas-great-outdoors

Monday, April 12, 2010

Boone & Crockett Club Honors AFWA with the Theodore Roosevelt Legacy Award

The Boone and Crockett Club on March 24 presented the Association with its prestigious Theodore Roosevelt Legacy Award in honor of AFWA’s dedication and commitment to the success of the National Conservation Leadership Institute since its establishment in 2004.

The National Conservation Leadership Institute (NCLI) was conceived during an early AWCP meeting at the Boone and Crockett Club headquarters in Missoula, MT. The Association then took the lead to create and maintain the NCLI’s operations.

Said Lowell Baier, President of the Boone and Crockett Club, “The National Conservation Leadership Institute, while born in the rich dialogue and minds of Boone and Crockett Club Professional Members, could never have been a success nor realized without the cooperation, input, support and facilitation of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.”

The inscription on the Legacy Award reads:

“Celebrating Cooperative Conservation Partnerships – Presented to the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies – For their collaborative role and extraordinary championship, facilitation and training of America’s future conservation leaders through the National Conservation Leadership Institute – 2010 North American Wildlife Conference.”

The Theodore Roosevelt Legacy Award was created in the year 2007 to celebrate and recognize successful cooperative conservation partnerships and partners of the Boone and Crockett Club.

To learn more about the National Conservation Leadership Institute, go to www.conservationleadership.org

For more information about the Boone and Crockett Club, visit www.boone-crockett.org

Photo (l-r): Lowell Baier, Boone and Crockett Club President; Ron Regan, AFWA Executive Director; John Frampton, AFWA President

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Wildlife Viewing Network Kick-off Meeting

The Wildlife Viewing Network national kick-off meeting starts tonight thru Friday in Montpelier, VA to help develop a charter and campaign to more clearly define the discipline of Wildlife Viewing and identify stable funding sources for state wildlife viewing programs.

This meeting will organize state wildlife viewing programs into a focused national organization to provide leadership in assisting state fish and wildlife agencies through the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and as a national source for information sharing among state wildlife viewing programs.

The meeting is being hosted by Wildlife Viewing Program Coordinators and AFWA’s Wildlife Viewing and Nature Tourism Working Group.

Did you know… more than 35 states have identified Wildlife Viewing or Watchable Wildlife Programs.

Did you also know… there are birding trail efforts in nearly all 50 states.

Photo by George Andrejko, AZGFD