Recruit, Retain, Reactivate (R3) Training - Register TODAY

This year’s Recruit, Retain, Reactivate (R3) Training will take place June 11-14, 2019 at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in Shepherdstown, WV. The 2019 R3 Training builds on last year’s pilot to provide R3 coordinators and practitioners with the necessary tools and information needed to effectively support R3 efforts.

Please review the R3 Training 2019 Course Announcement for full details and registration information. RBFF will reimburse travel and tuition costs for state angler R3 coordinators.

Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Apply the Adaptive Management Model to improve R3 programs
• Develop strategies to build support within agencies and among stakeholders for R3 programming
• Perform customer engagement and outreach activities to diversify audiences and increase overall participation
• Lead R3 plan development, implementation and evaluation efforts
• Engage stakeholders in R3 planning, implementation and evaluation 

This R3 Training includes a goal of developing future training and modules that will provide continuing education opportunities for all involved with R3 efforts.

Click here for more information and to download the flyer!

APHIS and NRCS to Host April 5th Joint Listening Session on Feral Swine Farm Bill Provision

New Time: APHIS and NRCS to Host April 5^th Joint Listening Session on Feral Swine Farm Bill Provision

The time of the joint APHIS-NRCS feral swine listening session has been changed and will now take place on Friday, April 5, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT. We apologize for the inconvenience. If you previously registered for the original March 28^th listening session date, you are automatically registered for the April 5^th session and can use the phone number and unique conference code you already received via email. If you still need to register, you can do so by clicking on the link in the invitation.

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Please join APHIS Administrator Kevin Shea and NRCS Chief Matthew Lohr along with members of their leadership teams, including APHIS Associate Administrators Mike Gregoire and Mike Watson and NRCS Acting Associate Chief Kevin Norton on Friday, April 5, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT for a Farm Bill Listening Session via teleconference. This listening session is an opportunity for interested State and Tribal partners as well as stakeholders to comment on the feral swine provision in the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 that will be jointly managed by APHIS and NRCS.

We recognize that many of you live outside of the Washington, D.C., area, and we hope this call-in format makes it easy for you to participate in the upcoming session and share your thoughts on implementation.

The summary pasted below provides a brief overview of the feral swine farm bill provision. The listening session will also begin with a short briefing on the provisions followed by stakeholder comments for the remainder of the call. In order to hear from as many participants as possible, we ask that you plan to limit your comments to 3 minutes or less. If you would like to provide a written copy of your comments either before or after the listening session, you can do so by sending them to hallie.zimmers@aphis.usda.gov.

To participate in the listening session, we ask that you please register in advance by clicking on the link below and providing your name, organization and email address. Once you submit your information, you will promptly receive an email that includes the call-in number and a unique conference code to enter the call. You will also have the opportunity to join by webinar. The listening session will be recorded.

If you would like to make other colleagues aware of this event, please forward them the link below. To avoid any problems connecting to the call, do not share your unique code.

Registration Link: http://ems8.intellor.com?do=register&t=1&p=813125

AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2018

RELEVANT FERAL SWINE PROVISION

SEC. 2408. FERAL SWINE ERADICATION AND CONTROL PILOT PROGRAM.

• Provides $75 million in mandatory Commodity Credit Corporation funds to be split between APHIS and NRCS on a feral swine eradication and control pilot program.
• Allows the Secretary to provide direct financial assistance to producers to mitigate damage and to implement control activities.

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies Applauds the Introduction of the National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnerships Act

March 14, 2019

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies strongly supports the introduction of the National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnerships Act this week in both the House and the Senate (S.754).  This legislation aims to codify the National Fish Habitat Partnership, whose mission is to protect, restore and enhance the nation's fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation and improve the quality of life for the American people.  Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) and Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX) in the House, and Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) introduced these bipartisan bills on March 12, 2019.

“The Association is excited to see this legislation introduced which, if passed, would help restore our fish populations and habitats across the nation,” said Ed Carter, President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Executive Director of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.  “We thank Rep. Wittman and Rep. Veasey in the House, and Senator Crapo and Senator Cardin in the Senate, for their leadership on this important legislation that will help states and local communities with the management and conservation of fish and fish habitats that also bolster our great outdoor recreation economy.” 

“We appreciate both the House and Senate sponsors of these bills that are critical to codify the National Fish Habitat Action Plan,” said Ed Schriever, Director of the Idaho Department of Fish & Game and Chair of the National Fish Habitat Board. “This legislation is critical to keep the National Fish Habitat Partnership, which was established in 2006, moving forward and will ensure that needed funding goes to support on-the-ground conservation projects of our partnerships across the U.S. “

The National Fish Habitat Partnership is a voluntary, non-regulatory, fish habitat conservation program.  The National Fish Habitat Partnership has supported more than 840 projects benefiting fish habitat in all 50 states. The partnership works to conserve fish habitat nationwide; leveraging federal, state, tribal, and private funding resources to achieve the greatest impact on fish populations through priority conservation projects of 20 regionally-based Fish Habitat Partnerships.

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The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies represents North America’s fish and wildlife agencies to advance sound, science-based management and conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats in the public interest. The Association represents its state agency members on Capitol Hill and before the Administration to advance favorable fish and wildlife conservation policy and funding and works to ensure that all entities work collaboratively on the most important issues. The Association also provides member agencies with coordination services on cross-cutting as well as species-based programs that range from birds, fish habitat and energy development to climate change, wildlife action plans, conservation education, leadership training and international relations. Working together, the Association’s member agencies are ensuring that North American fish and wildlife management has a clear and collective voice.
tions. Working together, the Association’s member agencies are ensuring that North American fish and wildlife management has a clear and collective voice.

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies is Pleased about the Passage of the Public Lands Bill

Washington D.C. (March 13, 2019)- The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies was pleased to see President Trump sign into law S.47, the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (formerly known as the Natural Resources Management Act). This bipartisan legislation permanently authorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a significant tool for increasing recreational access to public lands and supporting fish and wildlife habitat. This public lands package also contains more than 100 local and regional public lands bills that aim to benefit sportsmen and women.

“The Association is delighted to see the Land and Water Conservation Fund has a secure future,” said Ed Carter, President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Executive Director of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. “We look forward to working with our federal partners and supporting the Land and Water Conservation Fund to invest in clean water and productive land and wildlife habitat across the nation.”

The Land and Water Conservation Fund works in partnership with federal, state and local efforts to protect land in our national parks, national wildlife refuges, national forests, national trails, and other public lands. The program’s goal is to preserve working forests and ranchlands; to support state and local parks and playgrounds, to preserve battlefields and other historic and cultural sites and to provide the tools that communities need to meet their diverse conservation and recreation needs.

The bill was named in honor of former Congressman John Dingell who passed away last month. The Michigan Democrat was a lifelong outdoorsman and tireless conservation champion, responsible for leading many of our nation’s landmark conservation bills during his 59 years in Congress.

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The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies represents North America’s fish and wildlife agencies to advance sound, science-based management and conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats in the public interest. The Association represents its state agency members on Capitol Hill and before the Administration to advance favorable fish and wildlife conservation policy and funding and works to ensure that all entities work collaboratively on the most important issues. The Association also provides member agencies with coordination services on cross-cutting as well as species-based programs that range from birds, fish habitat and energy development to climate change, wildlife action plans, conservation education, leadership training and international relations. Working together, the Association’s member agencies are ensuring that North American fish and wildlife management has a clear and collective voice.

Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Approves Statement on the Cause of Chronic Wasting Disease

Last week, at the 84th North American Wildlife & Natural Resources Conference, state directors approved a statement entitled Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Statement on Chronic Wasting Disease Etiology during the of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies business meeting. This statement was drafted by leading experts in wildlife disease management and affirms the current scientific consensus that Chronic Wasting Disease, a 100% fatal disease of deer, elk, moose, and reindeer, is caused by a misfolded protein called a ‘prion.’

"Recent media coverage has focused on alternative theories that suggest that Chronic Wasting Disease may be caused by bacteria or other sources," said Ed Carter, President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Executive Director of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. "We felt that until there was definitive proof otherwise, it was important that the Association go on record as supporting the overwhelming scientific consensus that Chronic Wasting Disease is caused by mutated protein known as prions."

The Association and its members have been at the forefront of Chronic Wasting Disease management for decades, having most recently written and adopted the Best Management Practices for Prevention, Surveillance, and Management of Chronic Wasting Disease which provides extensive guidance to state, federal, provincial, and territorial wildlife agencies tasked with managing this disease.

"I strongly support the statement that is being released by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies today," said Bob Duncan, Director of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and chair of the Association's Fish and Wildlife Health Committee. "Our nation's hunters deserve to have the best available scientifically credible information about this deadly disease, and to know that our state, federal, provincial, and territorial wildlife agencies are doing everything within their power to stop its spread."

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The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies represents North America’s fish and wildlife agencies to advance sound, science-based management and conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats in the public interest. The Association represents its state agency members on Capitol Hill and before the Administration to advance favorable fish and wildlife conservation policy and funding and works to ensure that all entities work collaboratively on the most important issues. The Association also provides member agencies with coordination services on cross-cutting as well as species-based programs that range from birds, fish habitat and energy development to climate change, wildlife action plans, conservation education, leadership training and international relations. Working together, the Association’s member agencies are ensuring that North American fish and wildlife management has a clear and collective voice.

Urban Wildlife Workshop

Extreme weather events: How to protect native fish and wildlife in a changing urban environment

The world is increasingly becoming urbanized. In the United States alone, over 80% of the population now resides in urban areas. At the same time, our climate is rapidly changing and causing novel issues for fish and wildlife, as well as for people, their communities, and their jobs. Extreme events like hurricanes and drought, wildfire, and nuisance flooding, among others, are affecting these systems in new and record-breaking ways. Increasingly, the public will be looking to their natural resource agencies for ways to prepare for, endure, and restore after these events. In this half-day workshop, we will explore these critical issues and the solutions to them. Hear stories from leaders in the field, engage new partners, and learn the creative approaches to adapt effectively in a changing world.

Join us Tuesday, March 5th 8am-12pm at the 84th North American Wildlife & Natural Resources Conference in Denver, Colorado. This workshop is sponsored by the USDA Forest Service, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, National Wildlife Federation, and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. For more information, email Maggie Ernest Johnson, Adaptation Program Manager, AFWA.

The Association Commends the Service for Opening 38 Refuges

PRESS RELEASE

Washington D.C. (January 9, 2019)- The Association of Fish & Wildlife agencies learned yesterday that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), for the next 30 days, using previously appropriated funds, will bring back a limited number of employees to resume work on high priority projects and activities at 38 National Wildlife Refuges. 

“The Association would like to thank Acting Secretary David Bernhardt for continuing to meet our community’s priorities and needs with the limited resources and authorities at hand during the partial federal government shutdown,” said Ed Carter, President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Executive Director of Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. “The opening of these National Wildlife Refuges will also bring economic benefits to local communities.”

During the partial federal shutdown, the Service has been able to keep parts of some National Wildlife Refuges accessible to the public where the presence of federal employees or contractors is not required.  The Service is adding “additional staff to support scheduled events and other public uses on 38 selected refuges based on criteria that takes into consideration visitation during the month of January, opportunities, including hunting [and fishing], that would otherwise be limited or unavailable during this time, and protection, management and security of public resources.”

Those refuges affected are:

Region 1

•               Midway Atoll (HI)

•               Kilauea Point (HI)

•               Tualatin River (OR)

•               Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually (WA)

Region 2

•               Laguna Atascosa (TX)

•               Lower Rio Grande Valley (TX)

•               Santa Ana (TX)

•               Anahuac (TX)

•               McFaddin (TX)

•               Bosque del Apache (NM)

•               Wichita Mountains (OK)

•               Valle de Oro (NM)

Region 3

•               Minnesota Valley (MN)

•               Fergus Falls WMD (MN)

•               DeSoto (IA)

•               Great River (MO)

•               Clarence Cannon (MO)

•               Mingo (MO)

Region 4

•               Crystal River (FL)

•               J.N. Ding Darling (FL)

•               Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee (FL)

•               Merritt Island (FL)

•               Wheeler (AL)

Region 5

•               John Heinz (PA)

•               Wertheim (NY)

•               Bombay Hook (DE)

•               Parker River (MA)

•               Umbagog (NH)

Region 6

•               Rocky Mountain Arsenal (CO)

•               Bear River (UT)

Region 8

•               Sacramento (CA)

•               Delevan (CA)

•               Colusa (CA)

•               Sutter (CA)

•               San Luis (CA)

•               Merced (CA)

•               Kern (CA)

•               Pixley (CA)

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The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies represents North America’s fish and wildlife agencies to advance sound, science-based management and conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats in the public interest. The Association represents its state agency members on Capitol Hill and before the Administration to advance favorable fish and wildlife conservation policy and funding and works to ensure that all entities work collaboratively on the most important issues. The Association also provides member agencies with coordination services on cross-cutting as well as species-based programs that range from birds, fish habitat and energy development to climate change, wildlife action plans, conservation education, leadership training and international relations. Working together, the Association’s member agencies are ensuring that North American fish and wildlife management has a clear and collective voice.

Download our press release here

Press Release: Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Commends Congress for Passing the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018

December 17, 2018

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (Association) applauds the passage the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 by Congress, also known as the 2018 Farm Bill (HR2). The Farm Bill is the single largest federal investment for conservation on private lands in the nation and is critical to state fish and wildlife agencies for conserving and improving millions of acres of habitat through voluntary efforts that can also provide opportunities for hunting and angling.

“We applaud and thank Chairman Roberts, Chairman Conaway, Ranking Member Stabenow, and Ranking Member Peterson for listening to the needs of farmers, ranchers, and the conservation community by working together to pass a Farm Bill that has a strong conservation title which is needed to conserve our natural resources while keeping working lands working,” said Ed Carter, President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Executive Director of Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

The 2014 Farm Bill expired September 30, 2018, and many provisions have been in a state of flux since then.  The Senate and House Agriculture Committees spent much time this Congress listening to the needs of farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and the wildlife conservation community to carefully craft and pass a conference report that is welcomed by many.

“This Farm Bill is extremely important for conservation – it provides much needed resources and policy improvements for private agricultural producers that are also a good fit with fish, wildlife, soil, and water conservation. Further, the conference report aligns well with the Association’s 2018 Farm Bill reauthorization priorities. We greatly appreciate the many long hours and deep dedication exhibited by our Members of Congress, their staffs, and the conservation organizations that helped make this Farm Bill a reality,” said Jim Douglas, Director of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and chair of the Association’s Agriculture Conservation Committee.

“We look forward to enactment of this critical piece of legislation and rolling up our sleeves and getting to work with our partners at the US Department of Agriculture to craft rules for implementing the newly enacted provisions,” said Ron Regan Executive Director of the Association.

Notable conservation benefits provided in the 2018 Farm Bill include:

• The Conservation Reserve Program will provide contracts for 27 million acres of private land by 2023, allocating around $2 billion annually for farmers to remove environmentally sensitive land from their agricultural production to improve the land quality.
• The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program will provide $450 million per year (totaling $2.25 billion over five years) for financial assistance to help conserve agricultural lands and wetlands.
• The Voluntary Public Access - Habitat Improvement Program (VPA-HIP) will include $50 million total to enable state/tribal governments to increase public access to private lands for recreational opportunities and enhance fish/wildlife habitats.
• The Environmental Quality Incentives Program will allocate $9.2 billion over five years to allow agricultural producers to plan and implement conservation practices to improve soil, water, and fish and wildlife habitat.
• Through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, which will provide $300 million annually ($1.5 billion total), the Natural Resources Conservation Service will help producers increase restoration and sustainable use of natural resources by implementing and maintaining conservation practices across landscapes.
• The Conservation Stewardship Program will allocate $3.9 billion over five years to help agricultural producers improve conservation systems.
• The bill also includes $75 million in mandatory funding to control and eradicate feral swine populations in the US and a provision to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires by renewing the insect and disease categorical exclusion and expanding its purpose to allow for expedited reduction of hazardous fuels.
• Additionally, the bill includes an important categorical exclusion for restoring and rehabilitating sagebrush habitat for the benefit of sage-grouse and mule deer.

One of the new priorities for USDA Agricultural Research and Extension is to provide grants to land grant colleges and universities that have established deer research programs for the purposes of treating, mitigating, or eliminating chronic wasting disease

Webinar- Clean air and water, human health, and economic benefits: How bird conservation benefits some of the things Americans value most -- and how we spread that message.

Wildlife Viewing & Nature Tourism Working Group 

2018 Fall Webinar Series

Stay warm this weekend and mark your calendars for the next webinar in the Wildlife Viewing & Nature Tourism series: Clean air and water, human health, and economic benefits:How bird conservation benefits some of the things Americans value most -- and how we spread that message.

December 18, 2018 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EST

Featuring our ‘own’ Greg Butcher, Migratory Species Coordinator for U.S. Forest Service International Programs; and Steven Albert, Assistant Director for Demographic Monitoring Programs at the Institute for Bird Populations (IBP) at Point Reyes Station, CA.

This webinar will describe the origin and mission of NABCI (North American Bird Conservation Initiative), discuss Bird Conservation Relevancy examples that NABCI has gathered, and discuss how these might be used to reach a diverse audience with a message about the benefits of bird conservation.

Download the flyer here.

Webinar: Using eBird Data to Provide Useable Metrics

Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’

Wildlife Viewing and Nature Tourism Working Group

2018 Fall Webinar Series

Using eBird’s Data to Provide Useable Metrics

November 13, 2018 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EST

Nature tourism projects are often a tough sell, partially because success is difficult to measure. Hard data on wildlife watcher activity (e.g., birdwatchers) often requires expensive, rigorous human dimensions surveys. The eBird service provides a free, wildly-popular, and easily-accessible method for the general public to log and view bird sightings. eBird not only informs an improved understanding of bird distribution, but also the location and activity of the birders themselves. For example, in North Carolina alone, 3,748 eBirders spent 72,102 hours completing 68,679 checklists in 2017. Scott will present the benefits and caveats of harnessing the massive and open-access eBird Basic Dataset (EBD) to devise visitation metrics for sites, cities, communities, or regions. These data have the potential to provide a low-cost method to inform marketing strategies and provide measures of effectiveness for bird tourism programs.

Presented By: Scott Anderson

Scott grew up in Texas, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut before attending University of Delaware and earning a BS in Environmental Science. After spending 3 years working field jobs on northern goshawk, three-toed woodpecker, burrowing owl, and marine mammals, Scott worked as a database manager and computer software trainer. To move back towards a career in the natural sciences, Scott completed an MS in Wildlife Science from Oregon State University investigating foraging habits of Caspian terns in the Columbia River Estuary. After graduation, he began as a database manager for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Scott is currently a statewide bird biologist for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (ncwildlife.org) and coordinator of the NC Birding Trail (ncbirdingtrail.org).

Connection:
Join the webinar at fwc.adobeconnect.com/wildlifeviewing (sign in as guest, with first and last name, no password required).
Conference call audio: 888-670-3525
Participant code: 835-369-4269

Download flyer here.

The Strategist: Fall 2018 Edition

Articles include brief updates on the 2018-2019 AFWA Officers & Executive Committee; Legislative Updates; 2018 AFWA Annual Awards; Recovering America's Wildlife Act; International Updates, and Business Meeting Resolutions.

Download the Fall 2018 Edition of The Strategist here.

21st International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species, October 27-31, 2019

SAVE THE DATE!
International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species (ICAIS) 2019 will be the premier scientific conference on aquatic invasive species issues that will offer new experiences for all participants, plus unique professional development opportunities for students and young professionals.

Key topics that will be covered during next year’s conference include:

• Conservation and restoration
• Predictive ecology and risk assessment
• Ecophysiology and adaptive evolution of invaders
• Advances in invasion theory
• Effects of multiple stressors on invasion success and impact
• Impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems
• New developments in management and control
• Policy and public outreach

Learn more: https://www.icais.org/html/info_intro.html

Download the Call for Abstracts Announcement.

Science Does Guide Wildlife Management in North America: Scientists and Conservation Leaders Respond to Artelle et al.

October 3, 2018

Today, Science Advances publishes a formal response entitled ‘Artelle et al. (2018) Miss the Science Underlying North American Wildlife Management’. This response, authored by a broad group of scientists, wildlife managers, and conservation professionals in the United States and Canada, reveals the unfortunate errors in the Artelle et al. article which inaccurately concluded that state and provincial fish and wildlife agencies in North America are managing wildlife without using science. 

“We are happy to report that state and provincial fish and wildlife management is indeed guided by a broad range of scientific information, deployed by individuals who have extensive scientific training, in order to conserve our nations natural resources for future generations,” said Ed Carter, President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Executive Director of Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.  “Our state fish and wildlife agencies use all means at their disposal to manage and conserve their most valuable resources, our fish and wildlife, along with clean air, water, healthy forests and agricultural lands that support all of us.”

Artelle et al. (2018) Miss the Science Underlying North American Wildlife Management highlights several key errors in the original Artelle et al. paper.  First, Artelle et al. confuse the process of conducting scientific research with the process of managing wildlife or other natural resources: while wildlife and natural resource management is informed by science, management activities may not always conform to the same principles and format as a scientific research project.  Furthermore, the primary source of information for the Artelle et al. paper was a series of wildlife management reports and documents that they downloaded from agency websites; these authors did not actually meet with state and provincial wildlife agency managers to learn how science is applied in real-world wildlife management.  Artelle et al. identified a set of “hallmarks of science” and then examined their collection of documents and reports from agency websites to see if these “hallmarks” appeared in these management documents.  Artelle et al. mistakenly concluded that an absence of their “hallmarks of science” from agency documents meant that these documents are not grounded in science, when in fact scientific information is considered by wildlife managers at each step in the decision-making process.   

The Association would like to acknowledge the authors of Artelle et al. (2018) Miss the Science Underlying North American Wildlife Management: Jonathan R. Mawdsley (AFWA), John F. Organ (USGS), Daniel J. Decker (Cornell University), Ann B. Forstchen (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission), Ronald J. Regan (AFWA), Shawn J. Riley (Michigan State University), Mark S. Boyce (University of Alberta), John E. McDonald Jr. (The Wildlife Society), Chris Dwyer (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service), and Shane P. Mahoney (Conservation Visions).

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The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies represents North America’s fish and wildlife agencies to advance sound, science-based management and conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats in the public interest. The Association represents its state agency members on Capitol Hill and before the Administration to advance favorable fish and wildlife conservation policy and funding and works to ensure that all entities work collaboratively on the most important issues. The Association also provides member agencies with coordination services on cross-cutting as well as species-based programs that range from birds, fish habitat and energy development to climate change, wildlife action plans, conservation education, leadership training and international relations. Working together, the Association’s member agencies are ensuring that North American fish and wildlife management has a clear and collective voice.

View our press release here: www.fishwildlife.org/landing/blog/science-does-guide-wildlife-management-north-america-scientists-and-conservation-leaders-respond-artelle-et-al

Job Announcement- Open Recruitment for Director of Leadership Development

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) is seeing a Director of Leadership Development based out of the AFWA offices at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV. The selected candidate will lead the Association’s leadership development offerings focusing on three key areas: (1) State agency multi‐level leadership products and services including online offerings and regional adaptive leadership workshops; (2) State agency focused leadership level consulting and training; (3) Conservation community‐wide engagement through the National Conservation Training Center. The selected candidate will ensure that these offerings are meeting the needs of AFWA’s members and our conservation partners and that they are successfully implemented through effective operations, management and staff leadership.

Click here to download the full Director of Leadership Development Job Announcement.

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, founded in 1902, represents North America’s fish and wildlife agencies. It promotes sound management and conservation and speaks with a collective voice on important fish and wildlife issues. The Association is a nonprofit, 501(c)(6) trade association. See www.fishwildlife.org for more information.

Ed Carter Elected 2018-2019 President of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies

September 21, 2018

The membership of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies elected Ed Carter, Executive Director of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), as its new president during its 108th Annual Meeting in Tampa, Florida.

In accepting AFWA’s Presidency, Carter reflected on the critical importance of the Recovering America's Wildlife Act as well as all the accomplishments made by the Association over the past year under the leadership of Past-President Virgil Moore, Director of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

“Thank you for this opportunity and honor to serve in this capacity,” said Carter. “I am looking forward to personally working with all of the state and federal agencies, partners, and friends towards our common conservation goals. It is of great importance that we work together to conserve the fish and wildlife that are among this nation’s most valuable resources, along with clean air, water, healthy forests and agricultural lands that support all of us.”

Other priorities on Carter’s agenda include passage of The Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson Fund for Tomorrow’s Needs Act, engagement with federal ESA issues, and Chronic Wasting Disease. Carter also plans to continue efforts towards strengthening partnerships and increasing our efforts on hunting, shooting sports, angling and boating recruitment, retention and reactivation initiatives.

Carter will serve as AFWA President through September 2019.

“Ed Carter is a true leader in conservation with a wealth of knowledge and experience,” stated Virgil Moore, Director of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and 2017-2018 President of the Association of the Fish and Wildlife Agencies. “Ed brings new energy and insights that will be invaluable to the Association and its members as we forge ahead through the challenges of today.”

Carter’s career began with the TWRA in 1972. He served as an education representative, hunter education coordinator, education and law enforcement training officer and a Region II assistant regional manager over the 25 counties of middle Tennessee. . He became TWRA’s Chief of the Boating Division when the division was formed in 1990. TWRA is the sole state agency charged with the responsibility for boating safety and law enforcement. Carter was named the Executive Director of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency in 2009.

“Ed Carter has been a true champion of wildlife and conservation for more than 46 years,” said Kurt Holbert, Vice Chair of Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission. “I have no doubt that he will continue to make Tennessee proud by leading the advancement of those interests on a national scale. “

Ed carter has chaired numerous AFWA committees and task forces during his tenure in Tennessee. He will also receive the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Meritorious Award, the Institute’s highest and most prestigious award, later this month.

A native of Hawkins County, Carter is a graduate of the University of Tennessee. He and his wife of 44 years, Karen, have three adult children Mark, Tracie, and Christie.

The full list of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies elected 2018-2019 Officers and Executive Committee:

President: Ed Carter, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

Vice President: Glenn Normandeau, New Hampshire Fish & Game Department

Secretary/Treasurer: Gordon Myers, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

Past President: Virgil Moore, Idaho Fish & Game Department

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chair: Bob Broscheid, Colorado Division of Parks & Wildlife

Vice Chair: Sara Parker Pauley, Missouri Department of Conservation

Members:
Mark Reiter, Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Jim Douglas, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
Kelly Hepler, South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Department
Carter Smith, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Cathy Sparks, Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management
Tony Wasley, Nevada Department of Wildlife

EX OFFICIO VOTING MEMBERS Canada: Travis Ripley, Alberta Environment & Parks

REGIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
Midwest: Terry Steinwand, North Dakota Game and Fish Department

Northeast: Jim Connolly, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife

Southeast: Chuck Sykes, Alabama Division of Wldlife and Freshwater Fisheries

Western: Curt Melcher, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Click here for full press release. 

AFWA Applauds Interior’s Reaffirmation of States' Primary Role in Fish and Wildlife Management

September 19, 2018

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies applauds the memorandum issued by Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Ryan Zinke, on September 10, which reaffirms the primary authority of state fish and wildlife agencies to manage fish and wildlife within their borders, including on DOI land.  The Memorandum states ‘The Department recognizes States as the first-line authorities for fish and wildlife management and hereby expresses its commitment to defer to the States in this regard except as otherwise required by Federal law.’

The memorandum is based on a policy, adopted in 1983, that recognized the primary state authority regarding fish and resident wildlife in the absence of specific, overriding federal law (43 C.F.R Part 24). The memorandum was announced last week by DOI Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Aurelia Skipwith, at the annual meeting of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.  In this announcement, Skipwith stated that this memorandum is intended to clarify the relationship between the states and the DOI bureaus and offices, to strengthen the joint state-federal conservation partnership, and to enhance public opportunities to enjoy the benefits of the Nation’s fish and wildlife.

The memorandum includes three key action items:

• Within 45 days of this Memorandum, all Bureaus and Offices complete a review of all regulations, policies, and guidance that pertains to the conservation and management of fish and wildlife species on lands and waters under their jurisdiction that are more restrictive than otherwise applicable State provisions for the management of fish and wildlife, including all such regulations, policies, and guidance that pertain to public recreational use and enjoyment of fish and wildlife species;
• Within 90 days, each Bureau and Office referenced provide the Deputy Secretary a report containing detailed recommendations for the respective Bureau or Office to better align its regulations, policies, and guidance with State provisions.
• After receiving the reports containing detailed recommendations, the Deputy Secretary shall appropriately consult with the State fish and wildlife agencies regarding the recommendations and deliver an implementation plan to me within 120 days of this Memorandum.

Ed Carter, President of the Association, expressed gratitude for this important statement and that “he is looking forward to working with the DOI bureaus in furthering our collaborative commitment to our nation’s great outdoor recreational heritage and conservation stewardship.”

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AFWA Honors its 2018 Annual Awards Recipients

September 19, 2018

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) recognized nine individuals, two state agencies, one cooperative agency, and one private landowner for their dedication to advancing fish and wildlife conservation at the Association’s Annual Awards Ceremony held on September 11, 2018 in Tampa, Florida.

SETH GORDON AWARD
Keith Sexson received AFWA’s top honor, the Seth Gordon Award for lifetime achievement in conserving North America’s natural resources in the public trust and contributing to the programs of the Association. 

Keith Sexson has dedicated 50 years to the advancement of professional wildlife management in Kansas and beyond. First and foremost, within his career, there has been a dedication to Kansas and the heritage and traditions of natural resource management in the state. He found ways to advance wildlife conservation under varying administrations, ever-changing social and political pressures, and technological and industrial progress.  

As Mr. Sexson saw opportunities to impact larger areas and ever increasing complex issues of regional and national importance, he expanded his horizons and became a leader on the regional and national stage. He has been active within the Midwest, Western and Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and continuously works to find acceptable compromises which advance natural resource conservation.

JOHN L. MORRIS AWARD
Bruce Culpepper, CEO, Shell, United States, of Houston, Texas, received AFWA’s John L. Morris Award which recognizes a lifetime commitment to fish and wildlife stewardship by citizen conservationists who have exhibited exemplary leadership at the highest level and demonstrated a steadfast commitment to large scale natural resource challenges.

An avid outdoorsman, Bruce Culpepper, grew up on his grandparents’ farm in Alabama and was a typical country kid. His keen interest in land and water conservation laid the foundation for the conservation ethic he’s brought to his professional career.   Mr. Culpepper was a founding member of the Coastal Conservation Association’s Building Conservation Trust marine habitat program, which has put millions of dollars into restoring coastal marshes and building critically important oyster reefs. He was a member of the national Blue Ribbon Panel  on Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish and Wildlife Resources.  He has also been a Board leader with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, the nonprofit funding partner of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Through his time on the Board, the Foundation acquired the iconic 17,351-acre Powderhorn Ranch for establishment of a state park and wildlife management area, as well as secured vital funding for the Texas Game Warden Training Center.

Mr. Culpepper has created a lasting legacy in the conservation arena though his unique ability to organize and galvanize corporate and private partners for the cause of natural resource conservation.

ERNEST THOMPSON SETON AWARD
The Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study received AFWA’s Earnest Thompson Seton Award for leadership in scientific management. The Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS) has afforded state fish and wildlife agencies with far greater capabilities for wildlife health monitoring and investigation than could be attained singularly.

The research accomplishments of SCWDS have been recognized nationally and internationally. The parasites and diseases affecting every major game mammal and upland game bird, as well as numerous nongame species, in the Southeast have been studied by researchers at SCWDS. These studies have practical application in wildlife management, domestic livestock and poultry production and public health policy.

The achievements of SCWDS are most impressive, and they provide great value to wildlife professionals, agricultural interests and public health officials throughout the country. Dr. John Fischer, Director for SCWDS, accepted this prestigious award on behalf of SCWDS.  

BOONE AND CROCKETT CLUB AWARD
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) for their ‘Protect The Lakes You Love’ Aquatic Invasive Species Public Awareness Campaign, is the recipient of this year’s Boone and Crockett Award, which honors an agency and team leader for outstanding achievement in promoting and encouraging outdoor ethics.

The ‘Protect The Lakes You Love’ Aquatic Invasive Species Public Awareness Campaign whose goal is to prevent the spread of invasive species, specifically Zebra Mussels and Giant Salvinia, to un-infested water bodies by motivating boaters to always properly clean, drain, and dry their watercrafts after they leave the lake and before traveling to another lake.

The campaign has been very well-received and has increased awareness amongst boaters of the importance of doing the right thing and always practicing “Clean, Drain and Dry” every time they leave a waterbody. In two instances boaters have also reported zebra mussels to TPWD and attributed their awareness of the invasive species to TPWD’s boater awareness campaign. TPWD Executive Director Carter Smith and Nature Tourism Manager Shelly Plante accepted the award on behalf of team leader Carly Montez.

MARK J. REEFF MEMORIAL AWARD
Devin DeMario with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies is the Mark Reeff Memorial Award recipient for the outstanding young wildlife management professional under age 35. Ms. DeMario has done tremendous job of establishing relationships with key individuals and becoming familiar with important (and complex) issues. Importantly, this person also acts as a catalyst for communication and relationship building amongst fishery chiefs and other agency staff, while demonstrating remarkable courage when engaging challenging issues. Devin’s leadership and dedication is a true asset to AFWA and the state’s fisheries program’s throughout the United States.

CONSERVATION LAW ENFORCEMENT AWARD
This award goes to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Law Enforcement, specifically the hard work of South Region Bravo, “Operation Thimblerig”, Lieutenant Jose Escabi, Lieutenant Jeremy Munkelt, Investigator Danielle Munkelt, and Officer Adam Garrison.

Numerous Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers played key roles in the two-year undercover operation dubbed "Operation Thimblerig," which exposed a large-scale fraud, theft and forgery operation responsible for a complex web of criminal activity centered around the South Florida commercial fishing industry.

PRIVATE LANDS FISH AND WILDLIFE STEWARDSHIP AWARD
This year’s recipient of AFWA’s Private Lands Fish and Wildlife Stewardship Award is Dr. Kent Forney and the Forney Ranch for their proactive conservation and environmental practices and exhibiting outstanding stewardship of fish and wildlife resources.

The Forney ranch was homesteaded in 1906 by Hubert Forney and eventually passed on to son Don Forney. The ranch was incorporated in the 1960s with the stockholders being Don and Oliva Forney's children: Kent (Veterinarian), Glen (Surgeon, ret.), Bruce (Doctor), Dean (Attorney) and Joann (Rancher). Today it encompasses approximately 34,000 acres. The land use today includes agriculture, ranching, wildlife and fisheries. The management effects to the overall productivity and aesthetics are impressive.  Abundant wildlife inhabits the properties including Mule deer, Whitetail deer, elk, Mountain lion, turkey, bobcat, pronghorn, pheasant, waterfowl, coyote as well as many other furbearers, game/non-game species. Sandage prairie is a Tier 1species in the Nebraska Natural Legacy Plan and the largest known population of these species in the state is on the Forney property.   

Past and current property uses have involved the public through youth turkey, deer and pheasant hunts. Limited hunting and fishing is also allowed on much of the property. The Forney family has been committed to the conservation of wildlife over many years both on their ranches and in their willingness to serve on local, state, and national conservation boards. They have worked hard to find the balance of a working ranch with the benefits to wildlife and have consistently provided advocacy of conservation minded stewardship both on their own land and sharing their passion with others.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS
The Association presented three special recognition awards for outstanding commitment to the work of AFWA to Dr. Stephen Torbit, the Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Program, and Congressman Jeff Fortenberry and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell.

Over the past several years, Dr. Torbit has strived to collaborate with state resource management partners to identify and support shared wildlife management priorities and facilitating the ability for the USFWS and the States to obtain key scientific information across the 8-state Mountain-Prairie Region, as well as the broader 11-state sagebrush ecoregion- one of the most significant ecosystems in the west. Specific examples of Dr. Torbit's conservation leadership include multiple collaborative efforts working with the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) to coordinate science within and across agencies, fill key data gaps, and provide decision support capability for both the Service and State agencies. His exemplary efforts and dedication to science-based cross-agency collaboration, Dr. Stephen Torbit's work is especially relevant to AFWA's mission to advance sound, science­ based management and conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats in the public interest.

The Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Program demonstrated outstanding commitment to the recovery of the endangered Puerto Rican Parrot through the devastation caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.  After each event, without hesitation, even after personally suffering the impacts from the hurricanes on their families and property, these Service employees stepped up working tirelessly under harsh conditions and with limited resources to safe guard the captive parrot population at the lguaca Aviary, restored the damaged facilities and conducted surveys to locate wild parrots.  They also provided assistance to the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, struggling to repair its own aviary after the storm.

In December 2017 Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (NE) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI) introduced the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (HR4647). This legislation is a top priority of the Association and would implement the first recommendation of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish and Wildlife. If the Act becomes law, it would provide states with $1.3 billion in annual funding to implement State Wildlife Action Plans. Congressman Fortenberry and Congresswoman Dingell have worked diligently to secure more than 90 co-sponsors on the bill. They worked with House Natural Resources Committee leadership to hold a hearing on the bill in February 2018. The Association and many of its partners have been working on securing dedicated funding to conserve the full array of fish and wildlife for more than four decades. Passage of this legislation would fulfill that long sought goal and be a game changer for state-based fish and wildlife conservation aimed at preventing endangered species.

Introduction of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act is only the latest example of Congressman Fortenberry’s and Congresswoman Dingell’s leadership on conservation.

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U.S. House Passes The Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson Fund for Tomorrow’s Needs Act

September 14, 2018- The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies applauds passage, in the U.S. House of Representatives, of bipartisan legislation to modernize the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act (HR 2591). Without increasing taxes or existing user fees, this bill clarifies that the Pittman-Robertson fund can be used by state fish and wildlife agencies for outreach, communication, and education of hunters and recreational target shooters, including focused efforts on the recruitment, retention, and reactivation of hunters and recreational shooters through R3 initiatives. 

“HR 2591 will give state fish and wildlife agencies the flexibility to meet the needs of our constituents while allowing us to continue to meet our wildlife conservation objectives,” said Ed Carter, President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Executive Director of Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. “This bill with help ensure that funding for wildlife conservation will keep pace with the demands of our citizens and our communities.”
 
“With a national decline in outdoor recreational activities, Pittman-Robertson funds are shrinking and our state and local habitats are suffering, which is why I have been fighting to give states more flexibility in how they use their PR funds and hopefully attract more Americans to the outdoors in the process,” said Rep. Scott. “I am very pleased the House passed my PR modernization bill, and I thank Chairman Rob Bishop for his commitment to this legislation as well as to sportsmen and women across the country. As this bill heads to be considered in the Senate, I will keep pressing until our decades-old wildlife conservation funding model receives the critical updates it deserves.”

The Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson Fund for Tomorrow’s Needs Act (HR 2591) passed out of the House Committee on Natural Resources by unanimous consent on May 8, 2018. The full House approved the Bill on September 12, 2018. A companion bill awaits action in the Senate. 

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