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The Electorate Sends a Message
The election of Barack Obama as the next president of the United States represents a milestone in American politics, and unquestionably points the country in a new direction. Added to a Congress with a solid Democratic majority, we can fully expect a change in emphasis relating to issues such as health care, energy, climate change and the war in Iraq, not to mention the financial crisis.
For advocates of wildlife conservation and refuges, however, the crystal ball is less clear. While an Obama administration is expected to emphasize environmental stewardship to a greater degree than the Bush administration, what can we specifically expect with respect to conserving our nation’s rich wildlife heritage?
I, for one, am not in a position to postulate with any degree of certainty, but I do think that understanding the electorate’s voting behavior and trends is important for ensuring that refuges and wildlife have a bright future in this new administration and Congress and beyond. Regardless of party affiliation, we ought to pay close attention to the forces that propelled President-elect Obama to victory and we should tailor our programs and messages in a way that garners their support.
While much has been made of the youth vote boosting Obama to his substantial win, polling data suggests otherwise. In fact, Obama’s win can be attributed to other factors. First and foremost, the African American and Latino vote can be credited for Obama wins in Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia, thus giving him the necessary electoral votes to win the presidency. Second, men of all ethnicities split their votes almost equally, but 56% of all women – a significantly larger voting block than men - backed Obama.
Perhaps most importantly, this election revealed a continuing trend showing a growing percentage of voters from urban areas relative to rural communities. City-dwellers overwhelmingly supported Obama and, together with 50% of suburbanites, carried the president-elect to a national win.
What does this mean for wildlife? It leaves little doubt that if we are to ensure a healthy and vibrant future for our nation’s wildlife refuges, we absolutely must develop and implement programs that substantively engage families in urban and suburban areas, and we must provide valuable opportunities for diverse communities to become involved in conservation.
With clear evidence that the changing face of America – from white to multi-cultural, from rural to urban/suburban – is now influencing national election outcomes, there is reason aplenty to think carefully about how national wildlife refuge and other Fish and Wildlife Service programs serve and are delivered to the public.
To begin with, we must take better advantage of our ‘urban refuges’ as high-profile envoys to the public. With refuges as diverse as Don Edwards San Francisco Bay, John Heinz at Tinicum in Philadelphia, Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee in West Palm Beach, Minnesota Valley in the Twin Cities, and many others across the nation, the Refuge System is accessible to urban and suburban communities, and they are supported by refuge Friends groups that are trusted envoys in those local communities.
Many urban refuges already deliver strong wildlife-oriented recreation and environmental education programs to the public, but they are under-equipped to take full advantage of the enormous opportunities available. Further, programs at these refuges must emphasize the significant role the Refuge System plays in addressing larger environmental challenges, including helping provide clean water and air, enhancing water quantity, protecting coastal and river communities from flooding, and sequestering carbon in the face of climate change.
In addition, there remains a great need to recruit diverse faces to work in conservation. The trend toward a greater percentage of African American, Hispanic and Asian voters will continue. As I’ve stated in previous postings, if in 30 years our Refuge System isn’t represented and supported by a constituency that reflects the ethnic make-up of our country, then we shouldn’t expect an enduring wildlife conservation legacy in America.
Our urban refuges should be considered the front-line in recruitment efforts for the next generation of wildlife managers. To do this, we must have coherent and consistent programs to ensure a quality experience that entices young people to make a career out of conservation.
None of this is to suggest we should take our eye off other current Refuge System challenges, but as advocates for the refuges and wildlife conservation, we have an obligation to ensure that the National Wildlife Refuge System is positioned into the future as a uniquely valued and appreciated American treasure. The election sent a loud message; now’s the time to listen.
Onward and upward!
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Barbara’s Expands NWRA Sponsorship to Major Cereal Line
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Barbara’s Bakery expands support for the NWRA and the Refuge System through promotion via their Shredded cereal line.
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Barbara’s Bakery, Inc., producer of high-quality, healthful foods, has announced their expanded support for the NWRA through promotion of both the NWRA and the Refuge System via their popular Shredded cereal line. Barbara’s Bakery, a long-time sponsor of the NWRA, shares NWRA’s dedication to building public awareness of and support for the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Barbara’s has been a premier sponsor of the 2005, 2007, and 2008 wildlife refuge photography contests. Additionally, Barbara’s Bakery displayed the NWRA logo on certain product packaging. Barbara’s will now prominently feature the NWRA logo on all packages of Shredded products, encourage consumers to join/support the NWRA and direct consumers to the www.refugeassociation.org website. In addition, they will provide the organization with an annual contribution to help achieve conservation victories for the Refuge System.
NWRA wishes to express its gratitude to Barbara’s Bakery for their continued dedication to protecting America’s diverse wildlife heritage for the benefit of future generations. To learn more about Barbara’s Bakery, please visit their website.
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ATP to Sponsor 2009 Refuge Photography Contest
The NWRA is pleased to announce that ATP Oil & Gas will be the premier sponsor of our 2009 Wildlife Refuge Photography Contest, which will begin accepting entries this spring. ATP Oil & Gas has generously donated $20,000 to support this year’s contest, including a $5,000 cash prize for the first place winner.
ATP Oil & Gas Corporation, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is engaged in the acquisition, development and production of natural gas and oil properties in the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea. To learn more about ATP, please visit their website.
Launched in 2005, the Refuge Photography Contest was created to educate the public about the Refuge System and encourage people to discover refuges as opportunities for outdoor recreation. The 2008 contest drew more than 2,000 images from over 150 refuges from 45 states and territories, and the 2009 contest is sure to draw equally spectacular results. So get out your cameras, and get to a refuge near you today! Please visit NWRA’s photo contest page for details as they become available.
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Refuge Funding Stable
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Congress passed a CR funding government programs including the Refuge System at last year’s funding levels through March 6th. |
Before the fiscal year ended and Congress adjourned for the election, they passed a Continuing Resolution, or “CR”, funding government programs including the National Wildlife Refuge System at last year’s funding levels through March 6th. At times when Congress passes a CR, they include increases for some priority programs, but this CR failed to include the minimum inflationary increase of $15 million for refuges. However, it did include the much-needed increase from the previous year.
Although Congress will return for a lame duck session, it is doubtful they will attempt to pass any appropriation bills at that time. With potential stimulus and public lands packages under consideration, Refuge System funding and other spending bills will most likely get deferred to the new Congress.
When the 111th Congress convenes at the end of January, it is possible they would try to pass individual spending bills for FY09 that reflect their new priorities. However, Hill insiders think this is unlikely and that a year-long CR, with some additional funding for their priorities, is more likely. This would keep all government programs funded at current levels through Sept 30, 2009 and allow the new Congress to develop all new spending bills for FY10.
In our new economic reality, finding funding for all programs will be a challenge, and it is especially critical that new and incumbent members of Congress know how important refuges are to local communities. It will be our responsibility to ensure the new Congress understands that funding the Refuge System is a wise investment that stimulates local economies through green jobs and tourism, protects our national wildlife heritage, and helps to combat climate change through carbon sequestration.
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Izembek ”Road to Nowhere” Could Advance in Lame Duck
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The proposed road through Izembek NWR would have treacherous driving conditions and high maintenance costs as opposed to the more efficient hovercraft already in use. © FWS |
Lawmakers will be returning to Washington this week to organize for the 111th Congress, and are expected to convene a rare lame duck session. If they do convene, their first order of business would be to pass a second stimulus bill. Another major item on the agenda could be a vote on the proposed road through the Izembek NWR as part of a larger public lands package. The proposal, which would carve a road through designated Wilderness, would have devastating consequences for the wildlife that depend upon the refuge.
The proposed road from King Cove to Cold Bay, AK, through the remote refuge on the Alaskan peninsula, would be extremely costly, environmentally-damaging, impassable much of the year, and is totally unnecessary. The residents of King Cove argue the road is needed for public health, since airport evacuations to Anchorage must leave from Cold Bay, nine miles across the bay. Yet, Congress solved King Cove¹s health and safety needs in 1998, when it appropriated $37.5 million to this tiny community of 800 people.
Of that, $9 million was spent to purchase a 98-foot, all-weather hovercraft ferry that has a 100 percent success record with at least 32 medevacs. Another $26 million was spent building a dangerous, single-lane gravel road to the edge of the refuge wilderness area. The remainder was allocated to create a state-of-the-art community medical clinic.
Time is of the essence and your lawmakers need to hear that the Izembek NWR should not be sacrificed to pass the other bills in the public lands package. If Izembek is included, they should vote No on the entire package. For more information, including a recent Washington Post article on this issue, and to send an instant message to your elected officials, please visit our page on Izembek NWR.
Take Action today!
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Two New Reports Highlight Refuge Funding Issues
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(Top) Independent Evaluation by Management Systems International
(Bottom) Government Accountability Office review of Wildlife Refuges |
On September 24, Congress held a hearing on two reports regarding the operations of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The first is an independent review commissioned by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and conducted by Management Systems International (MSI). The second, commissioned by members of Congress and conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), looks at the impact of funding on Refuge System operations. Not surprisingly, both studies revealed that the lack of funding permeated every facet of the Refuge System and affected the Service’s ability to meet the core obligations outlined in laws such as the Refuge Improvement Act.
The MSI report specifically assessed the Service’s ability to meet the twelve goals laid out in their strategic plan and concluded that budget cuts coupled with an increase in administrative requirements had a negative effect on the Refuge System’s ability to achieve its core goals.
Of the twelve strategic goals evaluated by MSI, FWS was “highly effective” at only one, “effective” at four, “partially effective” at four, and “ineffective” at two. MSI was unable to evaluate the twelfth, “Water Needs,” due to lack of data. The only goal FWS was deemed “highly effective” in accomplishing was “Facilitating Partnerships,” a category that includes Friends Groups and their work on refuges. While it was disappointing that the FWS was only highly effective in one area, it is encouraging that working with partners like Friends groups and the NWRA was rated so highly. The FWS clearly values their partnerships and has worked very hard to facilitate them.
Alarmingly, one of the goals for which the FWS received the grade “partially effective” is their ability to “Conserve Manage, and Where Appropriate, Restore Fish, Wildlife and Plan Resources and Their Habitats.” Considering this goal comes directly from the mission of the Refuge System, a “partially effective” ranking is deplorable. Even more upsetting, this ranking is grossly skewed due to the vast resources in Alaska, which make up roughly 80% of all the lands in the System. Alaska’s sixteen refuges reported that 98% of their lands were in Class 1 condition, meaning they are receiving the management they need. So, while 89% of all refuge lands are in Class 1, outside Alaska this number drops to only 59%. In other words, 41% of refuge lands outside Alaska are not receiving the management attention they require.
Like the MSI report, the GAO report looked at Refuge System funding trends and how they impacted the Service’s ability to deliver on core missions, ultimately concluding that downward funding trends did indeed impact all parts of the Refuge System. In one example, the GAO found the lack of funding directly to blame for the decreased quantity and quality of surveys and wildlife counts, the most simple and basic of all biological monitoring. Another finding revealed that managers depend more on volunteers than ever before, and while building partnerships is excellent, it also means that staff time is increasingly spent on training and overseeing volunteers.
The GAO report also looked at Beyond the Boundaries challenges to refuges, an issue NWRA has been emphasizing heavily since 2005, noting that refuge managers reported human influences such as housing developments, roads, infrastructure and airports are increasingly contributing to habitat problems on refuges. Not only do these factors increase pollution and fragment habitats, they can also create an increased demand for recreational activities, exacerbating already sensitive situations with activities that may be incompatible with the purposes of the refuge. The GAO report specifically states, “Because refuges do not exist in isolation, they must be managed in concert with adjacent lands to maintain healthy habitats, a reality that requires managers to allocate time to spend away from their refuges to develop working relationships with adjacent and upstream landowners.”
These two reports highlighted something all refuge advocates know already – without adequate funding the NWRS will never be able to fully deliver on core functions. Friends and partners are stepping up to the plate but without adequate oversight, even volunteer efforts are stymied. To learn more about both reports, visit:
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081179t.pdf and
http://www.fws.gov/refuges/policiesandbudget/independentEval.html
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New Elected Officials, New Education Opportunities
Many new decision-makers will head to Washington in just a few short weeks. Our job as advocates for wildlife and our National Wildlife Refuge System is to make sure these new faces - and incumbents - have a clear understanding of why refuges are so important and how they can help. There are a few things each of you can do - both as a Friends group and as individuals - to ensure Congress, the new Administration and state and local elected officials make refuges a top priority in the coming years.
First - Send a congratulatory note to all the elected officials who won races in your area. This includes your U.S. Representative(s) and, if applicable, your Senator, Governor, State legislators, county officials (including Boards of Supervisors, Commissioners, Freeholders), School Board members, Mayors and City officials. Refuges need support from all levels of decision makers - federal, state and local. If you aren't sure about the results in your area, you can find out about at least the national races on places like CNN's election center or your local newspaper. (Note: if you are sending a note to a new member of Congress, you may need to send it to their campaign office as they will not have office assignments for some time.)
Second - In your letter, invite every one of these decision makers to your refuge - let them know they have an open invitation and why your refuge is so important to your local community.
Third - If you have a new Representative or one who has not joined the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus in the past, urge them to do so! Click here to view a spreadsheet of the current caucus. (Note: Current members highlighted in green are either retired, were defeated or ran for a different office. The new person taking their place is listed along with a link to their bio from CNN.)
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Announcing the 2009 National Wildlife Refuge Friends Conference: Friends Unite!
The NWRA is teaming up with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to host the 2009 National Wildlife Refuge System Friends Conference: “Friends Unite!” The conference will be held February 21-23 in downtown Washington, D.C., followed by NWRA leading Friends to Capitol Hill on February 24th.
The 2009 National Wildlife Refuge System Friends Group of the Year and the Volunteer of the Year will be recognized in front of their peers at a February 22nd reception. The awards, sponsored annually by NWRA and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, honor the extraordinary dedication and devotion of Refuge System supporters and their innovative efforts to meet Refuge System challenges.
The conference agenda will focus on basic capacity building skills Friends need such as growing their memberships and Boards in addition to highlighting the unique challenges refuges are currently facing, namely climate change, diversity and threats and challenges from beyond refuge boundaries. Following the FWS sponsored portion of the conference, NWRA will provide advocacy training, preparing Friends to visit their Congressional members and staff the following day. A centerpiece of their message will be that refuges are in dire need of funding to support key wildlife, law enforcement and public use programs.
This year’s conference is open to any refuge Friends group wishing to participate. The goal is to have one person from every group! For more information, please visit our Friends Conference page, where registration details will be posted as they become available.
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January 6: 111th Congress Convenes
January 20: Inauguration Day
February 21-23: National Wildlife Refuge Friends Conference: Friends Unite!
The first National Wildlife Refuge System Awards for Refuge Manager and Volunteer of the Year were presented in 1994. The award for Refuge Employee of the year was added in 1995; Friends Group of the Year was added in 1998. For nearly 15 years, this program has been recognizing the dedication and excellence of refuge supporters throughout the country.
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