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2006 National Wildlife Refuge System Awards
The
following awards were presented at the 71st
North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, as
part of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation/U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service Director's Reception in Columbus, Ohio on March
23:
Refuge Manager of the Year (Kroegel award): Glenn
Carowan, Chesapeake Marsh NWRC
Employee
of the Year: Employee of the Year, John Schomaker, Division of Conservation
Planning, Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region
Volunteer of the Year: Tim Anderson, Seal Beach
National Wildlife Refuge
Friends Group of the Year: Friends of Great Swamp
National Wildlife Refuge
Paul Kroegel - Refuge Manager of the Year Award
This
award is given in honor and memory of Paul Kroegel, the first manager
of the first refuge established in 1903 on Pelican Island, Florida.
His dedication and effectiveness set a high standard for those who
followed.
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| Glenn Carowan and Dale Hall, Director USFWS |
| Tami Heilemann/DOI |
As
manager of one of the most ecologically diverse refuge complexes
in the Refuge System, Glenn Carowan has been instrumental
in employing strong partnerships and sound science to protect and
restore the wetlands, forests and islands of the Chesapeake Marshlands.
Through a successful collaboration of agencies, the highly invasive
and destructive nutria has been removed from the refuge and surrounding
Chesapeake Bay area, allowing native vegetation and wildlife to
make a rapid comeback. As a result of Glenn's leadership, the refuge
complex hosts scientific meetings and supports a multitude of ecosystem
research projects, such as using clean dredge material to restore
marsh and wetland habitat lost to invasive species and saltwater
intrusion.
Glenn
has established strong ties between the refuge and the community,
working effectively with local leaders on environmental issues and
visitor outreach, and was instrumental in promoting renovation and
expansion of the Blackwater NWR Visitor Center. He works closely
with the Friends of Blackwater, recipients of the 2003 Refuge Friends
Group of the Year Award, and serves on the national Friends mentoring
team.
NWRS 2006 Employee of the Year Award
The
Employee of the Year Award is presented each year to an individual
whose career has shown a commitment to the conservation of our natural
resources and superior effectiveness in advancing the cause of wildlife
conservation.
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| John Schomaker and Dale Hall, Director USFWS |
| Tami Heilemann/DOI |
Refuge
Planning Specialist John Schomaker has made significant contributions
to streamlining the Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) process
on a regional and a national basis. Each national wildlife refuge
is required to complete a 15-year CCP to provide a framework for
ensuring refuge management decisions are compatible with fulfilling
the established purposes for that refuge and the Refuge System as
a whole. John's accomplishments include establishing a user-friendly
computer interface for tracking CCPs; using GIS and teleconferencing
to effectively and efficiently promote strong CCPs; teaching a CCP
Goals and Objectives course; and implementing a national refuge
manager survey on the CCP process.
Drawing
on his extensive background in visitor services as a means of engaging
the public, John involves public focus groups in the long-term planning
process and developed the visitor services sections of the national
CCP handbooks. He is also coordinating a streamlined approval process
for public surveys that will help refuge staff develop visitor services
programs that increase public involvement, support and understanding
of refuge management objectives.
NWRS 2006 Volunteer of the Year Award
This
award was established to recognize the outstanding accomplishments
of volunteers. Each year volunteers make up a critical work force
that contributes over 1.5 million hours to the operation and management
of the Refuge System.
Tim
Anderson has amassed over 10,000 hours of volunteer service
for Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge in California, the only
national wildlife refuge completely enclosed within a naval weapons
station. Tim has been instrumental in finding innovative ways to
bring the community and the refuge together while respecting the
security requirements of the Navy and the wildlife management needs
of the refuge.
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| Tim Anderson and Dale Hall, Director USFWS |
| Tami Heilemann/DOI |
Some
of Tim's most notable contributions include producing educational
videos and discovery exhibits; designing and constructing platform
nests for endangered light-footed clapper rails; spearheading a
program to upgrade Friends school presentations to conform to the
California State Science Standards; making presentations to college
biology classes on the local salt marsh ecosystem; and training
docents to give refuge tours. He developed the Pelican Van project,
initially as an environmental outreach project during the celebration
of the 2003 Refuge System Centennial, and coordinated the Centennial
Caravan's journey along the Pacific flyway. The Pelican Van continues
to bring multimedia presentations to schools, museums, and festivals.
Tim is a founding member of the Friends of Seal Beach NWR and has
served as co-chair since 1996.
NWRS 2006 Friends Group of the Year Award
This
award recognizes a Friends group that has shown outstanding leadership
as a voice of the community and as an advocate for the protection,
conservation, and enhancement of local refuges and the National
Wildlife Refuge System overall.
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| Friends of Great Swamp and Dale Hall, Director USFWS |
| Tami Heilemann/DOI |
The
Friends of Great Swamp NWR in New Jersey have demonstrated
an extraordinary dedication to public outreach and environmental
education in support of their urban refuge. Friends welcome and
answer questions for the thousands of visitors who come to the Wildlife
Observation Center and the Friends Bookstore and Gift Shop each
year. Their extensive education and outreach program features classroom
loan of a "swamp in a box" kit that includes educational
videos and identification guides researched, written, and produced
by the Friends. The group developed the refuge's Wildlife Tour Route
guide and the "Discovery Den," an activity and display
room featuring educational games, puzzles, crafts and a new seasonal
display every month.
The
Friends have a busy and varied calendar of events, both on the refuge
and in the communities of the surrounding Great Swamp Watershed.
They host at least two public educational programs a month at the
refuge, such as the annual "Take Me Fishing" event, Sunset
Walks during National Refuge Week, and a Fall Festival. Through
their efforts to combine fun with education for adults as well as
children, the Friends of Great Swamp successfully increase public
appreciation for wildlife conservation and stewardship of natural
resources.
These award recipients have contributed greatly to the National Wildlife Refuge System and we commend their accomplishments. Their efforts have truly gone beyond the call of duty and should serve as an inspiration to us all. They richly deserve this recognition.
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