Photo: Laurie Lomas, USFWS Benjamin Tuggle, USFWS Southwest Regional Director (right), and David Frink, Director of Corporate Affairs for Dell Inc. (left), plant one of nearly 50,000 trees at Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge.

Wildlife Habitat and American Public Benefit From Historic Partnership

January 31, 2008
Nearly 50,000 Trees Planted on National Wildlife Refuge

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southwest Regional Director, Benjamin Tuggle joined representatives from Dell, Travelocity, The Conservation Fund, and Environmental Synergy, Inc. to announce the restoration of 158 acres of forestland that will address climate change, restore sensitive wildlife habitat, and enhance public recreation areas at Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge in East Texas.  Private support for the initiative was made possible via a combination of customer and corporate donations from Dell, Travelocity, Universal Studios, and NBC Universal, as well as individual donors to The Conservation Fund’s Go ZeroSM program.  The 48,000 newly planted trees are anticipated to trap more than 63,000 tons of carbon dioxide – a potent greenhouse gas – over their lifetime.

Read the Press Release
For more information visit The Conservation Fund and the Go ZeroSM program website.

For more information on the Region's refuges see the following:

Arizona Refuges
New Mexico Refuges
Texas Refuges
Oklahoma Refuges

The National Wildlife Refuge System is a unique system of lands dedicated to preserving a rich quality of life for Americans by protecting their wildlife heritage. In the Southwest, national wildlife refuges protect some of the most varied wildlife and spectacular landscapes found anywhere in the world. From subtropical shrub ecosystems to saguaro-studded deserts--all are filled with an unparalleled richness and abundance of life. Some of the wonders of southwestern refuges include the complex and beautiful Sonoran Desert in Arizona, Texas coastal marshes that host massive flocks of waterfowl every winter, strange creatures found only in the sinkholes of New Mexico, and Oklahoma caves filled with endangered bats.

Agency Completes Assessment of Tower Construction on Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge

September 22, 2008
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed an assessment of a proposal by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to construct 4 permanent surveillance towers and 1 communication tower on Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge). The Refuge Manager has determined that the proposal is compatible with the purposes of the Refuge and will be issuing DHS a special use permit. The construction of the towers is part of DHS’s Secure Border Initiative and the Refuge expects that successful operation of the towers will decrease the environmental impacts of illegal border activities on sensitive Refuge lands

Read the full announcement
Read the Final Compatibility Determination

Click here to learn more about fisheries conservation in Arizona.

Click here to learn about Service Endangered Species work in Arizona