Spend a few minutes talking with Refuge Manager Patricia Martinkovic and two things quickly become apparent: She possesses an absolute passion for wildlife. And, she loves working with people. Those qualities, and others accumulated over a 28-year career in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will serve her well as the new manager of Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington, Minn. Martinkovic, a native of Green Bay, Wis., took charge of the refuge in late July.

As refuge manager, she'll lead a staff of 24 employees and oversee the planning, conservation and enhancement of 12,500 acre refuge that spans 34 miles of the Minnesota River from Bloomington to Jordan, Minn. She'll also manage the 6,765-acre Minnesota Valley Wetland Management District. She takes over from assistant manager Tom Kerr, who oversaw operations after long-time manager Rick Schultz left the refuge last year for a new position in Washington, D.C.

Martinkovic comes to Minnesota Valley NWR after 10 years at Long Island Refuge Complex in New York, where she managed a nine separate national wildlife refuges encompassing more than 6,000 acres spread over 120 miles. She says her experiences there convinced her that she truly belongs at urban refuges. "Urban refuges combine my passions for wildlife with my passions for working with people who want to do good things for wildlife resources. You also have greater opportunities to create all kinds of partnerships that can benefit wildlife and people, too. At refuges like Minnesota Valley, the sky's the limit," she said.

Martinkovic began her career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1974. As a part-time intern at Seney NWR in Michigan, she was eager to go to take a full-time job with the Service, and credits then boss Bob Dreislein for giving her some sage advice that helped her in career as a refuge manager. "He said Patti, this job looks really good to you now but you have to step back and look at the big picture. You really need to get your Masters degree and that will open up so much more opportunities for you," she recalled.

Martinkovic is no stranger to Minnesota. She was an Outdoor Recreation Planner at Sherburne NWR near Zimmerman, Minn., from 1978 to 1983. She then moved to the Service's Regional Office at Ft. Snelling where she worked for two years. Reflecting on her career, Martinkovic is quick to credit her former supervisors and mentors for contributing to her knowledge of managing wildlife resources and her ability to interact with people on refuge issues. "I'll be bringing 28 years of experience and knowledge gleaned from some of the best people in the Service to my new job at Minnesota Valley," she said. "Minnesota Valley really is the crème' de la crème of urban refuges. Everyone who has ever worked here has helped make it the great place it is today. I?m looking forward to making my contribution."

Minnesota Valley is one of 13 national wildlife refuges in Minnesota and provides a local outdoor recreation experience for many of the Twin Cities' 2.5 million residents. The refuge headquarters is co-located with its visitor center which features 8,000 square feet of exhibit space, a 125-seat auditorium, two multi-purpose classrooms, a bookstore, art gallery and an observation deck. Environmental education and interpretation programs are conducted from this facility. Recreational activities include hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, hunting, and fishing. More than 203,000 people visited the refuge last year. The visitor center is located just over a mile east of the Mall of America in Bloomington, across the street from the Minneapolis-St.Paul Airport Hilton Hotel. From I-494, visitors should take the 34th Avenue exit south to East 80th Street. Turn left on East 80th Street and proceed east for 1/4 mile to the Visitor Center entrance on the right.

More information about the refuge is available on the Internet at: http://www.fws.gov/Midwest/MinnesotaValley/