With 60 years of service, Edwin "Drum" Drummond stands (center) with some of his colleagues. Photo credit: USFWS

60 Year Legacy cont'd.

Folllowing are comments from refuge staff on their experiences with Ed Drummond and his 60 year legacy with the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge.

I am writing about my experience with Edwin Drummond for his 60yrs. of service.  It is hard to know where to begin because there are just so many great memorable experiences.  I mean he is a living history book of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.  When I first arrived here almost 9 years ago, he gave me a tour of the refuge that many would pay for. The wealth of information this man knows about this place. He has taught me the history behind the names of the mountains, trails, and roadways that run throughout this refuge.  I believe because of that, I am able to appreciate the Wichita's that much more.  However, this is just a fraction of why I am honored to have met and known him to this day. Many Thanks! Armando 

I have only been here a short time, but I really find Drum very interesting. He has taken me out on several occasions showing me a lot of the Refuge that I have never seen before. He has a vast knowledge and history on how the Refuge has grown to what it is today. His stories are usually very funny and it is as if he is re-living his past while sharing with me. I think the best one so far is the rock that the buffalo rub on. Ron Fonville.

I guess one of the things that stick in my mind about Drum is a quote. That you had better treat everybody good because you never know who your next boss is going to be. I can say that Drum practices what he preaches. He treats all people with a certain amount of respect no matter who they are or what position they have. Tim Fischer

Edwin "Drum" Drummond, I would have to say, is one of the nicest people I have ever met and had the privilege to work with.  He is very considerate, respectful, and professional.  He values your skills and experience and does not belittle you in anyway.  He knows that he is our supervisor but he does not let the power go to his head.  The fact that he has worked for the Service for 60 years is amazing and truly should be respected. Randy Abbe

Not many managers have the luxury of having a living history book working on their refuge.  If I need to know if one of my ideas will work, all I have to do is ask Drum and he’ll tell me if it worked the last time someone tried it.  I have, however, learned to follow-up with the question, “what year was that?”  You know, some of the projects that Drum was involved with took place in the 50’s and 60’s—there have been a couple of regulatory changes since then.  Jeff Rupert

New Mexico Wildlife Refuge Receives National Recognition for Solar and Wind Energy Project

Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior Lynn Scarlett has presented Department of the Interior Environmental Achievement Awards to ten departmental individuals and employees at the department’s Washington headquarters.

“These awards are the equivalent of our Environmental Emmy awards,” said Scarlett. “The ingenuity and dedication of the winners are always inspiring. This year’s winning projects include, just for example, a sustainably designed laboratory, an invention to remove paint from spray cans, a partnership with loggers to remove scrub brush for use in bio-energy production, and a project that puts mustangs to work hauling illegal debris from marijuana gardens on public land."

Interior’s Environmental Achievement Awards recognize employees and partners who have made outstanding contributions through departmental projects in preventing pollution and waste, recycling, green purchasing, environmental management, sustainable designing and the greening of facilities, and using alternative fuel and fuel conservation in transportation.

The San Andres National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern New Mexico was recognized for using a tiered approach to install on-site renewable energy generation, the San Andres National Wildlife Refuge is able to supply 100 percent of its own power for several months out of the year and has decreased energy use by 80 percent from the Fiscal Year 2003 baseline.

Learn More about San Andres National Wildlife Refuge

Learn More about the Southwest Region's Efforts to Address Climate Change

Refuge's thoughout the nation

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.

A snapshot of the interactive Hunting website.

Access the NWRS interactive Hunting website.

Premier Hunting Experiences Accessible…

Where is the closest National Wildlife Refuge that offers turkey hunting for people with disabilities?

You don’t need to guess or start phoning names on a long list. A new National Wildlife Refuge System interactive Web site, Your Guide to Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges, (http://www.fws.gov/refuges/hunting) provides hunters with an easy search mechanism to find a refuge by special interest, such as game species (i.e. deer, waterfowl, big game), zip code, youth or
special needs (i.e. universally accessible), or using any combination of topics. You can also search by a refuge name or state name.

More than 2 million hunters visit National Wildlife Refuges each year. Hunting, within specified limits, is permitted on more than 300 refuges. Of these, 43, including Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland and Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona offer accessible turkey hunting; 97 refuges offer youth hunts.

While definitions of hunting categories vary by refuge and state, migratory bird hunting generally includes ducks and geese. Small game hunting includes animals, such as rabbit, squirrel and raccoon. Big game hunting may cover animals like elk, moose and bear.

Refuge hunts are carefully managed to give hunters a quality experience according to four guiding principles: manage wildlife populations consistent with approved management plans; promote visitor understanding and appreciation for America’s natural wildlife resources; provide quality recreational and educational experiences; and minimize conflicts with visitors participating in other wildlife-dependent recreational activities.

The instructive Web site offers additional information and includes tips to hunters, facts on archery hunting, special stories about hunting in Alaska and becoming a more effective waterfowl hunter. In addition, information on state hunting licenses is provided. For those who wish to bring the guide with them; it is available as a downloadable publication organized by state.

Endangered Species Day

May 15, 2009
On May 15, 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will honor Endangered Species Day and the numerous nationwide conservation programs underway aimed at protecting America’s threatened and endangered species.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA), one of the most important environmental laws in history, is credited with saving 99.9 percent of species protected by the ESA from extinction. Co-administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the purpose of the ESA is to conserve imperiled species and the ecosystems upon which they depend.

When Congress passed the ESA in 1973, it formally established that our rich natural heritage is of “esthetic, ecological, educational, recreational, and scientific value to our Nation and its people.” It also expressed concern that many of our nation’s native fish, wildlife, and plants were in danger of becoming extinct.

“The Endangered Species Act is the nation’s premier law protecting biodiversity today,” said Acting Fish and Wildlife Service Director Rowan Gould. “Without this law, we would probably not see bald eagles soaring in our skies or grizzlies in Yellowstone. Endangered Species Day provides an opportunity to celebrate our shared successes and look forward to a strengthened partnership with the American public to conserve our natural treasures of fish, wildlife, and plants.”

The Service works with other federal agencies, State and tribal governments, environmental organizations, industry groups, species experts, academia, the scientific community, and other members of the public to conserve our Nation’s threatened and endangered fish, wildlife, and plants.

"Now, more than ever before, we need the contributions of our partners to achieve recovery and conservation of America's imperiled species," said Endangered Species Assistant Director Bryan Arroyo. "Leveraging the resources, experience and expertise of a wide range of partners is vital to our combined success."

The bald eagle, grizzly bear, American alligator and gray wolf are all species which once found themselves on the list, facing the brink of extinction but have successfully rebounded. The wood stork, Kirtland’s warbler, Louisiana black bear and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle are listed species that are showing good progress towards achieving recovery – the ultimate goal of the ESA. These recovered and recovering species are just a few examples of those benefiting from the protections afforded by the ESA and the dedicated people who work to ensure their continued existence.

"We're proud of the work we're doing to recover some of the Southwest's most important species," said Benjamin Tuggle, Southwest Regional Director. "The progress we've made on Kemp’s ridley sea turtle in Texas is a great example of how -- working with partners -- we are helping restore balance to our vital Southwestern landscapes." The Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is one of the smallest of the sea turtles, with adults reaching about two feet in length and weighing up to 100 pounds. The adult Kemp’s ridley sea turtle has an oval shell that is almost as wide as it is long and is usually olive-gray in color. Hatchlings are black on both sides. The Kemp’s ridley has a triangular-shaped head with a somewhat hooked beak with large crushing surfaces. This turtle is a shallow water feeder with a diet consisting primarily of crabs.

There are currently 1317 species listed in the U.S.: 746 plants and 571 animals. To find out what endangered species are near you, and how you can help, please visit www.fws.gov/endangered.

Crystal Dig Area at Salt Plains
Wildlife Refuge Set to Reopen April 25, 2009

April 17, 2009
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is pleased to announce the re-opening of the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge Selenite Crystal Dig Area. The area will open to digging at 8:00am on Saturday, April 25.

Federal Agencies Announce Modified Road Closures To Protect Sonoran Pronghorn

March 19, 2009
In order to continue to protect the endangered Sonoran pronghorn during fawning season, seasonal road closures will again take effect on public lands near Ajo: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Bureau of Land Management, Barry M. Goldwater Range and Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. Closures are a month later than in previous years, beginning on April 15, 2009.

The Sonoran Pronghorn Recovery Team determined closures could be delayed this year due to above average habitat conditions on the central and western portions of the pronghorn range. Visitor use will not adversely impact pronghorn during this critical period. Closure times for future years will be based upon rainfall and forage conditions affecting Sonoran pronghorn. Please contact individual agencies for further information regarding closures. Learn More...

Wildlife Refuges Severely Impacted by Hurricane Ike: Some Facilities Completely Lost, Remain Closed to Public

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is reporting that due to impacts caused by Hurricane Ike, four National Wildlife Refuges (Refuge) on the Texas Gulf Coast remain closed to the public. The Texas Chenier Plains Complex, which includes Anahuac, Texas Point, Moody, and McFaddin Refuges, sustained a direct hit from the hurricane and almost total destruction of all facilities.

Until further notice, all public activities on these four refuges are being suspended. This includes public visitation, and all previously scheduled events and hunts.

Read More

Click here to learn about Service Endangered Species work in Arizona