Regional Director's Corner
Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Eagle Aviary Honors Regional Director
 |
|
| Vic Roubidoux and Regional Director, Dr. Benjamin Tuggle; Joe Early |
September 2012
On September 5, 2012, Mr. Victor Roubidoux, Wildlife Manager of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma’s Grey Snow Eagle House, recognized U.S. Fish & Wildlife Regional Director, Dr. Benjamin Tuggle, for his support of eagle aviaries. The Iowa Tribe was awarded two Tribal Wildlife Grants (TWGs), for the construction, and later for the expansion of a safe haven for eagles. “With the TWG, the Service planted the seed, but the Iowa Tribe nurtured the project and helped it flourish. We provided the technical expertise, and they keep it going,” explains Dr. Tuggle. The aviary focuses on the rescue and rehabilitation of eagles. To date eight eagles have been rehabilitated and returned to the
 |
|
| Beadwork on cedar and red pipestone pipe; Photo credit: USFWS, Joe Early |
wild. The aviary and benefits the spiritual and cultural needs of tribal members, who have access to naturally molted feathers. As a gesture of the tribe’s gratitude, Mr. Roubidoux presented Dr. Tuggle with a hand-crafted pipe, made from red pipestone.
Learn more.
 |
|
| Dr. Benjamin Tuggle, Regional Director of the Southwest Region, USFWS, and Director Dan Ashe, Director of the USFWS, attend the Southwest Region's all employee meeting. Credit: USFWS. |
Director Ashe meets with Staff during his visit to New Mexico It was a pleasure to welcome Director Dan Ashe to our Regional Office. He is in New Mexico to present Ted Turner with a Recovery Champion Award for the continued support from the Turner Endangered Species Fund on behalf of endangered and threatened species. While here, the Director made it a point to visit with our employees in the Regional Office. He also had a chance to tour the lands for our first urban National Wildlife Refuge.
Middle Rio Grande Conservation Initiative report presented to Secretary Salazar
 |
|
| Pictured: Committee Representatives, with the honorable Mayor Berry of Albuquerque, Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior, and Dr. Benjamin Tuggle, Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southwest Region. Photo credit: DOI, Tami Heilemann. |
|
On Wednesday, July 11, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar came to Albuquerque to receive the "Middle Rio Grande Conservation Initiative" report. The report highlights important conservation, recreation and education recommendations for the 180-mile stretch of the Middle Rio Grande from Cochiti Dam to the headwaters of Elephant Butte Reservoir. It was truly impressive to see the power of community, as expressed with the high level of public involvement in the process that produced this initial report on the Middle Rio Grande Conservation Initiative. The report reflects President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative, and embodies a locally driven, landscape-level conservation effort that leverages strong existing and new partnerships. I conveyed my thanks to the Secretary for his leadership and vision that lit the spark for this initiative. But most of all, I am especially grateful to my outstanding staff – Andrew Hautzinger, Janet Bair, and Michelle Shaughnessy, and many others – who spent many hours making this report a reality. Regional Director's talking points
Read the Middle Rio Grande Conservation Initiative Report
 |
 |
|
Left to Right: CPN Chairman John Barrett, RD Dr. Benjamin Tuggle, Aviary Manager, Jennifer Randall, Asst. Manager, Bree Dunham, Tribal Liaison, Joseph Early
Credit. Citizen Potawatomi Nation. |
|
|
Citizen Potawatomi Nation's Eagle Aviary
July 2012
On June 29, 2012 the Citizen Potawatomi Nation (CPN) of Oklahoma held a dedication and opening ceremony of their eagle aviary. Thanks in part to a $200,000 Tribal Wildlife Grant awarded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service the CPN was able to construct a large aviary that will be able to house up to 15 eagles. For now eight non-releasable bald eagles are calling the aviary home. These eagles were rescued from the wild and cannot be rehabilitated. They will be taken care of for the remainder of their lives at this facility. The benefit to the CPN is that they will have access to naturally molted feathers, which will be distributed to tribal members for cultural and religious purposes.
Learn more in an interview with Dr. Tuggle, Regional Director, Southwest Region, USFWS.
 |
|
From left to right - back row: Sarah Quamme, Michelle Shaughnessy, Dr. Benjamin Tuggle, and Ty Allen, Allison Arnold. Front row: Susan Jacobsen, Mima Falk, and Debra Hill. Not pictured: Wally Murphy and Tom Buckley. Credit: USFWS.
|
|
Protecting Dunes Sagebrush Lizard has its Rewards
July 2012
Southwest Regional Director Dr. Benjamin Tuggle and Michelle Shaughnessy, ARD for Ecological Service’s, acknowledged the historic work and accomplishment of key staff in conserving the dunes sagebrush lizard. By bringing together representatives of the oil and gas industry, agricultural interests, state, and federal and private landowners in two states, this team of scientists was able to secure long term conservation commitments to protect the lizard and its habitat. This resulted in allowing the Service to withdraw a proposed listing. It also provided certainty to industry and others that they will be able to continue their work while meeting the intent of the Endangered Species Act by protecting the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard through conservation measures. Participation by stakeholders has made the candidate species conservation efforts for the dunes sagebrush lizard one of the finest examples nationwide of how federal, state, industry and private landowners work together to address complex conservation issues.
Service provides over 100 young men the opportunity to connect with nature as part of the Steve Harvey Mentoring Weekend?
 |
|
| Dr. Tuggle, Southwest Region Director and Steve Harvey at the Steve Harvey Mentoring Weekend as they get ready to go fishing. Credit: Lesli Grey, USFWS. |
|
On June 15, 2012, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Steve Harvey as part of his Morning Radio Show. On Friday, the show was broadcast from the Dallas area as part of Mr. Harvey’s Mentoring Weekend for Young Men. The event provides a one-of-a-kind, empowering experience for young men who are without fathers, and provided over 100 teenage boys from the Dallas-area and around the country a 4-day, 3-night transformative weekend on his property. During the interview Steve Harvey and I covered a variety of issues including the importance of providing youth with the opportunity to experience the outdoors, how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service engages youth through internships, employment and volunteers opportunities and the importance of mentoring.
| |
 |
| |
Young man catches first fish with the help of Don Wilhelm of the USFWS. Credit: Lesli Grey, USFWS. |
After the interview, I had the pleasure of spending the morning with the young men attending the event and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff from a number of programs including Fisheries, Refuges, Law Enforcement and Ecological Services. At one of Mr. Harvey’s ponds the youth were able to fish and become familiar with the work of the Service. Service staff provided several booths for the young men to visit where they were able to practice casting, learn about fish biology and fish sampling techniques, see the materials that are confiscated by our LE and sample some fried catfish. By far the most popular activity was fishing. I was very moved to see the excitement and joy of these young men as they threw their first cast. Many of them had never been fishing before and each time one of them caught a fish the group gathered around excitedly to see the fish.
The event reinforced for me the importance of getting our youth outdoors and providing them with opportunities to interact with nature. Our culture is becoming more urban. Connecting our youth with nature benefits them on a personal level and can only help to make them realize the importance of preserving America’s wild heritage. We are looking at today’s youth as the future leaders of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other conservation organizations. It important to provide them with the opportunity to experience fishing, hunting and the natural environment so they can become tomorrow’s managers of America’s fish, wildlife and environment.
The Service greatly appreciates the opportunity to have been part of Mr. Harvey’s Mentoring Weekend. It was a very rewarding experience to share with the young men the joy of fishing and being outdoors. Other Links:
Steve Harvey Mentoring Program
Let's Go Outside
America's Great Outdoors
Current Student Opportunities in Region 2
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) employs many students in various career and educational fields. The Student employment program is a way to attract talented students to work with the Service and it's an opportunity for students to continue their education and apply their academic studies to on-the-job experience. Visit our Student Opportunity page for current student positions.
Kids, Conservation and the Future of America
With all the serious issues facing America today, why is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fretting about kids playing indoors? Less than 50 years ago, about a third of the U.S. population lived in rural areas. Now over 80 percent of our citizens live in cities, and that’s growing every year. Urban kids today are disconnected from nature. They simply don’t experience the time outdoors that many of us enjoyed when we were growing up.
As a result, many young people lack a basic understanding and appreciation of the natural world. When conserving nature is no longer valued, there will be no support or funding for conservation projects. This will have consequences that go well beyond our agency and dedicated employees. Impacts will go even beyond our country. This would be a global tragedy.
The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program is leading the effort to reconnect children with nature. The landowners who participate in the program are devoted to conservation on private lands, which makes them perfect liaisons for communicating credibly and urgently about the importance of fish, wildlife and habitat. Our outdoor classroom projects are giving students a hands-on chance to learn about nature. Through Partners-sponsored programs like “National Archery in the Schools,” youth can engage in fun activities while coming to understand and appreciate the outdoors. Conservation in America cannot afford to be relegated to the Kids, Conservation and the Future of America FWSbackburner, now or ever. That’s why you have my personal commitment that all of us with Partners in the Southwest Region will continue fretting — and working to overcome —the very real challenge of reconnecting kids with nature. Dr. Benjamin Tuggle,
Southwest Regional Director,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. |
|
|
Last updated:
September 19, 2012
