The 2010 state-level elections ushered in a new wave of state leadership across the nation. Here in the Midwest Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, I would like to extend congratulations to the five new state natural resource agency leaders appointed. As well, I wish their predecessors much continued success.

I am looking forward to working with all the new appointees and I am making a concerted effort to engage each of them as quickly as possible so that we can discuss key issues in their respective states. I also want to ensure we continue the cooperation and good relationships that we have had with the states in the past.

I’ve already had the opportunity to meet with a couple of the new leaders. The Service enjoys a strong and effective partnership with the state of Iowa where Director Roger Lande has taken the helm at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and I visited with him at the Iowa DNR headquarters in January.

In the state of Minnesota where Commissioner Tom Landwehr now heads up the DNR, we have many shared conservation issues and many opportunities to work together. The two of us had the opportunity to welcome members of the waterfowl conservation community to the 2011 Minnesota Waterfowl Symposium dedicated to Service employee Harvey K. Nelson (see page 5).

Cathy Stepp’s recent appointment as the Secretary of the Wisconsin DNR was well received here at the Service. Her work as the chair of the Wisconsin State Senate’s Job Creation Committee and co-chair of the Wisconsin Environment and Natural Resources Committee has been closely followed by us.

The Service will benefit immensely from the professional and innovative manner in which Ohio’s DNR employees will carry out their mission under the guidance of Director David Mustine. His support will help ensure the protection of valuable fish and wildlife resources and we look forward to future opportunities where we can cooperate to ensure these resources continue to thrive.

We also hold a very high regard for the Michigan DNR and the fine work it undertakes to manage fish and wildlife resources in that state. Rodney Stokes takes the lead as director there. I will have the opportunity to meet with him at the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference later in March.

I am looking forward to working with all of them in the coming months.

And more change is coming. Eventually, a new Service director will come on-board. When that happens, we will make an effort to get the director out to field stations and showcase all of the good work that you and your programs are doing.

March, as always, signals more change: spring! If it comes quickly, it also brings the challenges of flooding. We are already going forward with training and having our equipment prepared. We are making sure not only that our own people are safe, but that if there is a need from our communities we are prepared to assist them, as well.