September 1, 1914, was the date when Martha, the last known passenger pigeon on the planet and in the universe, died in Cincinnati, Ohio. This year marks the 96th anniversary of one of the most tragic stories related to humankind’s impact on the planet.

Immediately following her death at the Cincinnati Zoological Gardens, Martha was packed in an enormous 300-pound block of ice and shipped to the Smithsonian Institution. Currently, Martha (named after Martha Washington) is in the museum’s archived collection, and not on display.

According to the Smithsonian:

The passenger pigeon, Ectopistes migratorius, was once the most common bird in the United States, numbering in the billions. Passenger pigeons lived in enormous colonies, with sometimes up to 100 nests in a single tree. Migrating flocks stretched a mile wide, turning the skies black.

Overhunting and habitat loss were the reasons for extinction.

After she was mounted, her plaque read:

The Florida-Times Union reports that the Nature Conservancy is giving Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (located in southern Georgia and northern Florida) a big helping hand:

A 500-acre piece of land that burned during a 2007 wildfire is under new ownership and will get a different species of trees.

The land is part of three tracts totaling 1,046 acres in Charlton and Ware counties that the Nature Conservancy recently bought from Rayonier and donated to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

Even after handing over the deed, the Nature Conservancy is going to plant longleaf pines on the burned-over land.

According to the Nature Conservancy, the longleaf pine ecosystem is one of the most diverse in the world and provides habitat for threatened or endangered species, such as the red-cockaded woodpecker and the Eastern indigo snake. The additional land will also give the refuge more of a buffer against future wild fires.

The Nature Conservancy’s partners in acquiring the land were the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Tags:
National Wildlife Refuge System, Okefenokee NWR, Nature Conservancy

Back in August of 2009, this blog reported on the Tour de Turtles, which was created by Caribbean Conservation Corporation, with help from sponsors and partners, and involves following the marathon migration of sea turtles, representing different species, from their nesting beaches to their foraging grounds.

The 2010 turtles are now being tracked, and a you can find out more about each turtle — such as where it was tagged and where it is now — on the Sea Turtle Conservancy site and the Tour de Turtles site. The websites also provide information for educators and information about adopting a turtle. Note that several of the turtles are from beautiful Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge on the Atlantic Coast of Florida.

And as the Tour de Turtles website points out, due to the Gulf oil spill, this year’s tour is rather special:

2010 is the third year of the TdT and will follow the migration of ten sea turtles, representing four different species. 2010 promises to be a very special year for the Tour de Turtle as awareness and interest in sea turtles has increased due to the Gulf Oil Spill.

Follow along to find out how long it takes each sea turtle to complete a marathon migration of 2,620 km (1,628 miles). Each turtle will be swimming for a cause to raise awareness about a specific threat to sea turtles. You can get involved by supporting a turtle to help raise awareness about their cause. While we may not know the outcome of the race, one thing is certain: saving sea turtles is a marathon, not a sprint!

Best of luck to these amazing creatures.

Tags:
National Wildlife Refuge System, Archie Carr NWR, Tour de Turtles

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service accepts bequeathed Vermont land
• Big plan for Cahaba River: U.S. refuge could grow to more than 200,000 acres
• Landowners Willing To Sell for Panthers
• Hardeeville, Jasper County to offer incentives to development near refuge
• Work not over to clean up BP oil
• 5 Years After Katrina, Gulf Ecosystems On the Ropes
• Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge to install solar field

The Alaska Wilderness League has posted a short but very powerful video that explains why it’s so important to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from energy development — especially after it’s now been revealed that oil industry spill plans are essentially worthless.

I urge you to click the full-screen setting on the player below so you are watching this full size. The video really is amazingly beautiful.

And the narration is just as moving:

“The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a great breathing space on the planet. A pause of peace in a world too familiar with war…This is the open space of democracy. Raw, wild beauty is a deeply held American value. If we listen to the land, we will know what to do.”

The Northern Alaska Environmental Center is holding a photography contest to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The images will be used in a 2011 calendar that will celebrate 50 years of Arctic Refuge Wilderness.

They welcome images of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that celebrate its uniqueness as an entire, intact, natural sub-Arctic and Arctic ecosystem with animals, clean air, pure water, birds, vast landscapes and its value to people forever.

Entry deadline is September 15, 2010. Download an entry form and find out more details on the NAEC website.

And visit the following websites to learn more about events being planned for the 50th anniversary of the Arctic NWR:

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Arctic Refuge 50th Anniversary Celebration
• The Murie Center - Arctic Refuge 50th Anniversary Celebration
• Alaska Wilderness League
• Department of Interior Press Release on Arctic Refuge Anniversary Events

Tags:
National Wildlife Refuge System, Arctic NWR, Alaska

• Panther refuge may get bigger: But many millions needed to buy land
• Closed areas of Delta National Wildlife Refuge to be reopened today
• Bandon Marsh restoration is delayed until 2011
• Runners beat the heat in races for the refuge
• Moapa dace thrives despite recent wildfire
• Forsythe National Wildlife refuge lines the South Jersey landscape with vibrant color
• What’s in a name? Mackay Island in North Carolina
• Showdown at Montezuma (bird blog)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service just posted a video about the problem of sea level rise at Bulls Island, which is a barrier island at Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina. Over the past several years, staff at Bulls Island have seen the beach disappear before their eyes at an alarming rate, and climate change is the reason.

In this video, Refuge Manager Kevin Godsea explains that sea level rise does not occur the way most people think. The water does not rise like in a bathtub, but rather the rise is seen in extreme events like destructive high tides that overwash a seawall or overwash a dune area, resulting in saltwater intrusion and habitat alteration.

Visit the Cape Romain NWR Bulls Island web page to learn more about this barrier island that is witnessing climate change firsthand.

Several interesting developments have occurred regarding refuges and social media. The Friends of the Savannah Coastal Wildlife Refuges now have a blog, so be sure to check it out: http://blog.coastalrefuges.org/.

Also, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now hitting Facebook in a big way. Be sure to “like” their pages so you can follow all the action around the country.

USFWS on Facebook:

National Wildlife Refuges

Pacific Southwest Region

Mountain-Prairie Region

Midwest Region

Pacific Region

Southwest Region

Endangered Species

International Affairs

Tags:
National Wildlife Refuge System, social media

The Missoulian in Montana is reporting that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge has abruptly ended its relationship with the Friends of the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge organization.

The volunteer group, which has donated numerous hours and over $100,000 to the refuge, said they were blindsided by the decision and were given no warning that the relationship was about to be terminated.

Dale Burk was one of the founding members of the Friends group and someone who personally knew Montana Sen. Lee Metcalf.

“I consider this as an insult to the memory of Lee Metcalf,” Burk said. “He was a man who fought for openness in government. There was no openness involved in this. … They never contacted the leaders about their concerns once. They made the decision in the sanctity of an office in Denver, hundreds of miles from here.”

Burk said he doesn’t understand the severity of the decision.

“Why couldn’t we have been able to talk it out?” he said. “We don’t even know what motivated it.”

The Friends group will ask the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service director and members of Montana’s congressional delegation to hold hearings in Stevensville on the matter.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge Supervisor Dean Rundle, who works out of the USFWS office in Denver, was the author of the letter that terminated the relationship. Rundle said the Friends had voiced dissatisfaction over a USFWS employee and the way the Service had addressed those concerns.

USFWS Assistant Regional Director Richard Coleman backed the termination decision and stated, “I believe in doing that (terminating the memorandum of understanding) we have a good chance of a future relationship that will be stronger and more fulfilling for both of us.”

Unfortunately, the way in which this was handled and the hurt feelings of the volunteers seems to make the likelihood of a “stronger” relationship less likely.

On the Friends of the Lee Metcalf NWR website it states that the volunteer group began in August 2003 and was the first Friends group in Montana. The group of local community members came together to support and work with the refuge. Among their tasks are to:

• educate the public about the refuge
• respond to challenges affecting the refuge
• develop the refuge as a hub of conservation for the citizens of the valley and surrounding communities
• create a vested interest in the community for the refuge
• enhance appropriate access to the refuge
• protect the refuge ecosystem from outside impacts

Tags:
National Wildlife Refuge System, Lee Metcalf NWR, Montana

As this blog reported on August 6, the National Park Service recently recommended running a major two-state electrical line through portions of the newly minted Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Pennsylvania. The suggestions for running the line through different parts of the refuge were among a larger group of alternative routes proposed by the NPS.

Today the Pocono Record reports that during a public meeting Wednesday, residents spoke out against running the line through the refuge.

Andy Forte of Stroudsmoor Country Inn, a resort overlooking Cherry Valley and site of the NPS hearing, urged the capacity crowd to look out to the left, where two routes would take the line, and to the right, where a third alternative is suggested.

“Cherry Valley is home to a delicate ecosystem and several endangered species,” Forte said. “There are times in life we don’t fully appreciate what we have until it’s gone. We can’t allow that to happen this time.”

Deb Schuler of Friends of Cherry Valley fought back tears before declaring to the park service, “I am disheartened by your disloyalty.”

Ed Cramer, a Stroud Township supervisor, noted Water Gap NRA Superintendent John Donahue was part of the planning team for making Cherry Valley a National Wildlife Refuge.

“I have to question your motives, Mr. Donahue, for placing these alternative routes through the Cherry Valley Wildlife Refuge,” Cramer said.

Donahue said earlier that the park service was concerned only with routes crossing the recreation area and Appalachian Trail, that routing decisions outside the park are up to PPL. Alternative routes are part of the required federal environmental review.

Citizens will have until September 7 to submit comments in writing, and the NPS decision on whether to allow the line to cross the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is due in 2012. You can learn more about the planning process on the NPS website.

Tags:
National Wildlife Refuge System, Cherry Valley NWR, Pennsylvania, National Park Service

The National Wildlife Refuge Association has just announced the start of their 2010 Refuge Photo Contest.

You can submit your National Wildlife Refuge System images on their site beginning August 14, 2010. There is a $10 entry fee per photographer.

Images must be taken on national wildlife refuges and can feature birds, mammals, insects, fish, other animals, plants, people, or refuge scenery.

Entries for the 2010 Contest must be submitted by September 24, 2010. Results will be announced in October 2010 in connection with Refuge Week.

Results of the contest will be prominently featured on the NWRA website. Selected photos will be added to NWRA’s digital Refuge Image Library, an online searchable gallery of images taken at national wildlife refuges hosted by Zenfolio.

Prizes include $2,000 and two round trip plane tickets on Southwest, NWRA’s official airline, and other great products generously provided by the contest sponsors (see the Contest Prize page for more information on prizes). In addition, all photographers submitting an entry will receive a complimentary one year membership in the National Wildlife Refuge Association, the only organization working exclusively to protect, enhance and expand the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Visit the Rules page for further contest details.

Tags:
National Wildlife Refuge System, National Wildlife Refuge Association