The Palm Beach Post is reporting that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is developing plans for a new national wildlife refuge in Florida, north of Lake Okeechobee. The refuge could be 100,000 acres or more in size and would help reduce pollution flowing into the Everglades, as well as give climate-impacted species a haven [...]

The New York Times reports that the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, Rose Atoll Marine National Monument, and Marianas Trench National Monument – which were created by former President Bush and given to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Refuge System — are being neglected.
The islands’ leaders said the reserve [...]

The blog National Parks Traveler is reporting that the state of Alaska is moving to expand their powers so they would be allowed to kill predators in national parks and preserves without prior approval from the federal government.

The matter is before the Alaska Board of Game, which convenes Friday in Fairbanks for a session [...]

Sam Hamilton, the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, died after suffering an apparent heart attack while skiing with friends in Colorado.
From MSNBC:

Sam Hamilton, 54, was pronounced dead at 1:16 p.m. after being transported off the mountain at Keystone Ski Area. Hamilton had been reported having chest pains, according to the Summit County [...]

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a press release related to the end of the gun ban that will take effect at national wildlife refuges and national parks on February 22.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that effective February 22, 2010, the rules governing possession of firearms on National Wildlife Refuges will [...]

The Metro Santa Cruz newspaper is reporting that paint chips from an old Navy base on the Midway Islands is causing the deaths of thousands of threatened Laysan albatross chicks, who are dying of lead poisoning. UC–Santa Cruz assistant researcher Myra Finkelstein did a study that provided evidence that paint chips from an abandoned U.S. [...]

The National Wildlife Refuge Association just released details of President Barack Obama’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget, and it contains some disappointment for the Refuge System.

The National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) expressed disappointment over President Obamas proposed $499.5 million operations and maintenance budget for the National Wildlife Refuge System for next year, Fiscal Year 2011. Because [...]

The National Wildlife Refuge Association has laid out their 2010 priorities in advocating for the National Wildlife Refuge System:
Funding: With a renewed emphasis on reducing the federal deficit, as outlined in the President’s State of the Union, federal programs such as the National Wildlife Refuge System are likely to see reduced or frozen discretionary spending [...]

Vernon Byrd, of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska has won the 2010 Refuge System “Employee of the Year” award.
From the National Wildlife Refuge Association announcement:

Vernon Byrd, a biologist at Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, has been selected to receive the Refuge System Employee of the Year Award for demonstrating dedication [...]

The 2010 Refuge System Awards have been announced, and Kevin Foerster of Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex in California is winner of the Paul Kroegel - 2010 Refuge Manager of the Year Award.
From the National Wildlife Refuge Association announcement:

Kevin Foerster has been selected to receive the Paul Kroegel Refuge Manager of the Year Award [...]

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reporting that two waterfowl biologists have been killed in a plane crash:
Two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists died in the crash of their small aircraft on January 17th in western Oregon. Pilot-biologist Vernon Ray (Ray) Bentley, 52, from Blodgett, Oregon, and David Sherwood (Dave) Pitkin, [...]

If you’re wondering how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has benefited the nation’s national wildlife refuges, be sure to visit the ARRA page for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which offers a map and various press releases highlighting the many refuges that have received funding for various projects.
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