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A farm near Klingerstown, Pennsylvania.
(Credit: Scott Bauer/USDA)

On Tuesday May 14, 2013, the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee passed its version of the Farm Bill (The Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013, S. 954) with a 15-5 vote. Then, near midnight on Wednesday May 15, 2013 the House Agricultural Committee passed their version of the bill (Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, HR 1947) with a 36-10 vote. The whole Senate is set to begin discussing the bill Monday, whereas the House will hear their version in early June.

The Senate bill proposes a 10-year budget (through 2023) of $955 billion with cuts of $23 billion. The House bill (originally a $940 billion, 10-year budget with nearly $40 billion in cuts including those made due to the sequester) is now almost $500 billion over five years (expiring 2018). The current Farm Bill expires September 30, and both houses made it clear that a bill must be passed by then.

Both the House and Senate bills include major conservation program consolidations of 23 existing programs into 13, including streamlining programs and slowly reducing the acreage cap of the Conservation Reserve Program from its current 32 million acres (the 2008 Farm Bill reduced it from 39 million acres). The Senate version of the bill proposes reducing the acreage cap to 25 million acres over 10 years, while the House proposes a reduction to 24 million acres. Additionally, the House bill would limit enrollment in the Conservation Stewardship Program to 8.695 million acres per year. These caps, limits, reorganizations, and eliminations in the conservation programs would total more than $6 billion in cuts, as stated in the original 10-year House budget.

Both bills seek to reduce spending through streamlining the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and cutting funding.

During the House mark up, only six of the 99 proposed amendments (outside of those passed en bloc) dealt with the Conservation Title. Four were withdrawn to be further discussed on the House floor, and two were defeated.

Senator Bennet’s amendment was passed in the Senate mark up and would allow more flexibility for the  Secretary of Agriculture to waive requirements of landowner donation matches, in the cases of critical wildlife habitat on grasslands.

The Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) has been consolidated into the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Although overall funding for EQIP remains strong relative to past legislation, proposed House amendments that sought to withdraw the language of a five percent cap of EQIP funds for WHIP, or to increase the cap to 10 percent were withdrawn. The Senate bill has set a minimum of five percent EQIP funds for WHIP.

 

Sources: Bloomberg BNA (May 15, 2013), Corn and Soybean Digest (March 12, 2013),  Environment & Energy Daily (May 16,2013), Land Trust Alliance (May 14, 2013), Senate Press Release on Historic Farm Bill Conservation Pact Adopted by Senate Agricluture Committee with Overwhelming Support (May 15, 2013), Sustainable Agriculture Blog (May 9, 2013).

Related TWS articles : Wildlife Programs Face Uncertainty in Farm Bill (July 20, 2012),

For more information, visit: House Farm Summary, Senate Farm Bill Summary, House Bill Section-by-section, Title II, Subtitle H – Repeal of Superseded Program Authorities and transitional provisions (page 19 of 65), or see below.

SUBTITLE H—

REPEAL OF SUPERSEDED PROGRAM AUTHORITIES AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 2701. Comprehensive Conservation Enhancement Program

Section 2701 repeals the Comprehensive Conservation Enhancement Program.

Section 2702 repeals the Emergency Forestry Conservation Reserve Program, but provides for the continuation of existing contracts until the contract’s expiration.

Section 2703 repeals the Wetlands Reserve Program, but provides for the continuation of existing contracts until the contract’s expiration.

Section 2704 repeals the Farmland Protection Program, but provides for the continuation of existing contracts until the contract’s expiration.

Section 2705 repeals the Grassland Reserve Program, but provides for the continuation of existing contracts until the contract’s expiration.

Section 2706 repeals the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program, but provides for the continuation of existing contracts until the contract’s expiration.

Section 2707 repeals the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program,

but provides for the continuation of existing contracts until the contract’s expiration.

Section 2708 repeals the Great Lakes Basin Program.

Section 2709 repeals the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Program, but provides for the continuation of existing contracts until the contract’s expiration.

Section 2710. Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (repealed but provides for the continuation of existing contracts until the contract’s expiration.)

Section 2711. Environmental Easement Program (repealed)

Section 2712. Technical Amendments

 

My president’s agenda includes an objective to inspire wildlife professionals to share their science widely and engage with the public.

One of the most effective ways to reach the broader public involves the increasingly popular medium of “citizen science,” which the Canadian Section of TWS made the theme of its annual meeting in Canmore, Alberta, this past March. Increasing numbers of university researchers, wildlife management agencies, and non-profit organizations are using citizen science for the practical purpose of getting around limitations of research funding and personnel.

That said, it’s important to understand what citizen science is — and isn’t — and to learn from insights presented by speakers at the recent Canadian Section meeting.

The Audubon Society, a pioneer in citizen science, describes citizen science as engaging volunteers in the collection of ecological information. One of the earliest examples occurred in 1900, when ornithologist Frank Chapman, an Audubon officer, enlisted the public to help with the society’s first Christmas Bird Count, launched as a replacement for the traditional Christmas Side Hunt, in which people chose sides and went afield to compete in shooting the most birds and mammals. Another champion of citizen science, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, offers a simple working definition of citizen science as volunteers partnering with scientists to answer real-world questions.

Some citizen science projects aim to monitor wildlife abundance and distribution by compiling large data sets over many years and vast geographic areas. In these cases, volunteers are essential because more data is required than scientists can possibly get on their own. The Christmas Bird Count, Frogwatch Canada, Hummingbirds at Home, the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey, Bat Detective, the Great Backyard Bird Count, and the North American Bird Phenology Program are examples.

Other projects emphasize the educational value of involving citizens in science, often targeting youth. For example the Roadkill Project, based at the Road Ecology Center at the University of California at Davis, got its start in 1992 under the National Science Foundation’s EnvironNet Program with the objective of enhancing the effectiveness of science teachers.

In Washington State, Project CAT (Cougars and Teaching) started in 2000 as a unique collaboration of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Cle Elum/Roslyn School District, University of Washington, Central Washington University, and local residents. It integrated citizen participation and the K-12 curriculum into a research project seeking to improve understanding of cougar ecology, including interactions with humans.

Insights from Canada
At the Canadian Section meeting in March, presenters shared a variety of projects in which non-scientists serve a critical role in data collection. The subjects ranged from pikas in Banff National Park, to wolves and other carnivores in Wisconsin, to wolverines and beavers in Alberta, to butterflies in New England. Several presenters shared observations and findings on the effectiveness of using volunteers.

Greg Breed went a step further to address analytical approaches for improving accuracy and trend detection; for example, by adjusting for age-related hearing loss in bird observers. In a nod to technology, Mark Boyce described a “moose app” that allows Alberta hunters to use their smart phones to systematically report their moose observations, modeled after a successful system used to monitor moose populations in Scandinavia.

Throughout the meeting, presentations and a panel discussion on the many aspects of citizen science provided the following take-home messages that are important to anybody considering a citizen science project:

The volunteer component of any citizen science project must be embedded in a research framework designed and overseen by scientists. Volunteers must be well trained in data collection procedures. The sampling protocols and procedures must be simple, and data quality should be assessed on a continuing basis. As speaker Bill Hunt emphasized, “Citizen science must first be science.”

Putting volunteers to work on science projects is not the same as using trained staff. It represents a different type of relationship, and requires skills in volunteer management that will be new to most scientists. Those contemplating a citizen science project need to focus first on building their own skills and capabilities.

Because data quality has a positive relationship to experience, volunteer retention is very important. Volunteers tend to stay with a project when they feel that the work is interesting, meaningful, and enjoyable. Motivating volunteers and helping them feel like valued members of the research team are key strategies for retaining skilled and committed volunteers.

Understand that volunteers have their own reasons for participating in projects that may be very different from your own. This became clear in a presentation by Jane Wiedenhoeft on the volunteer wolf tracking program that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources began in 1995, when wolf numbers were low. The program grew as wolves increased in numbers and distribution, eventually resulting in their delisting and the opening of wolf hunting and trapping seasons. This reflects a real wildlife management success story, right? Not to some of the longest-serving and most effective volunteer trackers, who quit because “they had joined the project to save wolves, not to help kill them.”

These discussions raised some thorny questions, such as, “If citizens can do this work, what does that say about the need for trained biologists?” There was concern about “rogue amateurs” who launch data-gathering projects in order to promote their own agendas concerning wildlife. You may be thinking, “Not a problem; if the science is no good, they won’t get it published.” But apparently it is a problem: more than one presenter cited cases in which policymakers chose a finding they preferred over the one offered by scientists.

After much reflection, I conclude that properly-conducted citizen science is a very important strategy for building our knowledge base, increasing society’s understanding and appreciation of science, and engaging citizens in science-based conservation of wildlife and the natural world. It is an approach I am comfortable with. However, I reject the term “citizen scientist,” which carries the notion that anybody can become a scientist by participating in data gathering, whether or not they possess research skills and mastery of the scientific method. It takes qualified scientists to do science—a point that we all need to promote as wildlife professionals and members of TWS.

On 13 May, TWS released the list of participants who have been chosen to attend the 2013 TWS Leadership Institute. These promising early-career wildlife professionals, selected from a competitive pool of applicants, will participate in a variety of distance learning projects over the coming summer. The program culminates in October, with intensive hands-on mentoring activities and leadership workshops during the 2013 TWS Annual Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

A committee of TWS members and staff selected participants based on the applicants’ academic record, demonstrated leadership capability, and demonstrated level of excellence either in their current position or in their position as a leader of a Chapter or Section of The Wildlife Society.

This year’s participants are:

• Matt Bahm, Lecturer, Gonzaga University, Washington
• Sarah Bullock, Wildlife Biologist, Bureau of Land Management, Alaska
• Amy Carrozzino-Lyon, Research Associate and Instructor, Virginia Tech
• Sarah Hamer, Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University
• Agnès Pelletier, Research Associate, Trent University, Ontario
• Stephanie Ferrero, Wildlife Biologist, Colorado Parks and Wildlife
• Rachael Urbanek, Assistant Professor of Wildlife Science, Arkansas Tech University
• Jonathan Wiens, Habitat Biologist, Government of Manitoba
• Rachel Williams, Regional Landowner Relations Specialist, Arizona Game and Fish Department
• Krysten Zummo, Wildlife Technician, SUNY Cobleskill, New York

Many young wildlife professionals entering leadership positions have not necessarily been trained in the skills needed for successful management of large groups or complicated programs. The Leadership Institute introduces these exceptional young people to the management, mentoring, and organizational skills they need to become exceptional leaders.

From May through September, participants will complete a wide variety of exercises, which include reading and reflection on leadership topics, presenting to peer groups, leading seminars, and developing summary documents regarding their professional leadership goals. During TWS’ Annual Conference in Milwaukee, the participants will meet for focused analytical discussions, serve as mentors for students, be mentored by Institute alumni and Council members, and attend Council meetings.

Learn more about the Leadership Institute.

The Wildlife Society is celebrating the 20th Anniversary of our Annual Conference this year in Milwaukee. The conference takes place October 5-10 and registration will open up in June. In the meantime, you can view the preliminary program.

Student Research in Progress Posters

The Student Development Working Group invites students to submit Research-in-Progress Posters covering topics in wildlife science, management, conservation, education, human dimensions, or policy. All undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D. students are eligible for this session. View more information. The deadline to submit a student research in progress poster is June 2.

Kindle Winners

The Wildlife Society April membership promotion was a great success. We had more than 500 members join or renew their membership. Ruth D’Amico from Moose Pass, AK; Robert Gano from Frankford, DE; and Laura Underhill from Lakewood, CO were selected to receive a Kindle Fire HD Tablet. Be on the lookout for another Kindle promotion in the coming months.

Amazon and The Wildlife Society
Remember that when you shop on Amazon, visit http://wildlife.org/amazon first and The Wildlife Society will earn a commission for everything you buy on Amazon at no extra charge to you. Feel free to bookmark this link and share it with friends and family. This is a great way to help your Society.

Wildlife Techniques Manual for Kindle Available through Amazon.com
The Techniques Manual is now available as e-book for the Kindle reader. It’s priced at $85.50, and it’s a great idea for students – no heavy books to carry around! Remember to use http://wildlife.org/amazon to purchase it.

Membership Center
The Wildlife Society is moving to a new association management system. This new enterprise-wise database system will improve the user experience for our members. Each member will have access to an individual membership portal. The system will go live in June and we will have more information to share with you next month.

TWS Testimony to House and Senate Appropriation Subcommittees on Interior
The Wildlife Society provided written testimony to both the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies in support of strong funding for federal programs that benefit wildlife and their habitats. In addition to written testimony, TWS Executive Director, Ken Williams, testified on Public Witness Day for the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.

The written testimony focused on the importance of sustained or increased funding to several programs within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and Bureau of Land Management. Recommendations from TWS included strong funding for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program, North American Wetlands Conservation Act, and Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Grants Program; increased funding for the National Wildlife Refuge System, the Bureau of Land Management’s endangered species program, and US Geological Survey’s Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units; as well as continued funding for other programs supporting threatened and endangered species management.

Submitted testimony also stressed the importance of science-based decision making. TWS’s written testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies is available for more information regarding specific funding level requests.

Outside Testimony by TWS to Senate Appropriation Subcommittee on Agriculture 
The Wildlife Society provided written testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies in support of strong funding for federal programs that benefit wildlife and their habitats on agricultural and other private lands.

Testimony pointed to the importance of sustained or increased funding to several programs within the U.S. Department of Agriculture that provide funding for wildlife control and habitat enhancement. TWS urged the Senate to include strong funding for programs such as Wildlife Services, The Renewable Resources Extension Act, the Conservation Reserve Program, and Farm Bill conservation programs like the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program and the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentives Program.

TWS strongly recommended that Congress fund Wildlife Service’s Methods Development at $18 million and return funding for Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Conservation Operations Technical Assistance to the fiscal year 2011 level of $755 million. Wildlife Service’s Methods Development carries out research critical to state wildlife agencies while Conservation Operation’s Technical Assistance (TA) sub-activity provides funding for NRCS to support implementation of the various Farm Bill programs.

Endorsement of the Invasive Fish and Wildlife Prevention Act of 2013
The Wildlife Society, along with other member organizations of the National Environmental Coalition on Invasive Species, endorsed the proposed Invasive Fish and Wildlife Prevention Act of 2013 (HR 996). The proposed legislation would strengthen the Federal government’s ability to make rapid, science-based decisions on whether a non-native species should be classified as injurious; reducing the time to declare a non-native species as injurious from the current average of four under the provisions of the Lacy Act.

Additional benefits of the Invasive Fish and Wildlife Prevention Act of 2013 include providing the Fish and Wildlife Service with clear regulatory authority, including “emergency” authority, placing some of the financial burden of risk analysis on live animal importers through the creation of a user fee, providing funds to assist states with their invasive species monitoring and risk analysis programs, and allowing qualified zoos, aquaria, research facilities and other institutions to hold species not suited as private pets or aquarium species without the need for a Federal permit.

Testimony Supporting Funding of Fire Suppression Accounts for USFS and DOI
In 2009, the FLAME Act was signed into law with overwhelming bipartisan support from the House and Senate to ensure adequate funds were available to cover annual wildfire suppression costs, avoiding the need to transfer funds from other agency programs. Annual suppression costs were to be calculated using predictive modeling that included the ten-year average and other indicators. The FLAME accounts were to be funded at levels beyond annual suppression and not at the expense of other agency programs. However, in fiscal year 2012, a transfer of funds from non-suppression programs were required to cover the cost of fire suppression, with the same projected to happen in fiscal year 2013.

The Wildlife Society joined members of the Fire Suppression Funding Solutions Partner Caucus in submitting written testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, recommending that the US Forest Service and Department of Interior FLAME accounts be funded separately from the ten-year suppression levels in order to avoid transfers in FY 2014. Additionally, the caucus requested that any remaining balance in the FLAME accounts at the end of fiscal year 2013 is carried over into fiscal year 2014. Finally, the testimony suggested that annual suppression levels should be funded using the ten-year average, along with any added factors that may improve predictive modeling, including current weather conditions, fuel loads and other data that contribute to wildland fire risk.

Letter to Congress Supporting the FRESHER Act
The Wildlife Society joined with other sportsman and conservation organizations in thanking Representative Matthew Cartwright (D-PA) for introducing the Focused Reduction of Effluence and Stormwater runoff through Hydrofracking Environmental Regulation (FRESHER) Act of 2013. The FRESHER Act fills an important gap in Clean Water Act regulation, and will help to reduce the amount of sediment entering rivers and streams as a result of construction activities related to oil and gas development.

Sedimentation has direct and indirect impacts on aquatic life, including stress, altered behavior, reductions in growth and direct mortality. Several studies in the east have demonstrated increased erosion and turbidity in areas where natural gas development has occurred. The FRESHER ACT will help to address sedimentation loading in streams, by requiring oil and gas operators to obtain authorization under a permit to discharge stormwater runoff from their sites, and require operators to develop and implement a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan for construction activities.

ESA Resources Provided to House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee
Following discussions concerning Endangered Species Act reform during Public Witness Day for the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, The Wildlife Society provided each subcommittee member with resources on the history and accomplishments of this key piece of legislation. The spring 2013 issue of the Wildlife Professional, an issue that highlighted 40 years of the Endangered Species Act, and TWS’s position statement on ESA were among the items provide for each committee members.

In the letter that accompanied the ESA resources, The Wildlife Society expressed their belief that ESA is a strong and useful tool for wildlife conservation while also acknowledging that there are commonsense ways to strengthen it. The letter also pointed out that while many species have been listed and only a small percentage have been recovered, it must be keep in mind that in many cases it took decades for a species to become endangered and it will almost certainly take decades to recover them.  However, TWS feels that with the innovative work of the wildlife professionals who are members of The Wildlife Society and with the support of Congressional authorizers and appropriators, recovery of listed species can be accomplished.

New Student Chapter Approved at Delta State University
We are pleased to welcome TWS’ newest student chapter at Delta State University (Mississippi). The Executive Board of the Southeastern Section of TWS approved its formation on April 26, 2013.

Current DSU Wildlife Society Officers for 2012-13 are President Bobby Horne, Vice President Chase Hall, Secretary Ryan Fulgham, and Treasurer Kristi Janes. The Faculty Advisor for the student chapter is Dr. AHM Ali Reza.

The student chapter at Delta State University has been active for several years but was only recently recognized as an official student chapter. The student chapter seeks to enhance opportunities for its members to engage in networking and educational activities with wildlife professionals and to foster campus and community awareness of wildlife issues.

Recent activities have included presentations on Black Bears in Mississippi by Brad Young (Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks; now works for a private agency), Native Plants for Wildlife Conservation and Management in Mississippi by Jeanne Jones (Mississippi State University), and Bat Fauna of Mississippi by Chester Martin (U.S. Army ERDC). Other activities have included a wild game party and workshops on plant identification, bat identification, and wildlife photography.

University of Connecticut Student Chapter Hosts the Northeast Wildlife Student Conclave
During the first weekend in April 2013, the University of Connecticut Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society was proud to host 150 attendees from 13 different universities at The Wildlife Society’s 2013 Northeast Wildlife Student Conclave.

The UConn student chapter is a small organization with 15-20 active members. The Conclave was held at the J.N. Webster Scout Reservation in Ashford, Connecticut which offered an amazing venue to hold the event.

On Friday, participants listened to the keynote speaker, Robert Borowski, on the topic of the responsibilities of professionals in the wildlife field. Following the speech, all attendees were invited to attend a bonfire complete with s’mores to meet students from other schools in attendance.

On Saturday, 12 different workshops were hosted by individuals affiliated with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the University of Connecticut, the University of Rhode Island and other various wildlife organizations. Students and advisors participated in four different workshops throughout the day, many of which offered hands-on learning opportunities.

On Saturday evening, the annual Quiz Bowl was held and SUNY- ESF was named the winning team! The UConn Wildlife Society had a great experience hosting this year’s Conclave and would like to thank everyone who volunteered their time and effort in order to make the event such a success.

First Call for Papers, 11th National Wild Turkey Symposium
January 2016, Tucson, AZ

The National Wild Turkey Symposium seeks original research, case studies, and synthesis papers on ecology and management of wild turkeys. The Symposium occurs every five years and brings together state, federal and private researchers, land managers, and turkey enthusiasts. Contributed papers will be peer-reviewed. Abstracts are due Sept. 20, 2013 with manuscripts due Aug. 8, 2014. For more information, contact the editor: darren.miller@weyerhaeuser.com.

Vertebrate Field Zoology: Field Techniques in Wildlife Studies
Aug 5 – 16, 2013 (12 days), Swanton Pacific Ranch, Santa Cruz County

This two-week intensive, resident field camp emphasizing wildlife identification and field inventory and survey techniques, is administered by California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and the Western Section of The Wildlife Society.

The four-unit course, held at Cal Poly’s scenic Swanton-Pacific Ranch near Santa Cruz, will introduce participants to key wildlife field techniques, including hands-on opportunities for data collection. Instructors include wildlife professionals from agency, academic, private and non-profit sectors. Informal time provides additional mentoring opportunities.

Meals, lodging, and four-units of academic credit are included in the $1,599 course fee. Register through Cal Poly Extended Education or call (805) 756-2053 for registration details. Course is limited to 16 student participants, with students working in groups of four-to-five to maximize hands-on experiential learning and mentoring. Participation is open to college undergraduates with junior standing or above, graduate students, and professionals who have completed the pre-requisite course-work or equivalent: BIO 162 (Intro Organismal Form & Function) or BIO 263 (Intro Ecology and Evolution) or BIO 427 (Wildlife Management) or ASCI 329 (Principles of Range Management).

For Additional Information, contact Cynthia Perrine, TWS Western Section Program Director. perrine.cynthia@gmail.com or call (530) 570-7036.

Wetland Restoration & Creation Workshop
June 11-12

Coconino National Forest Supervisor’s Office
1824 S. Thompson St.
Flagstaff, AZ

This two-day workshop focuses on practical, low-cost techniques for restoring or constructing wetlands and pooled water wetland habitats. These same techniques can also be used to transform livestock (stock) ponds into high-quality wetland wildlife habitat, while still providing water for livestock.

The workshop will include instruction on the best locations for building ground water and surface water wetlands, how to test soils, lay out proposed wetlands, choose construction techniques, work with heavy equipment operators, and establish native plants. Over the course of the workshop we will be creating a spring-fed wetland pool on the Mogollon Ranger District to provide water and wetland habitat for bats, northern leopard frogs, and many other wildlife species.

Tom Biebighauser, the primary instructor, is among the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic wetland restoration practitioners and instructors in North America, having restored or created more than 1,400 wetland habitats across the U.S. and Canada. The workshop is limited to 35 people and is expected to fill quickly.

Registration is $165, which includes all workshop materials and a copy of Wetland Restoration and Construction — A Technical Guide, by Tom Biebighauser. Please note that attendance will be limited to 35 people. Register today.

If you need to register by phone, purchase order, or by mail, please contact Dan Taylor at Bat Conservation International; dtaylor@batcon.org or call (858)-922-5757. Registration does not include lodging or meals, however numerous options are available in Flagstaff and a list of lodging options will be provided to registered participants.

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Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horriblis). (Credit: Christopher Servheen/FWS)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced this month in the federal register that the comment period for the draft of the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem Grizzly Gear Conservation Strategy is currently open. The draft conservation strategy outlines the management and monitoring plan developed to ensure the maintenance of a recovered grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horriblis) population and their associated habitat in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem post-delisting. Grizzly bears are presently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in the lower 48 states. Additionally, the draft conservation strategy provides a list of agencies which have signed a memorandum of understanding to implement the strategy.

Written comments should be addressed to the Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator and sent to the following address: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University Hall, Room 309, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812; telephone 406-243-4903. The comment period will close on August 1, 2013.

Source: Federal Register (May 3, 2013).

Fresh zebra mussels are used to train detection dogs.  (Credit: Minnesota DNR)

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced last week that it will start using dogs to assist inspections of recreational watercraft for zebra mussels — a non-native species that has invaded 65 of the state’s lakes and could spread rapidly if preventative measures aren’t taken, putting native mussels and other aquatic life at risk. This makes Minnesota the second U.S. state to implement a program that enlists dogs to sniff out the invasive species.

About six years ago, California became the first state to use specially trained sniffer dogs to inspect watercraft for zebra mussels. Dogs’ noses can be far more efficient than the human eye at detecting the tiny mussels, which can be less than two inches long. Earlier this year, experienced K-9 officers with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) began training Minnesota DNR staff to use dogs, whose strong sense of smell has proven invaluable for tracking invasive and endangered species. CDFW officers look for breeds and individuals in shelters that are healthy, sociable, and have a strong search drive.

DNR dog Brady picks up the zebra mussel scent. (Credit: Minnesota DNR)

Lynette Shimek, the K-9 unit coordinator and dog handler with the CDFW’s Law Enforcement Division in Sacramento, taught two Minnesota DNR officials how to acclimate a dog to a new target odor — a skill dogs can learn in only five to 20 minutes. Using fresh zebra mussels, Shimek trains the dogs to recognize the odor and to alert the trainer that the odor has been detected. “As soon as the dog sniffs the odor out of curiosity, we raise the source up slightly, the dog sits, and we give them a reward,” Shimek said. Watch Minnesota DNR conservation officers demonstrate a boat search using their newly trained dogs, below.

Once trained, the dogs must then learn to locate the odor under different environmental conditions — a skill that requires additional weeks of training. Environmental conditions include the presence of other odors in the search area; variations in weather, temperature, wind, and humidity; noises and other distractions; unstable footing; and handler distractions.

Brady checks for zebra mussels in a boat hitch.
(Credit: Minnesota DNR)

In California, the program has not only succeeded in detecting infested boats, but it has also streamlined the inspection process. Whereas a person takes 10 to 20 minutes to properly check a single boat, a dog can do the job in two to three minutes. Boat owners are also more willing to submit to inspections when dogs are involved. “They are fascinated by watching the dog search, and by the relationship between the handler and the dog,” Shimek said.

But for all of the benefits dogs confer, they have limitations. The summer months, when inspections take place, tend to be stifling. The dogs can only work a short time before they get overheated and have to take a break. “Checking 300 boats a day isn’t possible,” Shimek said. “We look for boats with moisture on them or boats that are coming from areas where there has been an infestation” of zebra mussels.

It’s unclear if any studies assessing the efficacy of dogs as an invasive species management tool will be conducted, but anecdotal evidence suggests they are effective. “I think it’s a really good tool to have,” said Dan Swanson, a Minnesota DNR species biologist. There are currently three dogs in Minnesota’s new program and more may be added later if the program proves successful. Swanson is hopeful that the dogs will be used as soon as this week at lakes throughout the state.

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) — a freshwater species native to Eastern Europe and Russia — were first brought to the U.S. in the ballast water of freighters that made their way to the Great Lakes through connecting waterways from the Atlantic Ocean. The mussels were first discovered in 1988 at Lake St. Clair in Canada, and in just two years they had spread to the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. Now, zebra mussels are hitching their way across the U.S. on boats, barges, and other recreational watercraft, wreaking havoc on aquatic ecosystems along the way.

The filter-feeding mussels can impact natural food webs when present in high densities. They remove plankton, microorganisms, and other nutrients from the water, depriving zooplankton and larval fish of food and increasing competition for resources between native mollusk species and zebra mussels. The mussels also attach themselves to any solid surface within a body of water, often adhering to native mussels — including endangered Higgins eye mussels (Lampsilis higginsii) — and killing them. Nearly three-quarters of North America’s 297 native freshwater mussel species are endangered, according to the National Resources Conservation Center, and an estimated 35 species are already extinct.

Minnesota DNR conservation officers show how dogs will be used to sniff out zebra mussels. (Credit: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources)

Forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) at Dzanga-Bai in the Central Afriacan Republic. (Credit: Cristián Samper/WCS)

As many as 200 forest elephants of Dzanga-Ndoki National Park in the Central African Republic are in mortal danger. In late April, 17 Sudanese commercial poachers invaded the park, and reports from the field indicate the poachers are shooting elephants from towers where scientists and visitors have observed elephants for decades. Unless the poachers are stopped, they could inflict one of the largest elephant massacres since February 2012, when an estimated 300 elephants were killed in Cameroon’s Bouba N’Djida National Park, according to World Wildlife Fund (WWF) officials.

“The elephant poaching crisis — driven by insatiable ivory demand — is so severe that no area is safe, not even the World Heritage Site Dzanga-Sangha where both WWF and WCS have now worked for the conservation of elephants for decades,” said WWF Director General Jim Leape in a recent statement. “Heroic rangers are standing firm in the face of immense danger, but they alone cannot safeguard the special species and places the world treasures.”

So far, at least 26 elephants have been slaughtered including four calves, but it is unclear if any more have been killed. The poachers are killing the elephants for their ivory tusks and meat, which are sold at local villages and on the black market. Meat from an adult male could fetch up to $5,000 and a single adult carcass with large tusks could earn poachers double that price, according to a report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and CITES Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) program. Populations of forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) have declined 62 percent over the past decade.

The Central African Republic has been in turmoil since March when the Seleka rebels overthrew the country’s president Francois Bozize. As violence escalated, in late April the Wildlife Conservation Society and other conservation organizations operating in the area were forced to evacuate the region. Conservationists are calling on the Central African Republic government and newly installed President Michael Djotodia to take action against poaching. They are also encouraging surrounding countries including Cameroon and the Republic of Congo to provide support. So far, no action has been taken.

Two women fly fishing in a Michigan River (Credit: Michigan Department of Natural Resources)

Michigan Governor Signs Bills to Better Manage Michigan Wildlife
(WBUP-TV)
Legislation authorizing the state Natural Resources Commission to designate game species in Michigan was signed by Gov. Rick Snyder. Senate Bill 288, sponsored by state Sen. Tom Casperson, gives the commission the responsibility to establish managed open season hunts for wild game and authority to regulate the taking of fish. It exempts the taking of mourning doves, pets and livestock. The Legislature maintains its ability to both add and remove species on the list. More

NEWS FROM NORTH AMERICA

Canada’s Declining Biological Wonders Focus of Species at Risk Meeting
(Canada Newswire)
Twenty-six Canadian wildlife species, from whales to snails, were assessed as at risk at the recent Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada meeting held April 28-May 3 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. These assessments bring the total number of wildlife species recognized by COSEWIC as at risk to 676. Canada’s at-risk species include icons like Polar Bear, Caribou and Killer Whale. The species assessed at this meeting highlight that many of our declining species are inconspicuous and largely unknown. More

With Many Parrots Endangered, Team Sequences Macaw Genome
(Phys.org)
In a groundbreaking move that provides new insight into avian evolution, biology and conservation, researchers at Texas A&M University have successfully sequenced the complete genome of a Scarlet macaw for the first time. The team was led by Drs. Christopher Seabury and Ian Tizard at the Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center in the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M. More

Alabama Considering Changes for Wildlife Rehabilitation
(WHNT-TV)
State conservation officials in Alabama are working on new guidelines that could change the way wildlife rehabilitators do their job in terms of which animals they’ll be allowed to rescue. This follows a letter they sent to members of the North Alabama Wildlife Rehabilitators in April, making sweeping new changes that came without warning or discussion. More

New Species of Bass Discovered Right Under Our Noses
(redOrbit)
Scientists in Florida recently announced that they have discovered a new species of black bass in the southeastern United States. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission researchers say they discovered the newly christened “Choctaw bass” during a genetic study of bass in 2007. Scientists discovered a DNA profile that did not belong to any species while testing other bass species in the Chipola River in 2007. More

The Bears are Back in British Columbia!
(The Province)
A series of bear sightings in Surrey, British Columbia, has prompted a renewed call for B.C. residents to take steps to reduce bruin run-ins. A bear cub was sighted near a school. The RCMP notified school district officials just before 7 a.m. so they could alert parents to use precautions when taking their children to school. Also, a woman reported a bear knocked over her curbside organic waste bin and began rooting through it near her South Surrey home. More

WILDLIFE HEALTH AND DISEASE NEWS

Fear of Extinction Grows as Numbers of Little Brown Bats Dwindle in New Jersey
(The Record)
New Jersey’s little brown bat population, once as high as 30,000 at the state’s largest hibernation site, hit a new low of only 600 in a recent count, as the population continues its deep spiral caused by a fungal disease sweeping through Eastern states. The recent count showed that little brown bats at Hibernia Mine had dropped another 20 percent over the past year, down from an already alarming low of 750, state officials said. More

Seafood Diet Killing Arctic Foxes on Russian Island
(Nature)
An isolated population of Arctic foxes that dines only on marine animals seems to be slowly succumbing to mercury poisoning. The foxes on Mednyi Island — one of Russia’s Commander Islands in the Bering Sea — are a subspecies of Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) that may have remained isolated for thousands of years. They were once numerous enough to support a small yet thriving group of fur hunters. More

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Cameroon National Park Preparing for Elephant Massacre
(International Business Times)
A national park in Cameroon is concerned it is about to face one of the “biggest elephant massacres” in the country since 300 elephants were slaughtered last year. The WWF has warned that 17 armed poachers entered the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park earlier this week. The park is home to one of Africa’s most unique elephant habitats and the poachers were heading towards Dzanga Bai, which is known as the village of elephants — up to 200 gather there in a large clearing to drink mineral salts from the sands every day. More

Climate Change Already Affecting UK Wildlife
(Phys.org)
U.K. wildlife is already feeling the effects of climate change, scientists say. According to a report, with input from many of the U.K.’s top environmental scientists, many species are now found further north and at higher altitudes than in previous decades. Climate change may also be making it easier for species from foreign shores to invade, often to the cost of native wildlife. More

Alarm Among Activists After Malaysia Kills Nearly 100,000 Monkeys
(Los Angeles Times)
Tourists adore them. Homeowners bemoan them. And the Malaysian government has killed them — by the tens of thousands. They are macaca fascicularis, mischievous monkeys with unusually long tails that give them their common name: long-tailed macaque. Malaysian wildlife officials killed more than 97,000 of them last year. Nearly 88,000 were culled the year before, according to the nation’s wildlife department. More

DNA from Tiger Scat Aids Conservation Efforts in Nepal
(The New York Times)
By Andrew C. Revkin: I’ve drawn attention periodically to the output of Kashish Das Shrestha, a talented photographer and writer who splits his time between New York City and Nepal. He’s filed an interesting new piece on the Nepal Tiger Genome Project, developed with funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, which is using genetic tools to help conserve Nepal’s hemmed-in tiger population. More

An adult female black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) with her prey, a juvenile black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) (Credit: David Eads/TWS 2012 Photo Contest entry)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has announced the release of a draft recovery plan for the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes). The comment period is open until June 24, 2013.  The original recovery plan was approved in 1978 when the ferret was believed to be extinct in the wild, and revised in 1988 prior to implementing reintroduction efforts. Despite the highly imperiled history of this species, the announcement notes that downlisting could be accomplished in 10 years, and delisting could be possible by 2040, or even 2022 with intensive reintroduction efforts.

Currently it is estimated that the wild population of ferrets is at least 270 breeding adults (270 adults at self-sustaining sites, and a total of 364 wild animals) in four “successful” populations (see Table 3, pg. 22 of the draft recovery plan). Therefore the downlisting goal of establishing a population of 1,500 free-ranging adults is 18 percent complete, and the establishment of 10 successful populations is 40 percent complete. Although the delisting goal is set for 2040, delisting could occur by 2022 with rigorous reintroduction efforts focused on six new reintroduction sites per year over 10 years, along with improved conservation efforts for prairie dogs (the ferret’s specialized prey and keystone species).

Comments on the draft recovery plan should be mailed to the Recovery Coordinator at the National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 190, Wellington, CO 80549.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources: USFWS Black Footed Ferret Recovery Plan 1988, USFWS Black-Footed Ferret Draft Recovery Plan 2013, Black Footed Ferret Recovery Program, Safe Harbor Agreement Factsheet, USFWS Black-Footed Ferret Draft Recovery Plan Announcement, USFWS Species Profile: Black-Footed ferret, (Infographic created with Pictochart v2).

 

Lesser-Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) (Credit: Doug Holt/FWS)

On May 6, 2013, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) reopened the comment period on its 2012 threatened species listing proposal of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) for 45 days, ending on June 20, 2013. Comments are being accepted on the original listing proposal, and the proposed special 4(d) rule for the take of Lesser Prairie-Chickens. The 4(d) special rules would allow for (1) incidental take from activities conducted under state-coordinated or state-developed conservation programs, as long as they provide a net conservation benefit; and (2) incidental take from agricultural activities within Natural Resources Conservation Service lands with their Lesser Prairie–Chicken Initiative (these would still require a permit).

The FWS is also announcing and inviting comments on the Draft Range-wide Conservation Plan for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken, prepared by the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Interstate Working Group. They have listed 14 specific areas for which they are seeking comments.

A 90-day comment period and four public meetings were held following the proposed rule publication of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken on December 11, 2012. A final listing determination is to be made by September 30, 2013, pursuant to a settlement agreement regarding “Endangered Species Act Section 4 Deadline Litigation” between the FWS and WildEarth Guardians. However, if the Secretary of the Interior finds that “substantial disagreement exists regarding the sufficiency or accuracy of the available data relevant to the listing determination,” then the final listing is to be made by March 31, 2014.

Comments may be submitted until June 20, 2013, electronically (docket number FWS-R2-ES-2012-0071, click on “Comment Now!” to submit your comment), or by mail (to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R2-ES-2012-0071, Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM, Arlington, VA 22203).

Sources: Conservation Plan of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken by the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Working Group, Federal Registry Notice (May 6, 2013), USFWS News Release (May 6, 2013), USFWS FAQ on Reopened Comment Period of Lesser Prairie-Chicken Listing Proposal.

Previous TWS articles: Comment Period: Proposed Lesser Prairie Chicken Listing.

Captive-bred fawns grazing in a field at a deer breeding facility. (Credit: USDA/FSA)

In a move similar to the feral pig legislation proposed in Pennsylvania, Texas legislature is considering a bill that would change the regulatory authority for deer breeding facilities from Texas Parks and Wildlife to the Texas Animal Health Commission. Sponsored by State Representatives Kuempel and Springer, the bill (HB 2092) is supported by the Texas Deer Association, an organization that is working to ease restrictions on the Texas deer breeding industry. Captive deer breeding and hunting generates over $650 million annually in Texas. The Texas Deer Association believes the change would benefit the industry because the health commission has more expertise in animal health and disease prevention and that the deer breeding industry should be classified as an agricultural enterprise. Additionally, there have been disagreements between the industry and Texas Parks & Wildlife in regard to tagging regulations.

Though all deer within Texas belong to the state and are a public resource, it is legal to breed and sell white-tailed deer on private property as well as run hunting operations with a permit. Those that oppose the proposed bill





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— including the Texas Wildlife Association and the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society — fear that such a change in regulatory authority would be a large step away from the North American Model of wildlife management, especially its central tenet, the Public Trust Doctrine, as well as the concept of fair chase. Deer are a public resource and should be managed as such. Doug Slack, emeritus faculty at Texas A&M Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences and the executive director for the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society says that the Texas Chapter “continues to believe that management and regulation of wildlife needs to be carried out by trained wildlife professionals.”

Prior to the establishment of game policy in the 1930s, market hunting threatened to eliminate many game species, including white-tailed deer. During the Industrial Revolution, the demand for meat created an unsustainable market for hunting game. Concerned sport hunters and leading conservationists organized to protect game populations from market hunting.  This resulted in the development of codes of conduct and ethics known as fair chase as well as the North American Model of wildlife management.

Additionally, there are concerns about disease transmission and genetic transfer from captive bred deer to wild populations. Opportunities for the transmission of diseases including Chronic Wasting Disease and Bovine Tuberculosis can occur through fence to fence contact, a wild animal entering the captive facility, or the escape of a captive animal. The escape of a captive cervid or a wild animal entering a reserve could also lead to the transfer of genetic traits that may be maladaptive to free-ranging wildlife.

Public hearings for HB 2092 were held on April 3, 2013, and the bill has been listed as pending in the House Committee on Culture, Recreation, and Tourism since that date. Other proposed legislation under consideration this session would establish a clearer appeals process for revoked breeder permits, allow breeders to sell venison, and increase the amount of time between the release of a captive deer and hunting from 10 to 60 days.

To learn more about issues concerning captive deer breeding and the public trust doctrine, please see the following TWS materials: Captive Deer Breeding fact sheet, The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation position statement, and The North American Model and Public Trust Doctrine technical reviews.

Sources: New York Times (April 4, 2013), Texas Bill HB 2092, History of The Wildlife Society

A western honey bee (Apis mellifera) carries pollen back to its hive. (Credit: Muhammad Mahdi Karim/Wikimedia)

US Rejects EU Claim of Insecticide as Prime Reason for Bee Colony Collapse
(The Guardian)
A U.S. government report blamed a combination of factors for the disappearance of America’s honeybees and did not join Europe in singling out pesticides as a prime suspect. The report, by the Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency, blamed a parasitic mite, viruses, bacteria, poor nutrition and genetics, as well as pesticides, for the rapid decline of honey bees since 2006. Researchers said it was not clear whether a certain class of pesticides was a major cause of the colony collapse. More

NEWS FROM NORTH AMERICA

Ontario Government Rescues Experimental Lakes Area
(Environment News Service)
The Ontario Government has stepped in to save a unique freshwater research facility in the Experimental Lakes Area after the Canadian government cut off funding as of March 31. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne announced that her Liberal government would provide operating support and work toward an agreement with the nonprofit International Institute for Sustainable Development, IISD, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to take over operations of the research area. More

Michigan House Vote Leaves State a Step Closer to Wolf Hunt in Upper Peninsula
(Michigan Live)
Michigan officials may be allowed to establish a wolf hunt in the Upper Peninsula no matter what happens with a pending statewide referendum on the issue. The Michigan House approved Senate Bill 288 by a 72-38 vote. The legislation would allow the state’s Natural Resources Commission to decide on its own what species could be hunted. Michigan’s current law requires the Legislature to designate a game species, which then gives the NRC permission to establish a hunt. More

Cold Weather Forces Wildlife & Fisheries Commission to Delay Inshore Shrimp Seasons
(The Times-Picayune)
This has been the second-coldest spring in the last century, and as a result, brown shrimp have grown more slowly than the U.S. economy. That put the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission in a tight squeeze when setting the dates for the 2013 inshore shrimp seasons. On the one hand, if they voted to open the seasons too early, the shrimp wouldn’t be big enough for market, but if they elected to wait too long, the shrimp might all move out to the open Gulf. More

Florida Wildlife Officials Release Plan to Conserve 16 Species
(NBC Miami)
Florida’s wildlife officials released action plans to conserve 16 imperiled specials including the Florida burrowing owl, Florida sandhill crane and Big Cypress and Sherman’s fox squirrels. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is looking for public input to help create plans to ultimately help 60 species. Other species included in the plans were the brown pelican, gopher frog, Florida pine snake, Florida mouse, Sherman’s short-tailed shrew, short-tailed snake, Florida bog frog, Georgia blind salamander, Atlantic sturgeon and mangrove rivulus. More

Agency Offering Grants to Landowners to Boost Duck Habitat
(The Times-Picayune)
If you’re a landowner, and you’d like to see some additional funds in your bank account to improve your duck habitat, the Natural Resources Conservation Service would like to help. A division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the NRCS is offering technical and financial assistance to agricultural producers in 22 parishes to develop and enhance habitat for migrating birds. This opportunity is being offered through the Louisiana NRCS Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative, a partnership with Ducks Unlimited. More

For Sand Tiger Sharks, a Deadly, Cannibalistic Battle Inside the Womb is Part of Evolution
(The Washington Post)
It’s a tough world from the moment of conception for a sand tiger shark. When a female gets pregnant, it’s usually with multiple offspring of several different male sharks. As soon as the fetuses are old enough, they begin a cannibalistic battle for primacy in utero, with only one surviving. Now scientists have concluded that this is not just a response to crowded conditions but represents an evolutionary strategy that allows the most aggressive male sharks to father the successful baby and thereby outcompete sexual rivals. More

WILDLIFE HEALTH AND DISEASE NEWS

Scientists are Divided Over Threat to Pacific Northwest Salmon
(The New York Times)
Like mariners scanning the horizon from the crow’s nest, scientists have for years been on the lookout in the Pacific Northwest for signs that a dreaded salmon-killing disease, scourge to farmed salmon in other parts of the world, has arrived here, threatening some of the world’s richest wild salmon habitats. Most say there is no evidence. But for years, a biologist in Canada named Alexandra Morton — regarded by some as a visionary Cassandra, by others as a misguided prophet of doom — has said definitively and unquestionably that they are wrong. More

Study Shows Human-Wildlife Microbe Exchange and Multidrug Resistance in Wildlife in Protected Areas in Africa
(Environmental Research Web)
A team of Virginia Tech researchers has discovered that humans are passing antibiotic resistance to wildlife, especially in protected areas where numbers of humans are limited. In the case of banded mongoose in a Botswana study, multidrug resistance among study social groups or troops was higher in the protected area than in troops living in village areas. The study also reveals that humans and mongoose appear to be readily exchanging fecal microorganisms, increasing the potential for disease transmission. More

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Large Bat Collected in South Sudan Belongs to a Genus All Its Own
(The Washington Post)
Researchers in the grasslands of South Sudan were taken by surprise when they first spotted a beautifully patterned bat with pale yellow spots and stripes on dark black fur. DeeAnn Reeder, an associate professor of biology at Bucknell University, and Adrian Garside, a program officer from the conservation group Fauna & Flora International, were working in Bangangai Game Reserve with South Sudan’s Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism. One evening, while observing bats on rocky grassland next to a stagnant pool, Reeder spied the creature. More

Imidacloprid structure overlaying honeycomb of the Western honey bees (Credit: Williamseanohlinger/Wikimedia, and Waugsberg/Wikimedia)

The European Commission (EC) may soon adopt a proposal banning the use of three neonicotinoid pesticides (clothianaidin, imidacloprid, and thiametoxam) for seed treatments, soil application, and foliar treatment on plants, which attract bees, for two years starting December 1, 2013. These neonicotinoids were identified as “high acute risks” to bees in the European Food Safety Authority’s report, and to birds in the American Bird Conservancy’s report. The proposal failed to reach qualified majority on March 15, but achieved enough supportive votes during the April 29 Appeal Committee vote, (15 yes, 8 no, and 4 abstentions) for the Commission to potentially be adopted. The procedural responsibility of whether or not to adopt the proposal is now with the EC.

 

Sources: EFSA Press Release (Jan 16, 2013), European Commission Health and Consumers: Animals (April 30, 2013), Grist (April 29, 2013), The Independent (April 29, 2013)

Previous TWS articles: Capitol Hill Briefing on Neonicotinoids, Birds and Bees (April 1, 2013)

Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell (Credit: DOI)

Sally Jewell was confirmed in a Senate vote of 87 to 11 on April 10 and sworn in as the 51st Secretary of the Interior on April 12, 2013, by retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. She will be overseeing an estimated $11.9 billion budget (as proposed by the President’s FY14 request), over 70,000 employees, and a department which is estimated to contribute $385 billion to the nation’s economy and support 2.4 million American jobs.

The Senate confirmation vote occurred after Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) lifted a hold he placed on her nomination, upon receiving written assurance from former DOI Secretary Ken Salazar that the DOI would support using the best science in a collaborative way in the recovery of the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). This is the second last minute agreement the former secretary had to make for the confirmation of his successor to proceed, the first being the agreement to revisit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) decision on the emergency road through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.

The greater sage-grouse was added in 2010 as a candidate species for the endangered species list. Although listing was warranted it was precluded based on “the need to take action on other species facing more immediate and severe extinction threats.”  The FWS must decide whether to list the greater sage-grouse by 2015.

Greater sage-grouse lek (Credit: NPS)

The conservation management of the greater sage-grouse encompasses many of the management challenges Jewell will immediately face. The greater sage-grouse’s primary threats — habitat loss and fragmentation from wildfire, energy development, and invasive species — along with competition for grazing permits have necessitated complex management regimes. While much of Jewell’s confirmation questioning focused on the same balancing act of conservation and energy development, recent budget committee hearings have focused on departmental needs for wildfire management and mitigation.

Several DOI agencies (FWS, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management) share oversight of the greater sage-grouse and its habitat with other federal agencies (Natural Resource Conservation Service and U.S. Forest Service), states, tribes, and local and private entities. FWS recently released a report to help guide greater sage-grouse conservation actions by these entities with regards to permitting or land management authority information. For more information on the organization of management players see “Who’s on the Lek.”

 

Sources: Beginner’s Guide to the Greater Sage-Grouse (FWS 2010), CBS: Senate Confirms Sally Jewell as Interior Secretary (April 10, 2013), DOI page: About Secretary Jewell, DOI News Release: President Proposes $11.9 Billion Budget for Interior (April 10, 2013), DOI News Release: Sally Jewell gets to work as Secretary of the Interior (April 15, 2013), Roll Call: Interior Pick Moves Forward After Sage-Grouse Dispute (April 10, 2013), The Wildlife Society’s Comments on FS/BLM EIS of the Greater Sage-Grouse (Feb. 7, 2013), The Wildlife News: Governor Letter to Brian Kelley (3/14/2013), USFWS News Release: Report to Help Guide Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Objectives (March 25, 2013), USFWS Endangered Species: Greater Sage-Grouse.

Previous TWS articles: Sally Jewell,  CEO of outdoor Retailer REI nominated for Interior Secretary, Policy News Update – Sally Jewell Confirmation Hearing, Policy News Update – Sally Jewell Passes First Hurdle.

Genetically modified crops (GMCs) on National Wildlife Refuges in the southeast region.
(Credit: USFWS)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is now accepting comments on the development of their programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) of the effects of using and cultivating genetically modified crops (GMCs) on National Wildlife Refuge System Lands. The PEA will concentrate on refuges in the southeast region (Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and the Caribbean) which have used GMCs in the past or may soon. According to the Federal Register Notice published on April 30, 2013, refuge farming has occurred primarily through cooperative farming agreements. Corn and soybean GMCs had been cultivated on refuge lands to provide food for migrating waterfowl, shorebirds, doves, and cranes that use the refuges, but this ceased in 2012 until a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis can be conducted, as part of a settlement in Center for Food Safety v. Salazar (D.D.C. 2011).

Six public scoping meetings will be held with dates, times, and locations to be locally published. Meeting sites include: Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (North Carolina); Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge (Alabama); Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge (Tennessee); Vicksburg, Mississippi; and Alexandria, Louisiana.

Comments must be received by July 29, 2013, and can be submitted by email, online portal, or by mail to Richard Warner, NEPA Coordinator, GMCPEA, 1875 Century Boulevard, Suite 420, Atlanta, GA 30345.

 

Sources: Federal Register Notice (April 30, 2013), San Francisco Gate (April 30, 2013), Greenwire (April 30, 2013), USFWS Farming on Refuges (May 1, 2013).