Refuge Funding Crisis
>> How staff cuts affect eastern refuges
>> Detailed look at how budget cuts are being implemented across the country [pdf]
>> Sample letter to Congress
Operating with less money than it received in 2004, the National Wildlife Refuge System has reached a crisis point. Across the country, insufficient funding is forcing refuge managers to cut back or eliminate staff, education programs, and conservation activities. Immediate attention is needed by Congress members who must make Refuge System funding a priority; a good start is to secure a funding level of $440 million dollars in the fiscal year 2008 budget.
Wildlife Refuge Staff Reductions Continue
Staffing at New Mexico National Wildlife Refuges will be cut by 20% and Arizona Refuges will see a 16% staff reduction over already reduced levels in a plan released last month. With a nearly three billion dollar budget backlog, refuges across the system are losing programs and closing doors.
>> More about cuts at New Mexico refuges
>> Funding cuts hit Arizona wildlife refuges
Background
The 96 million acre National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), plays a vital role in protecting lands and waters for migratory birds and other wildlife-while strengthening local economies. With 40 million visitors annually, refuges generate over $1.4 billion in revenues that benefit nearby communities. The refuge System's 545 refuges create a national network of lands that provide places of wildness and protect the natural habitat of fish, wildlife and plants, as well as offer a variety of recreational and education opportunities to a broad and diverse groups of users. Protecting this valuable resource for the enjoyment of future generations of Americans is imperative.
Unfortunately the places that protect thousands of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and fish; lands that contain 20 million acres of wilderness and 1,400 miles of wild and scenic rivers are at risk due to severe budget cuts and chronic under funding.
The failure to adequately fund our nation's refuges is crippling the ability to mange and restore wildlife habitat, safely maintain facilities and provide quality education and outdoor recreation programs. Refuges are working under the constraints of a federal appropriation that for several years has been level funded. However, refuge expenses include ever-escalating fixed costs, rising salaries, and other growing operational expenditures related to increased public use and visitation. Refuges can no longer keep pace, and across the country refuges are cutting staff and services.
A reduction of services means Refuges will suffer from deteriorating conditions. Among the services in jeopardy are law enforcement, trail maintenance, wildlife management, habitat restoration, facilities maintenance, recreational activities, and educational programs. Insufficient staffing equates to diminished public use and habitat management; lands managed for biological diversity are designed to protect and benefit native wildlife and plant species will be reduced or neglected.
Treasured by sportsmen's groups and other conservationist, recreationists, families, teachers and students, refuges should be protected for future generations.
Cases in Point: Grappling with Inadequate Funding
To address how refuges will be affected by the loss of funding, all seven Fish and Wildlife Service regions are completing workforce management plans. Until plans for all regions are announced we will not know the national scope of the cutbacks, but two regional plans are now public. The Northeast and Southeast Region's plans illustrate why a dramatic new commitment of funding for the National Wildlife Refuge System is urgently needed.
Northeast Region Sees Dramatic Staff Cuts
The Northeast regional office of the US Fish & Wildlife Service job-cutting plan is the result of budget constraints affecting the 71 refuges in the region that consists of 13 states from Maine to Virginia. Operating under a flat budget of about $28 million annually, the chronic funding shortfall has forced mangers in the Region V to cut 28 positions through reassignment and attrition in 2007 and about 22 in coming years. Refuge staff will drop to 350 from 400 (12.5 percent).
The seven NE refuges without staff are:
- Barnegat Division of E.B. Forsythe (NJ)
- Great Bay (NH)
- Martin (part of Chesapeake Marshlands, MD)
- Plum Tree Island and Presquile (VA)
- Supawna Meadows (NJ)
- Sunkhaze Meadows (ME)
Southeast Region Plans to Cut up to 80 Full-Time Staff
According to the "Workforce Management Plan," the Southeast Region (Region IV) will eliminate as many as 80 full-time refuge employees over the next three years. The loss of job follows the elimination of 64 field positions from 2004-2006 and will result in a 20 percent staffing reduction. The Southeast Region currently manages nearly 4 million acres in 128 of the nation's 545 national wildlife refuges.
Local impacts include:
- Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge (TN) lost its only public-use staff causing a 90 percent reduction in environmental education programs, which will affect over 2,000 local school children. The Refuge will also eliminate the number of lottery hunts offered each year.
- Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge (FL) lost two park rangers requiring the closure of the visitor center for two days a week and significantly reducing environmental education for 55,000 school children.
- Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (GA) lost two park rangers requiring the closure of the East Entrance for two days a week, resulting in a decline of 50,000 visits annually.
Sample Letter to Congress
Dear…
Our National Wildlife Refuge System is a unique national resource that provides special places of wildness that are important habitat for fish, wildlife, and plants and also offer recreational opportunities that are enjoyed by millions of visitors annually. But sustained budget cuts have put the Refuge System at risk and nationally refuge managers are planning to eliminate or reduce staff, visitor services, and management activities.
Please help revitalize our refuges by asking for an appropriation of at least $435 million in fiscal year 2008, allowing refuge budgets to keep pace with inflation and provide the funds needed to manage and restore wildlife habitat, safely maintain facilities and provide quality education and outdoor recreation programs on our nation's wildlife refuges.
Without adequate and appropriate staff refuges will suffer from deteriorating conditions and disrepair. Important management activities such as law enforcement, trail maintenance, biological programs, facilities maintenance, wildlife management, habitat restoration, recreational activities, and educational programs will be diminished or eliminated.
Our nation's refuges are treasured by sportsmen and other conservation groups, recreationists, families, teachers and students. Protecting this valuable resource and the wildlife legacy that began when President Theodore Roosevelt established Pelican Island, for future generations of Americans is imperative.
