By Susan Peterson, Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Complex

The Kids in the Creek program celebrated its 20th year at the Entiat National Fish Hatchery. For those not familiar with this award winning program, Kids in the Creek began in 1992 when specialists from several resource agencies, Future Farmers of America and science teachers from local high schools adopted the hands-on field experience idea to connect students with aquatic and riparian ecosystems for an understanding of watersheds and the critical role of human land management activities.

Students from the Discovery School, located on the grounds of Leavenworth NFH, investigate water quality impacts from human and natural events. - Photo Credit: USFWS

Today, the KITC program holds three field days at the Entiat National Fish Hatchery and consists of six educational stations and a culminating activity where students employ all the concepts and knowledge to develop a land use scenario utilizing best management practices and mitigate potential negative impacts on natural resources with the local ecosystem. Over three hundred students from six area schools and almost 40 resource specialists were engaged in this dynamic activity.

Tim McCracken (USFWS) biologist teaches high school students how to estimate cover by species composition vegetation on plots along a transect. - Photo Credit: USFWS

The Kids in the Creek program is hosted by Cascadia Conservation District, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service. The program has been expanded and adapted to different age levels including 4th graders and is a favorite at the Wenatchee River Salmon Festival.

Check out the Kids in the Creek Website for more information
www.kidsinthecreek.com

Saving osprey, rescuing orphaned raccoons, making sure boaters are being safe, checking on hunters and educating visitors to the Mid-Columbia River National Wildlife Refuge Complex… National Wildlife Refuge System Federal Wildlife Officer Richard Bare accomplishes a lot in a typical day at work.

“My typical day? There is no typical day!” laughs Officer Bare. “Our mission is to help and protect the resource. One of my favorite things to do is talk with people and educate visitors to the refuge. I think as a federal wildlife officer, that’s one of the most important things I do.”

Officer Bare received a call that these baby raccoons were orphaned after their mother was hit by a car. He transported them to a wildlife rehabilitation facility. 

Officer Bare has been awarded the Pacific Region 2012 Federal Wildlife Officer of the Year. This award recognizes an officer for outstanding achievement in the field of conservation law enforcement.

Officer Bare has often gone above and beyond his duty and places a high priority on partnering with local agencies. According to Bare, much of his work is a team effort and depends on successful partnerships with other law enforcement agencies.

In an commendation letter from the Kennewick Police Department to Officer Bare regarding help on a particularly dangerous case,

“Without the assistance from members or your agency, this situation could have easily escalated and placed the abducted child in grave danger. We are fortunate to have such great partners and look forward to working in collaboration with your agency for many years to come.”

Officer Bare said he was surprised and humbled to be recognized with the award for a job that he loves to do.

You could say that the hardest part of Officer Bare’s day is waking up in the morning and deciding in which direction to drive.

“There is so much land and water on the refuges; we have a lot of opportunity to make contact with boaters, anglers and hunters for everything from ducks to big game,” said Bare.

There is also lots of opportunity to help wildlife in crisis. Osprey often get caught in bailing twine and fishing line that is not thrown away properly and left as litter. They use the twine in their nests and it gets wrapped around their talons, wings and beaks. These beautiful birds of prey can die of starvation without the ability to feed themselves. Officer Bare recently responded to a call about one such osprey, who was caught in its nest, wrapped in bailing twine. He responded quickly, freeing the bird and clearing the nest of the remaining twine.

Officer Bare successfully released the osprey who was wrapped in twine. 

According to Officer Bare’s supervisors, “His passion and abilities in making cases for the protection of our nation’s wildlife resources has earned him the respect and admiration of the Wildlife Officers of the National Wildlife Refuge System and with our accompanying state and local partners. He has taken the wildlife enforcement cases to new levels of investigation by tracking potential violators on land and through cyberspace.”

From saving wildlife to using sound investigation techniques to catch criminals, Officer Bare’s work is a great example of the high standards of the NWRS Division of Law Enforcement.

The NWRS’s Division of Law Enforcement investigates wildlife crimes, regulates wildlife trade, helps Americans understand and obey wildlife protections laws, and works in partnership with international, state, and tribal counterparts to conserve wildlife resources.

Federal wildlife officers are federal police officers and enforce laws that stem from the Endangered Species Act, the Lacey Act, and the Refuge Administration Act, as well as other state and federal laws. 

“I’ve always wanted to be a conservation law enforcement officer,” said Bare. “This is right where I’ve always wanted to be.”

Officer Bare stands next to the Klickitat River in south-central Washington. 

By Megan Nagel

By Robyn Thorson, Regional Director

Waterfowl figure prominently in the Regional Director’s office agenda this month.  Last week, Deputy Regional Director (DRD) Rich Hannan served as chair at the Pacific Coast Joint Venture (PCJV) meeting.  This strong partnership was initiated to address North American waterfowl conservation along the North Pacific coast region, and the focus has expanded to include all birds.  Many successes on the landscape are attributable to the collaboration of the PCJV. 

Deputy Regional Director Richard Hannan makes his own decoys.  Photo credit: Neesia Hannan

Rich’s focus on waterfowl management transcends his official duties at the office.  Recently, he took up decoy carving as a hobby.  While these wooden ducks may not be as interesting as being in the marsh to his loyal Chesapeake retriever, Nellie, she, like Rich, awaits the fall start of another duck-hunting season.

One of great PCJV partners is Ducks Unlimited (DU), and I had the pleasure of visiting Monday, May 13, with DU’s Western Regional Director Mark Biddlecomb.   DU is a recognized leader in wetland conservation and has been an outstanding FWS partner for projects throughout the Pacific Flyway, including many National Wildlife Refuges.  Keeping this partnership strong was the mutual goal at this meeting, where we discussed recent successes and future projects.

DU’s national convention is coming to Portland at the end of May.  Its agenda includes remarks by the new Department of the Interior Secretary, Sally Jewell.  Among the gathering of DU members and leaders will be a great friend of the Pacific Region:  Dale Hall, former Service Director and years before, Assistant Regional Director (ARD) for Ecological Services in the Pacific Region.  Dale is now Executive Director of DU.  His leadership roles in government and in the private sector are reminders of the dedication of wildlife conservationists across many organizations and agencies.  It will be great to welcome Dale back to the Pacific Northwest.

Deputy Regional Director Richard Hannan’s trusted hunting partner, Nellie.  Photo credit: Richard Hannan

Finally, at the end of June, I’m honored to join the Washington State DU annual meeting to share perspectives from the Service.  My message might include updates or might highlight special projects, but one thing is certain:  it will be a message of thanks for the contribution and leadership of DU in wetland and waterfowl conservation. 

FWS has many treasured partners, and I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to have several recent encounters with one of the greatest – Ducks Unlimited.

Partnering Effort Connects Children to the Outdoors Through Hunting and Fishing Programs

The tulips and daffodils are in blossom.  Its slightly overcast with a bit of a chill in the air and the cackling geese are making music in the early morning haze.  Getting up early, anglers brave the chill to cast their line for that chance to hook the largest trout.   These images go hand in hand with spring fishing throughout the Pacific Northwest.  The warm weather lures people outside to take in the beauty of nature, from the waters in our streams and rivers to the pristine wilderness and fern bedecked forests to the mountain meadows with elk and deer.  Alas, very few of our area’s children get to encounter the wonders of nature or the thrill of catching a fish.  

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service strives to reach out to families by engaging today’s youth in educational and fun activities.  Partnering with State, Tribal and community members, the Service participates in many outdoor events that reach out to youth, sharing our passions for the great outdoors and all the recreational opportunities available.  This spring, more than 4,000 children and their families participated in the Klineline Kids Fishing Derby in Vancouver, Washington. 

Our partners at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife took extra care in stocking Klineline Pond with more than 10,000 rainbow trout for Clark County’s largest annual fishing event.   Volunteers from the community assisted with the assembly of 4,000 rods and reels, attaching weights and bobbers and preparing the bait that will be wriggling out of little hands on fishing day.  Klineline Pond offered the perfect environment for this event, attracting community sponsors and vendors who enhance the weekend’s festivities with free ice cream, bird house building, face painting and even archery.   

Smiles could be seen on both young and old alike as each participating child received a free fishing pole, T-shirt and goodie bag.   Cheers and encouragement from the parents could be heard as they witnessed their youngsters grappling with a fish on their lines.  Squeals of delight match the decibel level of the bird cries as wriggling fish were scooped into the nets.  Some young anglers even went home with prizes, ranging from a new bike, tackle box or trophy.  But none went home empty handed.  

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been a part of this event for several years, partnering with event organizers to connect people to nature.  Our staff and volunteers look forward to this spring event where they can share their passion for the environment while reaching out to kids.  

As in years past, the first day of this event is set aside for children with special needs.  Over 500 students from the S.W. Washington area attended, including youth from the SW Washington School for the Blind and the Southwest Washington Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Children learned how to work with the tackle, bait, hooks and reels.  They learn the techniques of fishing, netting and even cleaning the fish that most of the youngsters to took home for dinner.  Almost every youngster caught their limit (2 per child) and took their rewards home with cooking instructions to complete their fishing experience from pond to table.  This successful event will continue for years to offer guidance and to give each child a better understanding of resource conservation and sport fishing ethics.

For the children, the laughter and smiles tell the story of how they learn to bait a hook, cast a line, and reel in a fighting fish.  Many come away with a special memory as well as information on fish culture, water quality, and habitat on a small scale.  The Fish and Wildlife Service offers these activities as a way to ‘hook’ kids on the benefits of the outdoor world, to appreciate their natural surroundings and to experience one of the most popular outdoor activities in America.

If this sounds like fun – well, you haven’t miss the opportunity.  Find a kids fishing derby near you this spring.  Don’t worry if you have never fished before, these opportunities are perfect places for people of all ages to learn to fish.  Ponds and lakes are well stocked in preparation for these events and Fish and Wildlife volunteers are on hand to help folks master the skills they need to reel in a winner. 

Find out more about the Klineline Kids Fishing Derby at

https://www.facebook.com/#!/KlinelineKidsFishingEvent

Faces of Nature Blog

http://facesofnatureusfws.blogspot.com/

FlickR Images at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwspacific/sets/72157633272892299/with/8643315911/

By: Emily Teachout

Original source: http://wordfromwild.blogspot.com/2013/05/moms-and-daughters-hit-beach-for-birds.html

My daughter, Maggie (age 12), and I participate in a mother/daughter group that wanted to do a community service project. After seeing a series of YouTube videos on marine debris ingestion by albatrosses on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, the girls were really moved and wanted to find a way that they could help locally. To help address the problem at the source, they wanted to get debris off the beach and out of the ocean ecosystem where it poses a direct threat to seabirds and other animals. “I was motivated by the pictures and stories about the dead albatrosses who eat plastic and die,” said Brynn Dumbeck, a girl in our group.

So on a sunny Saturday, we carpooled out to Ocean Shores to take part in the annual beach cleanup efforts coordinated by Washington CoastSavers. We hit the beach with our handy-dandy picking tools and a stock-pile of collection bags that they provided. Brynn Dumbeck liked the aspect of working as a part of a coast-wide effort. “It was cool that a lot of people all over were doing the beach cleanup,” she said. 

A bundle of balloon found by Maggie Neatherlin

Sophie Danner, Maggie Neatherlin, Luna Lowsky and Brynn Dumbeck with a few of the many bags of trash they collected.

The experience was very rewarding! Parent Anthea Lawrence extracted a plastic bottle cap from the sand and noted, “Here’s one less piece of plastic for an albatross to eat.” In fact, the girls have expressed interest in doing this again. Sophie Danner, reflected that participating felt like the right thing to do, “…making a difference instead of spending your Saturday in bed or in front of the computer or something.” As a wildlife biologist and a mom, I was proud that our group of girls came up with this way to tangibly act as stewards. The fact that we all got spend a day together, in an amazing place, was a bonus. 

Upon return, we received an email from CoastSavers noting that the combined effort of the volunteers up and down the coast on that one day removed 15 tons of trash from the ocean ecosystem! Upon reflecting on the experience with the girls, they all said they wanted to do it again, and they hope that more people join in. Maggie notes that marine debris is everywhere, and always will be, “…unless we choose to do something about it. It’s not just going to fix itself, we have to fix it. We have to clean up our own mess. You could live on the other side of the world and you can do something. Wherever you are, you can help.”

To take part in the next beach cleanup visit Washington CoastSavers: http://www.coastsavers.org/

To learn more about marine debris ingestion by albatrosses see the video series by Chris Jordan:http://www.midwayjourney.com/film-trailer/

Or: http://www.fws.gov/midway/

By Joan Jewett, Public Affairs Officer, USFWS Pacific Reigon

Recently, I was one of the lucky people who got to go the top of Rattlesnake Mountain on the Hanford National Monument to look at wildflowers and the view. It was the first time in six years the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took members of the public to this special place and I got to tag along. 

Frances Watson, reporter for KEPR-TV in Pasco, WA, was eager to share the beauty of the wildflowers with her viewers. All photos by Joan Jewett/USFWS

Frances Watson, a local KEPR-TV reporter on the trip, said getting to go on the tour was like finding a golden ticket in a Wonka bar — and I agree! All 80 tickets for the four wildflower tours were spoken for in less than a minute after they were offered online.

Cushion daisies are plentiful on the mountain. 

Rattlesnake Mountain is usually closed to the public because it so ecologically and culturally sensitive. About 60 species of plants are found on the arid, treeless peak that rises 3,600 feet above the surrounding flatlands. To the west, the snow-covered peaks of Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier dot the horizon; to the east, Hanford Reach, the last free-flowing stretch of the Columbia River, flows at the base of steep white cliffs. Local Native American tribes took refuge atop Rattlesnake Mountain 13,000 years ago during the great Missoula floods and have used it ever since, leaving a landscape filled with sacred sites and artifacts. The public tours did not visit those areas.

A rock cairn is a symbol of the spiritual significance of Rattlesnake Mountain to local Native American Tribes. 

Called Laliik in the Yakama language, the mountain is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Thanks to its dramatic position on the landscape, Laliik, and especially its summit, served and continues to serve as an important place for vision and spirit quests, resource gatherings and other cultural activities by regional American Indians. Robyn Thorson, the director of the Service’s Pacific Region, which includes Rattlesnake Mountain, was recently honored to participate in a traditional ceremony on the mountain with members of the Umatilla Tribe.Steve Airhart of Kennewick, WA, was wowed by the view from the mountain top. 

People on the public wildflower tours were thrilled to visit the top of the mountain they usually only see in the distance. Mike Clouse of Kennewick, Washington, has worked construction sites on the surrounding Hanford Nuclear Reservation since the 1970s. “I always looked up here and thought I’ve got to get up there someday,” he said. Once on top, he was not disappointed. “It’s beautiful,” he said, as his gaze moved from the tiniest of plants to the expansive view. “Your eyes can stretch and you can see forever.”

Donna Hostick of Kennewick, WA, tells KEPR-TV reporter Frances Watson she feels lucky to see the plants and view at the top of Rattlesnake Mountain.

Donna Hostick, also of Kennewick, said she was “astounded” by the flowers and the view. But she figures this trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The opportunity to visit the mountain top is so rare she wants others to have the experience, too.

“It’s important to let people experience this,” she said. “They will be more interested in conserving it.”

Ever get one of those questions that make you put your hand to your head and say “Hmmmm.”  Good Question:  How does one survey a group of birds that Migrate?  Well, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Migratory Bird branch can tell you – working together!  It’s what we call “Multi-Agency Coordination” and this spring’s efforts are focusing on the Pacific Flyway’s Cackling Canada Goose Survey.

Mark Nebeker, Manager of the Sauvie Island Wildlife Area for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, coordinates this effort and pulls together all the volunteers for a successful bird count

Coinciding with “Bring your child to work Day”, this survey project enabled FWS staff to share their legacy of protecting fish and wildlife and habitat with their families.  Hayden Sanders, age 8, got first-hand experience working beside his dad, safely capturing, identify and re-sighting Cackling Geese.  

This coordinated effort is being undertaken on Sauvie Island, Oregon and other areas all over the Willamette Valley.  Our partners at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, The Pacific Flyway Council and National Wildlife Refuges share in the success of this intensive Cackler Goose survey – revealing that staff and volunteers have thus far captured, banded, collared and released more than 560 Cackling geese.  And those were the ones that they wanted to capture, let’s not forget the birds they didn’t  - a handful of mallards, a dozen sandhill cranes, a few pintails and 1 confused wood duck

Up at dawn, migratory bird specialists, hunters, and volunteers prepare the selected fields with bait and the rocket nets that will be used to safely capture the geese.  Three fields were chosen on this particular morning and the observers waited quietly for the flocks to alight in the areas closest to the nets.  Anticipation builds as the numbers grow and I had to steiffel a gasp or two as the geese land within the project area, only arriving a dozen at a time.  Fingers are poised on the triggers of the rockets that will propel the nets into the air, ensnaring the geese until we can release them. 

Patience is essential, for sometimes one might have to wait for hours.  Silence must be observed at all times (torture for this writer), no shuffling around or unnecessary movement that may startle the birds.  Volunteers pull their jackets close around them and sit quietly in the dusty barn, peering through the slats and windows, just waiting for the grounded birds to reach a significant number.  Disappointment can come just as quickly, as you watch the resident bald eagle, also in search of a good breakfast, swoop down on the field and send the geese back into the air.  Back to the drawing board….to sit and wait and hope that the flock of geese will return. 

This project was initiated last year in partnership with the Pacific Flyway Council and other conservation partners  -  a 3-year cooperative ‘Mark-Resight Study’ for cackling Canada geese which involves marking cacklers and re-sighting them in wintering areas in California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.  This information will verify population estimates currently in use and provide essential data that will have a big impact on the types of management actions the Service will implement and how we will best manage the agricultural depredation impacts of geese in Oregon and Washington

This planned effort is coordinated range-wide and involves intensive surveys during fall and spring.  Each survey consists of a minimum of two survey days in one week, followed by two survey days the next week.   The Pacific Flyway is very large, encompassing thousands of miles

“Trying to execute a survey of this magnitude without our partners would be like trying to survey fish in the lake with only one boat” said Todd Sanders, Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Specialist.  “Multi-agency coordination is essential to accurately collect data in all the areas that these geese inhabit.”

Results of past surveys identified Cackler populations at a low of about 25,000 birds in the mid 1980s.  The decline is believed to be largely due to sport harvest in California and subsistence harvest on the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta in Alaska.  To recover this species hunting restrictions were put into effect by State and Federal Agencies.  Once in place, this successful management practice allowed the geese population to increase; numbers began to rebuild and the cackler hunting season was reopened in 1994.  Continued monitoring of Pacific Flyway geese have indicated that last year’s population exceeded 240,000 birds.

There are seven different sub-species of Canada Geese that reside in the Willamette Valley.  It is important to collect accurate data to identify the specific bird species and accurately propose management plans for that species.  

Service personnel are tasked with surveying National Wildlife Refuges and surrounding areas.  Staff from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife office will survey state wildlife areas and other non-refuge lands and volunteers from partnering agencies and migratory bird offices, cover other areas and fill in as needed. 

Citizen Scientists are also asked to participate and report additional resightings of geese populations outside of the scheduled survey periods.  This information is of great value to the study by providing information on neckband numbers with location, date, and any pertinent information observers may provide.

Canada geese found in the Willamette Valley and Lower Columbia River areas feed on agricultural crops, specifically grass seed, causing extensive damage.  The Fish and Wildlife Service is striving to achieve a balance between managing geese populations without negatively impacting agricultural interests.  With partners such as the Pacific Flyway Council, State Wildlife Offices, Alaska Natives, and other conservation groups, we strive to protect this species by developing harvest guidelines that will continue to increase the cackling goose population.