Mark J. Humpert, Teaming With Wildlife Director, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (December 29, 2008)Mark's Remarks "Change" is a word that we heard often in 2008 and it's a word that describes the Teaming With Wildlife program this past year. The biggest change was that Naomi Edelson, the first Teaming With Wildlife Director, left the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies to work for the National Wildlife Federation. Fortunately Naomi will continue to work on behalf of the coalition as a member of the Teaming With Wildlife steering committee. We will forever be indebted to Naomi for her vision and passion and for organizing the coalition more than a decade ago. Dave Chadwick, Teaming With Wildlife Associate also left the Association to work for the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Dave played a vital role in communicating the importance of State Wildlife Action Plans to federal agencies and other partners. Sean Robertson and Megan Cook also made important contributions and likewise moved on to new jobs. I assumed the reigns of the Teaming With Wildlife program in August. Prior to that I spent the last 14 years as a District Manager and Wildlife Diversity Program Manager for Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. I'm excited about working for the Association and directing the Teaming With Wildlife program. Important milestones that were reached this year include the introduction of the Teaming With Wildlife Act by Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Senator Mary Stabenow (D-MI) and the inclusion of funding for State Wildlife Action Plans in major climate change legislation such as the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act that was debated on the Senate floor in June.
Teaming With Wildlife Fly-in Day Mark your calendars, the 2009 Teaming With Wildlife Fly-in Day will be held February 24th and 25th in Washington DC. Event and lodging information including registration information is available at the TWW website. More information will follow.
Coalition Growth The TWW coalition continues to grow, although at a slightly lower rate than in the last several years. Currently, the coalition stands at 5,901. We hope to surpass the 6,000 mark by the Fly-in Day. Thanks to your support the Teaming With Wildlife coalition is one of the largest coalitions ever assembled on behalf of wildlife . Help us reach our goal of 6,000 by directing organizations and businesses to the online endorsement form. Any group that supports wildlife conservation can join.
Economic Stimulus & Wildlife Funding We recently put together a proposal to congressional leaders requesting $150 million in additional State Wildlife Grants funding to support "shovel-ready" projects that support implementation of State Wildlife Action Plans. This was based on a survey of states that identified nearly $400 million in potential projects that can be implemented quickly. Additional State Wildlife Grant funding would create roughly 4,000 new jobs.
Presidential Transition The Association sent a letter and a list of key priorities to President-elect Barack Obama. The Association's transition document includes a section on State Wildlife Action Plans and the need for dedicated funding to support action plan implementation. It appears that there will be significant action on climate change during the new administration and it will take significant effort to ensure wildlife adaptation funding is included in climate change legislation.
Climate Change and State Wildlife Action Plans The Association's Teaming With Wildlife and Climate Change committees established a new workgroup last fall to develop guidance to help state's better incorporate climate change into State Wildlife Action Plans. The workgroup is made up of 24 representatives from state and federal agencies and private conservation organizations. The guidance document should be available in September 2009.
What's In Store for 2009 I'm optimistic that we will make great strides in 2009 towards our goal of securing dedicated funding for wildlife conservation, education and nature-based recreation. I'm planning improvements that will help facilitate better communication, coalition growth and enhanced opportunities for activation of the coalition. The challenge is still daunting, particularly in the current economic climate. However, the heightened interest by the media and public in the environment gives us an opportunity to have our voices heard.
I sincerely thank you for your support and hard work during 2008 and look forward to working with you in 2009. Together we'll reach our goal and help ensure a sustainable future for wildlife.
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