October 2000 THE WILD SIDE - NATIONAL MILITARY FISH ...

You, the 900 plus members of the National Military Fish and Wildlife Association have devoted your careers to the wise use of military training and testing lands and waters in support of the national defense preparedness mission. Your interest is the interest of the public trust. Those of you in Federal service serve the public trust directly and your job is governmental in nature. You are supported in your mission by diverse expertise reflecting the complexity of the ecological systems you attempt to manage. Daily, you help balance military mission needs with long-term sustainability of natural resources, and this provides the greatest insur-ance of mission success in the future. Long-term resource sustainability and near term environmental compliance can and do conflict with mission requirements -- resolution of that conflict in the interests of the public trust is what you do. This govern-mental responsibility must be

served with professional conscience, credibility, and capability. It is essen-tial to meeting American’s commit-ment to environmental security, quality of life, and the well being of its Sol-diers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines. The Sikes Act is the law of the land. It provides the vehicle for balancing these conflicting requirements – i.e., integrated natural resource manage-ment planning. It specifically and clearly recognizes the critical nature of your role as dedicated professional civil servants in representing the Federal Government in the day to day implementation and enforcement of integrated natural resource manage-ment plans. It is this law which is now at the heart of a landmark suit filed by two of our Association members against the Secretary of the Air Force. With the assistance of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), these two individuals have

Volume XVIII– NO. 3

THE WILD SIDE David Tazik – NMFWA President

([email protected])

October 2000

The Wild Side 1

WEB SITE UPDATE;

Minutes from 2000 ANNUAL BUS MTG Rep. Young letter

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Gansler reply Apology; WESTERN REGIONAL DIRECTOR UPDATE HERP WORKSHOP 2000; International bat Conference in miami

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NMFWA in NASHVILLE TWS 2000; 2001 NMFWA PROGRAM

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Natureserve website; Contracting out TRIBUTE

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Nominations needed 19

Inside this issue:

taken a stand not on their own behalf alone, but to make some of the very same points noted above. If it is

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taken a stand not on their own behalf alone, but to make some of the very same points noted above. If it is Trust vs. DoD, then it truly is a sad day in America. The outcome of this suit at Edwards Air Force Base may very well determine the fate of natural resource integrity on military lands. It is worth watching closely (watch the NMFWA web site for more info). Of no less concern is the heavy load of uncertainty that has been placed squarely on the shoulders of all those in federal service that perform natural resource management functions on our public lands. In the mad scramble to put an economically efficient façade on the face of Defense, the DoD is attempting to outsource as many jobs as possible. Not only is it contrary to law, in the case of Sikes Act, even the Government Accounting Office finds it of question-able economic efficacy (see GAO report NSIAD-00-106). Make no mistake about it: 1. The future of military lands natural and cultural

resources integrity is at stake. 2. Natural resource management functions are in

jeopardy. 3. DoD is abrogating its public trust responsibilities

by sacrificing resource sustainability for short-sighted fiscal gains of questionable effect. Environmental security is worse off for it.

4. Congress has clearly signaled its continuing support of the letter and spirit of the Sikes Act. Congressman Don Young has inquired into DoD’s improper use of the A-76 process, and individual Senators and Congressman have inter-ceded on behalf of their constituents.

5. There is a growing awareness among environ-mental groups and professional organizations of DoD’s malfeasance in the outsourcing game.

We find ourselves at a crossroads once again. Faced with declining support for professional natural resources management on military lands, and the resources we manage in jeopardy, to what extent should we, the National Military Fish and Wildlife Association, go in standing up for the principles that we espouse? We do not find it desirable to file suit against the very organization that we serve. However, we do have an obligation to “…promote sound, professional natural resources management on lands controlled by DoD.” Yes, we do support enforce-ment of the Sikes Act and INRMPs. We do support those who stand firm against violations of the Sikes Act. And we do support strengthening the language of the Sikes Act, as if it needed more clarity in its letter or spirit. Your Board of Directors is most interested in hearing your views as to what actions NMFWA should and should not pursue on behalf of the membership in the face of continuing Sikes Act violations. Contact any one of us directly, or better yet, make your views known to all via the NMFWA Bulletin Board. I once again enlist your support. Make every attempt to participate in the 2001 training workshop in Washington, DC. Pursue your rights as an American citizen to make your Congressional delegation aware of your situation. Continue to work professionally with fellow Association members and local and regional environmental stakeholders. The cause is honorable, the future uncertain. All must stand firm on principles that favor the public trust.

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The Wild Side — continued

Minutes from NMFWA Annual Business Meeting — 2000 26 March 2000

VOLUM E XVIII– NO. 3

There are several new features on the NMFWA internet site (www.nmfwa.org). The “links” section has several new categories, and links to about two dozen sites – if you have suggestions for links, contact me. The Government Affairs Committee now has a posting from the Air Force lawsuit over outsourcing and the Sikes Act. There are still templates for you to easily write your congressional representatives and the legislative history of the Sikes Act and the Gonzales Amendment. Good news from Avon Park AFR, in the form of a detailed report, is also posted. There is also a link to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) which also has a great site – be sure to check out their Texas Chapter for a very informative tour of “Toxic Texas.” Another one of our links goes to The Wildlife Society page (www.wildlife.org). So please check out the web site, it’s there for all of us as a tool and it’s a great communication device.

The Bulletin Board continues to thrive – please check it out regularly to see if you can answer a ques-tion, or post a question of your own. The more use the Bulletin Board gets, the more valuable it will be to us all. Few things would make me happier than the need to remove some of the old messages, making room for more up-to-date information. Rhys M. Evans, Western Regional Director ([email protected])

The Annual Business Meeting of the National Military Fish and Wildlife Association (NMFWA) was called to order by President Mark Hagan at 1500 on 30 March 2000. The meeting was held in the Rosemont Ballroom A, Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Rosemont, Illinois. President Hagan began the meeting by introducing and thanking the 1999-2000 Board of Directors (BOD). He presented the following motions and outcomes that were voted on by the BOD during the past year:

1) Commitment to meet jointly with the WMI through the year 2005 – Passed Unanimously on 20 September 1999.

2) NMFWA Herpetology Workshop Working Group will officially represent NMFWA interests with Partners for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) – Passed Unanimously on 5 October 1999.

3) Reimbursement of fees and expenses in the amount of $2,217.06 to David White for preparation of two legal memoranda: Legal Research on the Legislative History of the Sikes Act and Legal Research on the Legislative History of the Gonzolas Amendment – Passed Unanimously 18 October 1999.

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NMFWA WEB SITE UPDATE

the Reserve Account upon passage of the motion. Furthermore the motion stated that the President must appoint a special committee to establish long-term policy guidance for the use of the Reserve Account funds. Until such time as the policies are established and accepted by the BOD (but no more than one year from the date of passage of this motion), the following interim policies shall apply: a) the BOD will have full discretionary authority in any dis-bursements based on a simple majority vote, and b) this shall not restrict the use or disburse-ment of regular operating funds – Passed Unanimously on 31 January 2000.

8) NMFWA develop a fact sheet with PEER on the benefits of individual membership in PEER. This fact sheet would be sent via U.S. Mail to the NMFWA membership as a one-time mailing. In addition, the fact sheet would be approved by the NMFWA President or BOD. - Motion Carried on 29 February 2000.

President Hagan sent a letter to Mr. Peter Boice endorsing the concept of holding a Department of Defense (DoD) Workshop. The letter also offered support and possible opportunity to meet in conjunction with the annual NMFWA meeting.

President Hagan recommended that the incoming BOD consider establishing a committee to manage the NMFWA website. It will likely take more than one person to ensure information on the website is managed effectively.

4) NMFWA will provide a printed

set of mailing labels to Forestry Suppliers, Inc. for a one time mailing with the stipulation that the information can not be used to add to their own list - Motion Did Not Carry on 12 January 2000.

5) Allow Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) to post information on the NMFWA web page and to send an electronic mail message, through the webmaster to the NMFWA membership, explaining PEER and it’s activities. If approved the contents of the electronic message would be subject to approval by the BOD. In addition, it was moved that NMFWA allow PEER to offer membership in PEER with special consideration. – Passed Unanimously on 12 January 2000.

6) NMFWA provide a sum of $5,000 to retain the services of legal counsel to join suit to reinstate the two natural resources profes-sionals at Edwards AFB. In addi-tion, it was moved that if legal counsel was approved it would be the same, Mr. Alan Perkins, as that retained by the two co-plaintiffs at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB). – Motion Carried on 29 January 2000.

7) NMFWA establish a Reserve Account to receive contributions form members, nonmembers, individuals and organizations; the Account to be held separately from the regular operating account of NMFWA and subject to annual review by the Audit committee. The motion also stated that the NMFWA Treasurer must set up

Minutes — continued

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NMFWA NMFWA

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The Secretary/Treasurer report was then provided by Ms. Tammy Conkle. She first made a motion that the Annual Business Meeting minutes and Treasurer’s Report from 28 March 1999 be accepted as they were published in the June 1999 FAWN. Motion carried. She also reported that NMFWA maintained $26,522.42 in its bank account. Ms. Conkle reported that 182 persons attended the 2000 NMFWA Annual Training Workshop. In addition, she reported that due to the efforts of several people, especially Ms. Coralie Cobb-Show and Tell Session Chair, NMFWA had the most successful Silent Auction to date, earning $874.00. The Herpetology Working Group Chairperson, Mr. Jim Beemer, provided a report on the activities of the first Working Group of NMFWA. Activities included coordination of the 2000 Herpetology Workshop as well as chairing the “Herps on DoD Terms” Session. Mr. Beemer also encouraged others to use the Working Group Guidelines to establish additional working groups that would enhance communication among members. Lastly, he announced that Mr. Jay Rubinoff was elected as the new chairperson. Dr. Harold Balbach, Host Committee Chair, reported on his activities and thanked all those who helped. Mr. Tom Warren, Archives Committee Chair, reported that the archives were updated. The 1998 Award Recipients still need to be included in the archives. Mr. Glen Wampler, Chairman of the Awards Committee, reported that four awards would be presented at the Annual Banquet. Although the Award recipients were not mentioned at the meet-ing they were as follows: 1) Student Conservation Association for Volunteer support at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and Southwest Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 2) California Polytechnic State University for support of Endangered Species Conservation Programs at Camp Roberts and Camp San Luis

Obispo National Guard Training Sites, 3) Ms. Julie Thomas for her professional management in assisting California Army National Guard implement their Fairy Shrimp Conservation Program, and 4) Mr. David Fritz for professional management through his dedication to conservation work within the Fort Sill ITAM Program. Mr. Jim Bailey, Audit Committee Chair, reported that the NMFWA account balance at the end of 1998 was $26,484.86. In addition, the bank statements, receipts, and ledger for 1999 were balanced. Mr. Bailey also reported that the due to the purchase of Quicken the audit process has become more simplified. Mr. Gregory Lee, Membership Committee Chair, reported that there were 847 members, 462 who are voting members and 385 that are non-voting members. President Hagan reported that Mr. Richard Bunn resigned as the Editor of the FAWN. Dr. Michael Passmore has volunteered to take on the responsibility. Dr. Passmore encouraged everyone to submit articles to the FAWN. Ms. Wanda Deal, Poster Committee Chair, stated that she wanted to update the poster that was a bit out of date. She requested any new photographs or ideas. The Nominations Committee, chaired by Ms. McHenry, reported that 460 ballots were distributed to the designated voting members. One hundred (100) ballots (22%) were returned with 51% of the votes cast via the web page, 10% were cast via electronic mail, 31% were received via facsimile, and 8% were sent via the U.S. Postal Service. The Reserve Account Committee, chaired by Mr. Scott Smith, has been recently established. Mr. Smith is just getting started on establishing policy and guidelines for this new account. The chair for the Wildlife Management Institute Program Committee, Dr. Thomas Wray II, reported that we were provided the opportunity to co-chair a session entitled “NEPA After Thirty Years: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” at the 65th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference.

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Minutes — continued

VOLUM E XVIII – NO. 3 PAGE 6

There is also some prospect that NMFWA will be able to chair another session at the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. Dr. Dave Tazik , chair of the Government Affairs Committee (GAC), reported that the primary issue addressed by the GAC during the past year was the commercialization of natural resources management (NRM) functions on DOD installations. These we deem to be in conflict with the Sikes Act, DOD guidance, NEPA, and Office of Federal Procurement Policy Letter 92-1 referenced in OMB Circular A-76. While it is a good idea to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of government, we want to ensure that good sense prevails and that we do not forfeit our public trust responsibilities in the process. Work on the Outsourcing Handbook was completed and posted on the NMFWA web site. President Mark Hagan wrote a letter to the Honorable Don Young without reply. Jim Miller, past President of The Wildlife Society, wrote a letter to Ms. Sherri Goodman. The reply was weak. Individual Associa-tion members wrote letters to their congressional delegations with some significant success. A FOIA request was sent to each of the military services for documents and related information on outsourcing. President Hagan sent an Action Alert to all members on three issues, namely, PEER, Reserve Account, and a note encouraging all members to write letters, as private citizens, to their congressional delegations. The National Wildlife Federation passed a resolution at their recent annual meeting supporting enforcement of the Sikes Act as it relates to natural resource management on military lands. Legal counsel was retained to advise the Association on a variety of legal matters, particularly those relat-ing to outsourcing. Several legal memoranda were prepared - some of which are posted on the NMFWA web site. A legislative history of the Sikes Act was developed and is posted on the web. Advice was provided on potential Association response to the FAIR Act list. In one case, funds were provided by NMFWA to develop certain legal memoranda related

to the Sikes Act and Gonzoles Amendment. These are posted on the web site. Retained legal counsel to assess options available to NMFWA to support a Sikes Act related suit being filed by cer-tain Association members. The BOD authorized a $5,000 retainer and agreed to join the suit. Our intent is to help enjoin illegal outsourcing of inherently governmental functions within one or more military services within the DOD. In joining this suit, three options are available to us: file as a co-plaintiff, file as amicus curiae (friend-of-the-court), or simply provide financial support. A Reserve Account was established, one purpose of which is to support legal counsel and related activities of the Association. Expenditures are at the discretion of the BOD and not limited to legal expenses. President Hagan established a Reserve Account Committee to develop long term policy for the account. The purpose of this account is to distinguish "Reserve" funds from the general funds that are derived from the annual training workshop. Lastly, Dr. Tazik introduced Mr. Jeff Ruch, Executive Director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) to give a presentation. Mr. Ruch explained that PEER is an alliance of 10,000 federal, state, and local govern-ment employees in all fifty states. Essentially PEER is an advocate for public employees on environmental issues. PEER serves as a safe and effective vehicle for employees to spotlight and solve environmental problems when they are not being dealt with by their agencies. Mr. Ruch provided examples of their work including their assistance with Mr. Bruce Eilerts from Luke Air Force Base. With an $800,000 yearly budget and a strong public relations and legal staff they are able to provide advocacy and legal assistance. PEER also establishes and provides an information network to public employees. Currently, PEER has twelve field offices across the country staffed by former public employees who have struggled with environmental issues within their agencies. To better serve the natural resources managers on military lands, which are critical landmasses


on a large scale making up 25 million acres, PEER is working to establish a Military Chapter. This chapter would be devoted to employees protecting Depart-ment of Defense lands. In conclusion, Mr. Ruch offered all members of NMFWA a free, one-year membership that includes a copy of their newsletter, PEEReview. Mr. Ruch was then available for specific questions. President Hagan finalized discussion by explaining the motion that was passed by the BOD regarding PEER. NMFWA will develop a fact sheet with PEER on the benefits of individual membership in PEER. This fact sheet would be sent via U.S. Mail to the NMFWA membership for a one-time mailing. Members who are not interested in receiving additional mailings can contact PEER, or a member of the BOD, to be removed from the list. A sign up sheet was provided for members who were not interested in receiving the mailing. Mr. Rhys Evans, Western Director, provided informa-tion on the development of the "Outreach and Advertising Guidelines" for NMFWA. Mr. Evans made specific mention of the Bulletin Board and its management and use, specifically sensitive and "unapproved" material. There has been some discussion on the establishment of a Website Committee. Lastly, Mr. Evans mentioned the recent success of a Military Lands Session at The Wildlife Society, Western Section in Riverside, California in January 2000. Due to its success, there is a proposal to have another Military Lands Session at The Wildlife Society Annual Conference in Reno, Nevada in September 2001. Mr. Jim Beemer, Eastern Director, discussed the inclusion of a session with the American Fisheries Society (AFS) at next years Annual Training Work-shop. Mr. Beemer also provided information on the NMFWA Annual Training Workshop applying as contact hours for The Wildlife Society Professional Development and Certification Renewal Program. This information can be found on their website at http://www.wildlife.org/certification.html.

President Hagan then asked if there was any new business and several items came up for discussion. Mr. Kim Mello suggested the interest in the development of an Invasive Species Working Group (similar to the Herpetology Working Group). Mr. Beemer suggested using the guide-lines developed for the Herpetology Working Group for Invasive Species. Vice President Don Pitts thanked those who assisted with judging the papers. Mr. Pitts commended both the Session Chairs and the presenters on their professionalism and efforts. Mr. Tom Poole asked about the efforts in updating the poster, especially the pictures. Ms. Deal stated that it was also her hope to add a history of the Sikes Act on the next poster. In conclusion, the New Board of Directors were introduced and the results of the election were as follows: President Elect – Mr. Don Pitts, Dyess AFB, Texas Vice President – Mr. Glen Wampler, Fort Sill, Oklahoma At Large Director – Mr. Pat Walsh, Avon Park AFR, Florida Regional Director East – Mr. John Joyce, Naval Air Engineering Station, New Jersey Regional Director West – Ms. Coralie Cobb, Southwest Division, NAVFACENGCOM, California President Hagan adjourned the meeting at 4:43 pm.

VOLUM E XVIII – NO. 3

FUTURE NORTH AMERICAN NATURAL RESOURCES CONFERENCE MEETINGS

66th - 16-20 March 2001, Omni Shoreham, WA DC 67th - 3-7 April 2002, Hyatt Regency Dallas, Dallas, TX 68th - 26-30 March 2003, Adam’s Mark, Winston-Salem, NC 69th - 15-24 March 2004, Doubletree Hotel City Center, Spokane, WA

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VOLUM E XVIII– NO. 3

WESTERN REGIONAL DIRECTOR UPDATE

Other than our web site (see related article – page 3), my primary focus has continued to be working toward a “Military Lands” session at the national meeting of The Wildlife Society in Reno, Nevada in September 2001. We look forward to getting the word out on some state of the art research that the military and our cooperators are doing. With the assistance of Dr. Jerry Boggs of The Environ-mental Trust, we have submitted a proposal to the Program Committee, but it is still a competitive process. Unrelated to NMFWA, but still of interest to some members could be some related TWS activity. The Western Section has sent a letter to the Chancellor of the University of California opposing the likely site of a new campus in Merced, California. The “Lake Yosemite” site is located in fragile upland

community with thousands of vernal pools. One of the major problems with the site is that the Chancellor and UC Regents are trying to ignore the inevitable development of apartments, fast food chains and department stores that will follow right on the heels of a new campus. We’re aware that legally, they MUST consider related develop-ments, but the politicians and some of the regulators could be accused of looking the other way. I’m serving on the Public Information Committee of the Western Section TWS, and I encourage NMFWA members to become more active in professional organizations -- especially our own -- but TWS is pretty cool, too. Finally, I may have found a candidate for this board position when my term expires next spring! I’ll keep that info to myself for just a little while longer, though. If any of you watched “Survivor,” you’ll appreciate the value of suspense. Rhys M. Evans, Western Regional Director ([email protected])

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An Apology to Contractors by Junior D. Kerns, CWB I know that it is hard to believe, but in my own diminutive fashion, I apparently offended a number of contractor personnel while attempting to raise funds for NMFWA (to support legal action against illegal contracting-out of natural resources positions) during the most recent meeting of the Association in Chicago. Those of you who know me are probably thinking, *So what else is new, Junior has offended everyone else two or three times in his career, why should contractors be any different?* But those of you who know me even better realize that (in my own, bull-in-the-china-shop way) I really had no intention of offending any contractors. Nor did I intend to take cheap shots at contractor personnel. Contractor personnel are no worse and no better than regular governmental employees. Most of us have jobs that we attempt to fulfill to the best of our abilities and within the constraints placed upon us by our bosses. I like nearly every contractor with whom I have ever worked. With only a few excep-tions, they produce high quality work, with which I am proud to be associated.

I see support contracts and contractor personnel as vital to the mission that we, as Defense biologists, do every day. Gone are the days when every job in the Natural Resources and Environmental Offices could be done by in-house, government employees. Not only is there too much pressure to reduce the number of government employees, but the workload has grown far too fast for any organization to keep up. Every new law, every new regulation, every new crisis results in more workload. Service contracts are the only way to accomplish much of it.

The real issue is that most of our DoD natural and cultural resource service contractors are at the same risk from the A-76, FAIR, and privatization initiatives as government employees. If the employees of small (and not-so-small) service contractors think that they will either retain or increase the number of their contracts on DoD installations, they should think again.

When an installation advertises all of its support services (including all environmental and conservation program services) in huge all or nothing contracts, the corporations that bid are not likely to include many specialty subcontractors. The whole point of the competition process is to reduce costs. Every subcontractor brings another layer of overhead and reduced profit. When “Mega-Corp, Inc” wins a contract, they will install their own personnel, working directly under their own managers. One biolo-gist is as good as any other to “Mega-Corp, Inc”. Years of experience and expertise will be secondary to cost.

And it will not only be small conservation specialty contractors that lose out. Government labs and service agencies (such as the Army Corps of Engineers) will also find themselves excluded. You may remember the old Patrick Henry quote, “We must all hang together, or we will all hang separately.” That applies to us all today. We are all at risk.

The natural and cultural resources on our installations are at risk as well.


Herpetology field Workshop a success!!

The Herpetology Field Workshop held on 3 June 2000 at the US Military Academy at West Point, NY was an unqualified success. Attendees heard presenta-tions from six speakers on a range of topics that, despite having a North-eastern US flavor, could be readily applied to other regions of the US. The topics included: using volunteers to conduct a herp atlas; creating an artificial habitat for a rare turtle species; a vernal pool study that developed a ranking system for amphibian importance of each pool; reptile legis-lation and regulation (importance of conservation vs. protectionism); effects of genetic swamping of one ambystomid salamander on a sympatric salamander; and, how one snake poacher can devastate snake populations over large areas. For the field session, 15 herp species were found in 3 hours of searching. These included two turtles, a lizard, three anurans, three snakes and six salamanders. Evaluation forms that were collected from the attendees were positive and gave some useful suggestions that can be used to make future work-shops more accessible to a greater number of NMFWA members (two- or three-day workshops instead of a one-day workshop). Copies of some speakers’ handouts are still avail-able. Jim Beemer, Chair

Herpetology Working Group ([email protected])

International Bat Conference Held in Miami

The 30th Annual North American Symposium on Bat Research (NASBR) was held in Miami, FL, on 27-30 September 2000. The symposium was attended by approximately 400 scientists and managers representing federal and state agencies, foreign governments, academia, and private organizations. The 4-day meeting consisted of 120 paper presentations and posters on natural history, population biology, morphology, ecology, and management of bats, and special sessions were held on bat rabies, partnerships, and conservation issues. Paper sessions included a presentation titled “An Assessment of Bat Inventory and Management Activities on Defense Installations,” which represented a follow-up of the overview presented at the NMFWA bat session at the 2000 NMFWA annual meeting in Chicago. Abstracts of all presen-tations made at the symposium will be published in a future issue of Bat Research News. The 31st NASBR is scheduled for 24-27 October 2001 in Victoria, British Columbia. Chester Martin ([email protected])

DEADLINES FOR SUBMITTING ARTICLES TO EDITOR FOR

UPCOMING FAWN EDITIONS: 15 DEC 2000 for JAN 2001 edition 1 MAY 2001 for JUNE 2001 edition


A meeting of the National Military Fish and Wildlife Association Board of Directors was held on Wednesday, 13 September 2000 in Nashville, Tennessee, in conjunction with the national meeting of The Wildlife Society. No quorum was present, so the meeting was considered unof-ficial, and no votes were conducted. Board members present: Dave Tazik, Mark Hagan, Tammy Conkle, and Rhys Evans. Approximately 10 additional members were also present. The meeting was called to order at 1543 by President Tazik. The agenda was distributed and recent Board of Directors actions were reviewed. Items President Tazik reported on: • Approved new fees for the 2001 Annual Meeting: Standard fee (banquet included) $250 Students and Retired Persons (banquet included) $150 Single Day Fee (including Show and Tell Session but NOT the banquet) $75 Single Day Fee for invited Session Presenters (does not include banquet or Show and Tell Session) No charge ($0) Show and Tell Reception Non-DoD Exhibitors $200 Banquet Fee for Non-Registrants Minimum of $40 per person • Dr. Thomas Wray, 2001 Arrangements Chair has been approved by the BOD for expenditures up to and including $34,780. The plans for a conference banquet at an off-site location (on a river cruise) have been cancelled due to logistical

NMFWA in Nashville!! (TWS Meetings)

• The BOD unanimously approved the recognition of the Invasive Species Working Group, chaired by Kim Mello. • Updated the current membership: 939 members (92 new since Chicago) with 533 voting members (71 new). • Deadline for the next "FAWN" is very soon. Evans agreed to submit an article regarding the TWS meeting. January FAWN submissions are due by mid-December. The January issue, as in previous years, will include detailed information on the 2001 meeting. • Does not have an update on activities of the Government Affairs Committee. President Elect Don Pitts was unable to attend the meeting because of health reasons. Tazik stated that one issue of significance is that there is "no consistency" in the responses to A-76 by the individual branches of DoD. Tazik distributed photocopies of the letter written by Congressman Don Young to Secretary of Defense Cohen, and the response from Mr. Gansler, which basically informs Mr. Young that a full response will be sent in November. • Distributed draft schedules for the program at NMFWA 2001. • BOD and NMFWA Members Scott Smith, John Joyce, Rick Griffiths and Junior Kerns are working on a policy for operation of the "Reserve Account." • Provided an update on cooperation with PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsi-bility), that "some" NMFWA members have been removed from the PEER mailing list, at the request of the NMFWA members. • Recent communication from PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility). PEER proposed doing a survey and requested our assistance, but we have not committed to doing it (the entire BOD will consider the subject).


• Opened the meeting to reports from the floor. - Tammy Conkle read the Treasurer's Report: The Association has received a new Tax Exemption letter from the Internal Revenue Service. The Law Enforcement Refresher course was successful and the association earned a small profit. Current NMFWA account balances: Reserve Account: $3,481.00 Regular Account: $29,523.23 - Jim Beemer provided a report on behalf of Jay Rubinoff on the Herp Working Group. The 2000 workshop was a success (see associated article-page 10), the next planned workshop will be in 2002, tentatively sched-uled for Fort Stewart, Georgia. Rubinoff will be working on guidelines for capture and transport of reptiles, for review and possible implementation by working group members. - Mark Hagan provided a report on the Nominations Committee, that he is seeking at least two candidates for each vacancy. Persons with nominations should contact Hagan directly. Ballots will be sent to voting mem-bers independently of the FAWN. - Bert Bivings took the floor for several minutes, discussing recent develop-ments at his office regarding outsourcing and other adverse employment actions. - Rhys Evans briefly detailed activity on the NMFWA web site (www.nmfwa.org) and the proposed "State of the Art Wildlife Management on Military Lands" symposium at The Wildlife Society 2001 Annual Meeting. This latter subject has been expanded upon in a separate memo to the Board of Directors.

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- Robert Sargeant reported that there will be a workshop of Southeast Coastal bases in early March 2001. - Jim Beemer discussed the progress of discussions with the American Fisheries Society (AFS), regarding input from NMFWA with a technical session at their 2002 meet-ing in Baltimore, Maryland. After questioning all in attendance for further business or discussion, the meeting was adjourned by President Tazik at 1650. Rhys M. Evans Western Regional Director ([email protected])

Nashville NMFWA Minutes — continued

NWFWA 2001 Hotel Rates (OMNI SHOREHAM – WA DC)

Single = $133 Double = $168 Triple = $208 Quad = $228

RESERVE NOW!!

(HAPPY HALLOWEEN!)


The Wildlife Society — 2000 Annual Meeting

More than 1400 professional biologists, educators and students gathered in Nashville, Tennessee for the 7th Annual Conference of The Wildlife Society. More than 300 papers were presented in 12 symposia and 16 contributed papers sessions. Two poster sessions, a large trade show and a welcome reception were included. I was particularly impressed by the “Wildlife and Highways” Symposium and a selection of papers on Wildlife Toxicology. Many of the papers presented were from research conducted on military lands, which strongly supports our proposal for a NMFWA sponsored symposium at TWS 2001, Reno NV (see related article-page 12). As with previous years, there were so many interest-ing papers on the schedule that made it diffi-cult to decide which of the concurrent ses-sions would be most educational. The Student Quiz Bowl – a game show-like competition covering legislative history, techniques, taxonomy and a myriad of other issues – was a great success, with sixteen teams entered. The final match was undecided with 60 seconds left on the clock, as the University of Minnesota squeezed out a victory over Mississippi State. Arkansas Tech and the University of Wisconsin (Madison) earned third and fourth places, respectively. Immediate Past President Mark Hagan and I were once again disappointed that Humboldt State University’s certain vic-tory was hampered by their absence. The Barbecue and Hoedown on the final evening of the conference was memorable, with great music, ribs, cornbread and hay-rides, among many other diversions. [An insider’s tip: next year’s banquet will be unforgettable, the location truly unique…]

Of course, most of us are incredibly busy with our jobs and lives, but if you have any time to spare, participation in TWS events, and the rewards of Society membership are well worth the time involved. Rhy Evans, Western Regional Director ([email protected])

2001 nmfwa program plans

Thanks to plenty of volunteers the program is coming along well. Along with the usual board and working group meetings we have an interesting group of sessions for which the chairs are coming up with some informative speakers on subjects that folks are working with in the field. It should be a really good training session. Our tentative program has quite a cross section of NMFWA happenings. It spans from carnivores through fish to kitty cat colonies. We go wading in the muck of the wetlands and then look at the muck of agreements dealing with endangered species. Before it's over we look at the legal happenings of the year. Then Mr. Peter Boice will share some insights about DoD's view of conservation issues. The business meeting is on Thursday afternoon and breakout sessions for the different services are on Friday morning. We also expect a great "Show and Tell" session on Wednesday evening and, of course, the Awards Banquet on Thursday evening. It is a meeting that you won't want to miss. Glen Wampler, Chair Program Committee 2001 ([email protected])

EMAIL ADDRESSES NEEDED!!!! Please send your E-mail address to: Greg Lee, Membership Committee Chair at: [email protected] to be included in the NMFWA database. This will aid Regional Directors and other BOD members facilitate improved communication with the membership. THANKS!!


NatureServe, a new “online encyclopedia of life” developed by the Association for Biodiversity Information (ABI), is now available to the public on the Internet at www.natureserve.org. NatureServe provides authoritative conservation information in a searchable database for more than 50,000 plants, animals, and ecological communities of the United States and Canada. NatureServe will be a valuable resource for conservationists, students and teachers, academic researchers, land managers and environmental planners, and anyone inter-ested in learning about the plants and animals of the U.S. and Canada. In-depth information on rare and endangered species NatureServe provides the most comprehen-sive, in-depth information on rare and endangered species currently available, and includes extensive information on common plants and animals too. The top source for ecological communities NatureServe is the first searchable Internet database for the ecological communities of the U.S. and Canada. Learn what exists, where it's found, and how rare it is NatureServe’s colorful distribution maps show where each species and ecological community occurs, plus how rare or common it is across its range. Which plants and animals are rare or imperiled in your state? What species are legally protected? Answer-ing these questions and more, NatureServe details the life history and habitat

requirements of thousands of species, the threats they face, and management strategies for their protection. A partnership among ABI, the Natural Heritage Network, and The Nature Conservancy NatureServe makes data from U.S. Natural Heritage programs and Canadian conservation data centers easily accessible to the public for the first time—representing a quarter-century of field work, ecological inventory, and scientific database development by a network of hundreds of botanists, zoologists, ecologists, and data managers.

FEDweek Issue, Wednesday, October 4, 2000 FEDWEEK IS NOW THE LARGEST INFORMATION RESOURCE IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH OVER A MILLION READERS! Everyone is eligible to sign up for FREE email delivery at home, work or both places by visiting their web site at: http://www.fedweek.com. Contracting Out Gets Critical Look The General Accounting Office recently issued a series of reports on contracting-out at the Defense Department, which has the lion's share of jobs eligible for conversion to the private sector-and the greatest amount of controversy over its contracting-out program. GAO looked at issues including identifying jobs for possible conversion to contract, whether projected cost savings are achievable and whether the agency is complying with certain limitations on its contracting program. For a look at the results, go to http://www.fedweek.com and click the "Hot Free Info" button on the home page. An expanded article can be seen at: http://www.fedweek.com/NewHotNews/ ContractingOut.htm

New NatureServe® Website Launched

FEDWEEK takes a hard look at DoD “contracting out

Policies…...


Fellow members of the National Military Fish and Wildlife Association…. We lost a friend this past August. Dr. Laurence Jahn passed away. Many of you are fairly new members of the Association and perhaps aren’t aware of Larry’s influence on our organization. Back in the mid-80s when our young association was struggling for recognition within and outside of Defense, we decided to accept the offer of the Wildlife Management Institute and meet in conjunction with their meeting (the North American Natural Resources Conference) in Reno, Nevada. Larry Jahn was Vice President of WMI at that point. Larry was a speaker at that historic meeting of ours, and he went out of his way to make our meeting the most productive ever. The official history of NMFWA states, “Many feel that this meeting was the first time the Association was recognized by the conservation community as a viable conservation organization. It is safe to say that national credibility was attained in Reno in 1986.” Larry Jahn was primarily responsible for that. By 1989 we were meeting annually in conjunction with the North American, and our organization has grown since then. Much of this was due to Larry’s support (he was President of WMI at that point). In the mid-1980s we were in

the middle of our first Sikes Act fight. Well… we got the job done with the 1986 amendments to the Act, and who was there to help… WMI and Larry Jahn. Who was there to help with the mammoth battle that culminated in another Sikes Act revision in 1997… that’s right -Larry Jahn. Even when he left WMI, Larry always had time to help. In 1987 we gave one of our first Association awards to WMI. In 1991 the National Military Fish and Wildlife Association made it even more specific when we gave Larry Jahn an award for “Dedicated support to the National Military Fish and Wildlife Association since its inception.” Yes, Larry Jahn took the time to help our organiza-tion grow and become a part of the national community of conservation organizations… an organization that has always only had a relatively few members. Larry took care of us as he did for oth-ers. He took the time. And he was busy… he had lots of titles and honors— President of WMI, President of The Wildlife Society, and winner of the Leopold Award…. they indicate just how involved this man was…. while he was helping us… the National Military Fish and Wildlife Association. Thanks Larry… for taking the time, for making things happen, for helping us believe in ourselves. Goodbye… good friend. Gene Stout

NMFWA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Dave Tazik, USAERDC, WES, Vicksburg, MS 601-634-2610, FAX 3726, [email protected] Past President Mark Hagan, Edwards AFB, CA 661-277-1418, DSN 527-1418, FAX 6145, [email protected] President Elect Don Pitts, Dyess AFB, TX 915-696-5664, DSN 461-5664, FAX 2899, [email protected] Vice President Glen Wampler, Fort Sill, OK 580-442-4324, DSN 639-4324, FAX 7207, [email protected] Sec/Treasurer Tammy Conkle, MCAS Miramar, CA 619-545-3703, DSN 735-3703, FAX 3489, [email protected] Director At-Large Pat Walsh, Avon Park AFR, FL 941-452-4254, DSN 968-7524, FAX 4221, [email protected] Director At-Large Jim Bailey, USAGAPG, APG, MD 410-278-6748, DSN 298-6748, FAX 6779, [email protected] Director East John Joyce, Naval Air Engineering Station, NJ 732-323-2911, DSN 624-2911, FAX 2718, [email protected] Director East Scott Smith, Dare County AF Range, NC 919-722-1011, DSN 722-1011, FAX 0494, [email protected] Director West Coralie Cobb, SW Nav Fac Eng Command, CA 858-577-6238, DSN 267-6239, FAX 6206, [email protected] Director West Rhys Evans, MCAGCC, Twenty-nine Palms, CA 760-830-7396X234, DSN 957-7396, FAX 5718, [email protected] FAWN Editor Mike Passmore, USAERDC, WES, Vicksburg, MS 601-634-4862, FAX 3726, [email protected]

NMFWA COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Archives Tom Warren, Fort Carson, CO 719-526-2022/4907, DSN 691-2022, FAX 1705, [email protected] Audit Jim Bailey, USAGAPG, APG, MD 410-278-6748, DSN 298-6748, FAX 6779, [email protected] Awards Jim Beemer, US Military Academy, West Point, NY 914-938-2314, DSN 688-2314, FAX 2324, [email protected] Gov’t Affairs Don Pitts, Dyess AFB, TX 915-696-5664, DSN 461-5664, FAX 2899, [email protected] Law Enforcement Brian Hostler, NAS Oceana, VA 757-433-3438, DSN 433-3438, FAX 2719, [email protected] Membership Gregg Lee, Moody AFB, GA 912-257-5881, DSN 460-5881, FAX 5811, [email protected] Nominations Mark Hagan, Edwards AFB, CA 661-277-1418, DSN 527-1418, FAX 6145, [email protected] Poster Wanda Deal, Edwards AFB, CA 661-277-1426, DSN 527-1426, FAX 6145, [email protected] Reserve Account Scott Smith, Dare County AF Range, NC 919-722-1011, DSN 722-1011, FAX 0494, [email protected] WMI Thomas Wray II, NAVSURFWARCENDIV, VA, 540-653-4186, DSN 249-4186, FAX 2339, [email protected] 2001 Program Glen Wampler, Fort Sill, OK 580-442-4324, DSN 639-4324, FAX 7207, [email protected] 2001 Host Thomas Wray II, NAVSURFWARCENDIV, VA, 540-653-4186, DSN 249-4186, FAX 2339, [email protected]

Nominations Needed Now!!!

The Nominations Committee is currently seeking nominations for the 2001 Board of Directors. Positions that will need to be filled include President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, At-Large Director, Western Regional Director, and Eastern Regional Director.

Go ahead and volunteer some time and nominate yourself. Or make a friend by nominating someone else. You may contact any of the following Nomination Committee members: Mark Hagan, Dave Tazik, Tammy Conkle, Pat Walsh, John Joyce, and Coralie Cobb. Our phone numbers and email addresses are listed above.

Your Association needs everyone to get involved! So make a nomination today.


NMFWA EDITOR ATTN: Michael F. Passmore (EE-E) 3909 Halls Ferry Road Vicksburg, MS 39180-6199

A NEWSLETTER OF THE NATIONAL MILITARY FISH AND WILDLIFE ASSOCIATION

October 2000 THE WILD SIDE - NATIONAL MILITARY FISH ...

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