[audubon-news] FW: AUDUBON MARKS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF PELICAN ISLAND NWR
- From: "BIANCHI, John" <JBIANCHI@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <Audubon-news@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 15:17:51 -0500
To unsubscribe from the list, send email to audubon-news-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
> Contact: John Bianchi
> jbianchi@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:jbianchi@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> 212/979-3026
>
> AUDUBON MARKS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF PELICAN ISLAND,
> AMERICA> '> S FIRST NATIONAL WILDLIFE RREFUGE
>
> Audubon Celebrates its Key Role in the Founding of the National Wildlife
> Refuge System
>
> Florida, March 14, 2003 - Today, Audubon marks a key milestone in the history
> of American wildlife conservation -- the 100th Anniversary of the National
> Wildlife Refuge System. Audubon> '> s involvement in this celebration is
> extremely appropriate: one of the organization> '> s founders, Ornithologist
> Frank Chapman, urged one of its members, President Theodore Roosevelt, to use
> his executive powers to create the first National Wildlife Refuge at Pelican
> Island on Florida> '> s East Coast.
>
> "> The National Wildlife Refuge System is America> '> s only network of
> federal lands dedicated first and foremost to wildlife conservation,> ">
> said National Audubon Society President John Flicker > "> Since the very
> beginning, Audubon has been there to help found, foster, maintain, and
> protect this remarkable collection of gemlike wild lands. Through volunteer
> refuge keeper programs and monitoring work, we have shared a steadfast
> commitment with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protecting our great
> natural heritage.> ">
>
> Roosevelt founded the then-five-acre Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge
> on March 14th, 1903. The first employee of the National Wildlife Refuge
> System was Paul Kroegel, a local Floridian who was at the time also working
> as a Warden for the Audubon Society. His salary from the Federal Government
> was one dollar per year - paid in addition to his Audubon wages. Roosevelt
> would go on to create 51 more bird reservations and four big game preserves
> during the remainder of his presidency - all of which formed the core of the
> Refuge System.
>
> This anniversary comes at a time when funding for Wildlife Refuges is low,
> and many individual refuges face conservation challenges. > "> We're going
> to fight in Washington for real investment in our nation> '> s wildlife
> refuges,> "> said Audubon Senior Vice President for Public Policy Bob
> Perciasepe. > "> We are calling on the Congress to invest $100 million to
> address the System's most urgent needs.> ">
>
> The U.S. National Wildlife Refuge System provides irreplaceable habitat for
> birds and other wildlife. Its refuges provide migration stopovers for more
> then 700 species of birds, serve as the home for more than 2,000 species of
> plants and animals, and protect virtually every major type of habitat in
> North America. America> '> s refuges provide a critically important string
> of wetlands for migrating waterfowl and other birds, and provide open
> trackways for migrating Caribou and other mammals. In addition, National
> Wildlife Refuges are essential for the continued survival of America> '> s
> endangered species: More than fifty refuges were founded specifically to
> protect endangered species, and more than 200 endangered species can be found
> on National Wildlife Refuges.
>
> Many Audubon state offices and chapters will be celebrating this important
> milestone in National Wildlife Refuges throughout the United States in the
> coming weeks and months, and helping to raise awareness for the truly vital
> role our refuges serve.
>
> Audubon is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat
> that supports them. Our national network of community-based nature centers
> and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of
> areas sustaining important bird populations, engage millions of people of all
> ages and backgrounds in positive conservation experiences.
>
>
> # # #
>
>
You are subscribed to Audubon-News. To unsubscribe, send email to
audubon-news-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. To
adjust other settings (vacation, digest, etc.) please visit,
//www.freelists.org/list/audubon-news.
Other related posts:
- » [audubon-news] FW: AUDUBON MARKS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF PELICAN ISLAND NWR
