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Overwhelmed and Understaffed, Our National Wildlife Refuges Need Help. That was the title of a Fall 2020 Audubon Magazine article, and the situation has only gotten worse. In 2012, our refuge consisted of 1,384 acres under the management of a full-time staff of 6. In 2013, the 944-acre Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 34 miles from refuge headquarters,
was created and complexed with Tualatin River NWR with no additional staff. In 2020, an additional 20 acres was added to the original refuge and in 2021 full-time staff was increased to 7. Managed acres increased by 70% and staff by less than 17%.
At the national level, the predicament is even worse. While the number of annual Refuge System visitors jumped by 13 million over the last six years, the number of full time Refuge Service Staff has dropped by more than 1000. In that time, hundreds of millions of new acres were added to the System, along with 13 new refuges. The urban program was created, and the Service is tackling invasive species on almost all refuges. While more people are looking to recreate on wildlife refuges, especially during the pandemic when people craved the solace and safety of outdoor spaces, understaffed refuges struggle to provide those opportunities.
Equally troubling is a 15% drop in the number of volunteers since FY2011. At a time when record numbers of Americans are retiring and have the capability and desire to give back, the Service’s ability to oversee their efforts has been curtailed. Volunteers provide an additional 20% of work on our national wildlife refuges, yet they are being turned away when the System needs them the most because there are no FWS Staff to supervise them.
During the Congressional budget process, National Wildlife Refuge Association and Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates, two organizations that work with Friends groups across the country, asked Congress to authorize $712m for Refuges in the FY 2023 budget. Unfortunately, the federal government is currently operating with a Continuing Resolution (CR) that continues funding at $519m. The CR expires Dec 16th, and it is anyone’s guess what will happen with funding at that point. It depends on the outcome of the election. In the coming months Friends will be asked to take their role as advocates for the National Wildlife Refuge System to a whole new level. Please be thinking of how understaffing has impacted your enjoyment of our refuge and be ready to tell your story. Many of you have commented on the lack of volunteer opportunities, the un-loved condition of the bio-swale and beds around the refuge buildings, the lack of programs such as Bird Festival and Puddle Stompers. If you have a story you would like to share, we’d like to hear from you. Send your concerns to Cheryl
See you on the refuge!
-Cheryl Hart
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