 Tongass National Forest Participates in Award Winning Project April 10, 2002
Seven Tongass National Forest biologists participated in a spring migration study of dunlin and dowitchers along the Pacific Flyway and received recognition for their work. The employees recognized for their work from the Wrangell Ranger District:
The employees recognized for their work from the Juneau Ranger District:
The employees recognized for their work from the Yakutat Ranger District:
The project was recognized for its reliance on multi-agency private and public cooperation that provided an example of the most cost efficient and comprehensive method for studying large-scale migration of small shorebirds. Over 50 individuals came together in 14 locations, from San Francisco Bay, CA, to Yukon-Kuskokowin Delta, Alaska, to pool their time and equipment with funding from 20 contributing offices, organizations, and agencies to collect much needed information on migrating shorebirds. Until this study, little was known about the northward migration strategy used by Pacific coast dunlin and nothing was known about how individual long-billed and short-billed dowitchers migrate along the Pacific Flyway. "This project demonstrates the ability to work together to deliver effective land stewardship and integrated bird conservation," said Dale N. Bosworth, Chief of the Forest Service. "These types of intra-agency partnerships are the future strength of the Forest Service and our avenue for enhanced conservation and public service," he said. "We are very please with our role in the project," said Tongass National Forest Supervisor Tom Puchlerz. "We are always looking for opportunities to partner with other agencies, organizations or individuals to be more effective in our role as land stewards and it's nice to get recognition like this once in awhile," he said. Taking Wing is the National Forest System program dedicated to the management of waterfowl and wetland wildlife habitat. This effort is directed primarily at the 191 million acres of National Forest System lands and agency responsibilities for proper management and public uses of wetland ecosystems.
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