Washington (October 26, 2006) - A federal plan made public today would mothball the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge - established a century ago by President Theodore Roosevelt - and shutter dozens of others across the Southeast, while cutting scores of the refuge personnel.  Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, the nation's first national wildlife refuge, will lose the staff assigned to working with visitors and eliminate active outreach to the public.  The plan to eliminate the Refuge's visitor services is among the sweeping cutbacks highlighted in the new "Workforce Management Plan" of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's  Southeast Region.  The 128 national wildlife refuges in the Southeast Region support more visitors than those in any other region: more than 11 million visitors annually.

"Pelican Island is symbolic of our nation's commitment to protect our most critical bird and wildlife habitat," observed Bill Meadows, President of The Wilderness Society.  "Sadly, Pelican Island is now a stark example of how Congress and the Administration have failed to provide the funding and attention needed to sustain our wildlife legacy."

According to the "Workforce Management Plan", the Fish and Wildlife Service's Southeast Region (Region IV) will eliminate as many as 80 full-time refuge employees over the next three years.  The loss of job follows the elimination of 64 field positions from 2004-2006 and will result in a 20 percent staffing reduction.  The Southeast Region currently manages nearly 4 million acres in 128 of the nation's 545 national wildlife refuges. 

Among the cuts included in today's plan:

• Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge (FL) lost its only public-use staff and eliminated all active outreach at the nation's first national wildlife refuge.
• Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge (TN) lost its only public-use staff causing a 90 percent reduction in environmental education programs, which will affect over 2,000 local school children.  The Refuge will also eliminate the number of lottery hunts offered each year.
• Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge (FL) lost two park rangers requiring the closure of the visitor center for two days a week and significantly reducing environmental education for 55,000 school children.
• Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (GA) lost two park rangers requiring the closure of the East Entrance for two days a week, resulting in a decline of 50,000 visits annually.
• Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuge Complex will eliminate surveys for sea turtles and other marine resources on more than 400,000 acres within Great White Heron and Key West Refuges.
• Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge (AL) lost its entire biological program, which supports three national wildlife refuges and affects over 15 threatened and endangered species.

The 96 million acre National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is buckling under the weight of persistent under-funding and a crippling $3.1 billion budget backlog.  Without sufficient funding, the Service can not adequately manage and restore wildlife habitat, safely maintain facilities and provide quality education and outdoor recreation programs for millions of visitors.  As a result, these chronic funding shortfalls have led the Fish and Wildlife Service to mark dozens of refuges for mothballing - a step that withdraws staff from the refuge and eliminates programs to manage public access and other activities on the refuges.

The Southeast Regional Plan follows upon the heels of the Northeast region's (Region V) proposal to balance the books by removing staff from seven refuges; but nine out of ten Northeast refuges will still not have enough money to pay basic operating expenses by 2013.  Further, a host of services will be reduced or cut at these and other refuges, including: law enforcement, trail maintenance, biological programs, maintenance of facilities, management of wildlife, habitat restoration, recreational activities, and educational programs.  The Fish and Wildlife Service's Northeast and Southeast Regions offer a bleak preview of a National Wildlife Refuge System starved for funding: without a dramatic new commitment of funding for the Refuge System, this crisis will ripple throughout the entire National Wildlife Refuge System and all of its 545 refuges.

Since 1903, when President Theodore Roosevelt established Pelican Island in Florida as our nation's first wildlife refuge, the National Wildlife Refuge System's network has grown to include 545 refuges.  There is a national wildlife refuge in every state and U.S. territory and there is a refuge within an hour's drive of almost every major U.S. city.  National wildlife refuges enjoy the broad and diverse public support of conservation groups, sportsmen's groups, recreationists, and families and schools that use refuges as living classrooms. With over 40 million visitors annually, refuges help to return nearly $1.5 billion dollars to the national economy each year and create over 24,000 jobs.

Without adequate funding closed refuges will fall into disrepair - leaving them alone for just one year will do significant damage.  More refuges are likely to face a similar fate as more funding is cut. The only way to prevent dramatic reductions in service (e.g. habitat management, recreational programs, and trail maintenance) is to increase the refuge system operations and maintenance budgets. 

Founded in 1935, The Wilderness Society has more than 300,000 members and supporters and is dedicated to protecting America's wilderness and wildlife for future generations through public education, scientific analysis, and advocacy.