Fall/Winter 2001

Conservation News

PALMER APPOINTED TO Lead Regional EPA Office - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Todd Whitman recently appointed James (Jimmy) I. Palmer, Jr., as a new regional administrator. He will be over Region 4, which encompasses Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama and Florida. The regional office is located in Atlanta, Georgia. "Throughout his career as a lawyer focusing on environmental issues and during his tenure in state government, Jimmy has demonstrated an exceptional knowledge of environmental law and policy that will make him a valued member of our team," said Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Whitman. According to Clarke Reed, Chairman of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation, "I have known Administrator Whitman and her family for over 30 years. She has made an excellent choice in choosing Jimmy to head the Southern Regional Office. He is a thoroughly professional administrator in a complicated field. He understands the necessity of balancing environmental protection and economic growth." Prior to his appointment, Palmer practiced law as a member of Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens and Cannada, PLLC, where he practiced environmental, natural resources and energy law. Prior to that he served for 12 years as the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality through the administrations of Governor Ray Mabus and Governor Kirk Fordice. During his time at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Palmer was a part of various efforts at the Environmental Protection Agency including the Policy Review Board and Management Committee for the Agency's Gulf of Mexico Program, the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force and the Small Towns Task Force. Palmer also served as Executive Director in the Office of General Services, part of the Office of the Governor in Mississippi. Palmer holds a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Mississippi and a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Mississippi State University. The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency, which was established in 1970 by The White House and Congress, is to protect human health and safeguard the natural environment - air, water and land - upon which life depends. For 30 years the agency has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment. The Environmental Protection Agency employs 18,000 people in Washington, D.C., 10 regional offices and 17 laboratories across the United States.

Wildlife Mississippi Announces BIOLOGIST FOR SOUTH MISSISSIPPI - Randy Browning has been selected as the private lands biologist, a new position that is a partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation. It is based in Hattiesburg and covers south Mississippi. According to Ray Aycock, field supervisor for the Service's Field Office in Jackson, Browning's position will allow him to work with private landowners to accomplish three major objectives. "The first objective is to promote longleaf pine management on private lands. Second, Browning will utilize programs like Partners For Fish and Wildlife and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, where possible, to aid landowners in conserving fish and wildlife habitat." And, lastly, Aycock concluded, "Browning's third objective is to encourage landowners along the scenic river systems of South Mississippi to manage for better water quality and fish habitat." The Service and the Foundation have a mutual interest in protecting, restoring and enhancing natural fish, wildlife and plant resources. This unique partnership will facilitate specific habitat improvement projects on private lands mutually approved by the Service, the Foundation and the landowner. Browning will also work with area landowners in learning about conservation easements. "Randy is the ideal person for this task. He has the right balance of technical expertise, experience in working with private landowners and a strong desire to help them meet their objectives," stated Leila C. Wynn, President of the Foundation. Browning will spend most of his time working with private landowners to cooperatively manage the habitat and wildlife within the longleaf and coastal savannah ecosystems. He will prepare prescriptions for forest management and prescribed burns, along with making recommendations to manage a diversity of species of wildlife, such as white-tailed deer, turkey, quail, gopher tortoise, red-cockaded woodpecker, black pine snake and black bear. Browning is looking forward to his new venture. He said, "I'm excited about this opportunity to spend quality time assisting Mississippi landowners to enhance, restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat on their property." Browning started October 1. Prior to taking the private lands biologist position, Browning worked for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks for nearly seven years as a district biologist in the 10 coastal counties from Hattiesburg, south. Browning earned a bachelor of science in forest game management with a minor in agriculture and a master's degree in forestry with an emphasis in wildlife, both from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Browning, with wife Rachel and children, Miranda, Colt, Ryan and Jessica, live in Purvis.

AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY HONORS B.A.S.S. Conservation Effort - Citing a long history of supporting the protection and management of our natural resources, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) has presented its Fisheries Management Section Conservation Achievement Award for 2001 to the Bass Anglers Sportsman's Society (B.A.S.S.), the world's largest fishing organization. "B.A.S.S. is recognized for promoting the now widespread practice of catch-and-release fishing and competitive fishing," said AFS Section President Tim Hess. "B.A.S.S. has served as a model for conducting highly organized events." In presenting the award, Hess commended "B.A.S.S. Conservation's encouragement of and support into research of the Largemouth Bass Virus, a mysterious killer of the bass species." The American Fisheries Society, founded in 1870, is a professional organization with more than 9,000 members who promote the conservation development and wise utilization of fisheries, both recreational and commercial. "This is a great honor because it comes from the grass-roots professionals who manage America's fishery resources," said Bruce Shupp, B.A.S.S. Conservation Director. "B.A.S.S. is more than a fishing business," added Hess. "B.A.S.S. works with government agencies, private companies, public utilities, and sportfishing and environmental organizations to ensure quality fisheries resources and is an advocate for the sport. We are also very proud of our state B.A.S.S. Federations, which work hard to promote wise management of recreational fisheries resources and, thus, better ensure quality recreational fishing opportunities for today's and tomorrow's anglers," added Shupp. "They all share in this award."

BUSH SIGNS BILL FOR STATE WILDLIFE PROGRAMS - President George Bush has recently signed an $80 million state wildlife grants program into law. The funding is part of the fiscal year 2002 Department of Interior and Related Agencies appropriations bill that passed the U.S. Congress. By providing the states with grants for wildlife conservation, Congress and the President continue the precedent set by the 1937 Pittman-Robertson Act, the 1950 Dingell-Johnson Act and the fiscal year 2001 Department of Interior and Commerce, Justice and State (CJS) Departments appropriation acts for cooperation between the federal government and the states for managing and conserving their wildlife species. The Interior appropriation act complements the 2001 appropriations that established the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program (WCRP) as part of the CJS appropriations. Like the WCRP, this new program will provide funds to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, through a formula based on land area and population. Funding is provided for species with the greatest conservation need, as determined by the states. In addition, $5 million more is available for Indian tribes, such as the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians to conserve wildlife on their land. "Congress and the President have once again taken an important step to conserve America's wildlife heritage. Indeed, this legislation provides vitally needed matching funds essential to do effective wildlife conservation, education and recreation to the stewards of our nation's wildlife, our state fish and wildlife agencies," said Robert McDowell, president of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. "Today, more than ever, we appreciate all that is great about our nation, including our commitment to conserving our natural heritage. By funding programs to conserve wildlife today, we ensure that our children and their children will enjoy the best that America has to offer. This funding will help maintain healthy and abundant wildlife populations," continued McDowell. Support for state fish and wildlife conservation through the federal Wildlife Restoration and Sportfish Restoration programs (Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux Acts) derives from hunter and angler permanently dedicated user fees that generate almost $500 million annually. The conservation and restoration initiatives funded under these user fees focuses on game and sportfish. Consequently, the more than 85% of America's fish and wildlife species that fall outside of those classifications, receive an inadequate amount of funding for conservation or management and may reach critically low numbers, thereby requiring emergency measures and funding under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). Enhanced state wildlife funding, as in the 2002 Interior appropriations, enables the state wildlife agencies to prevent species from becoming endangered at a minimal cost compared with the social and economic disruptions that go along with federal listing under the ESA. "It takes time and considerable effort to turn around species once they begin to decline," explained McDowell. "While we have had good success with once troubled species like the wild turkey, it took decades of investment to enable wild turkeys to thrive again across the nation."

PRYOR NAMED TO BOARD OF WILDLIFE MISSISSIPPI - Wildlife Mississippi has recently named Roger Pryor, the Founder and President of Pryor and Morrow Architects in Columbus and Tupelo, the newest member of the organization's 16-member Board of Trustees. According to James L. Cummins, Executive Director of Wildlife Mississippi, "Mr. Pryor is a true friend of conservation and he is well known for his dedication to the community and to Mississippi's fish, wildlife and timber resources. I look forward to working closely with him to improve them. His knowledge of ecologically responsible land management and his vast knowledge of Northeast Mississippi will be great assets in the conservation work of Wildlife Mississippi." Pryor states, "Fish, wildlife and forest resources are vital to the people of Mississippi, and wise use of them are important to our environment and economy. The further conservation of habitat is a giant step in the right direction toward ensuring that we can have environmental protection while at the same time maintaining economic growth throughout our state. Wildlife Mississippi is rapidly moving ahead, leading the conservation movement throughout Mississippi. I enjoy working with my family on my tree farm in Clay County and I'm looking forward to being part of an organization that is working to ensure that the opportunities I have are available for my four children," continued Pryor. Pryor's goals for Wildlife Mississippi are to not only increase the number of members in Northeast Mississippi, but increase the awareness of the organization's current efforts as well as further expand conservation programs that will improve the fish and wildlife resources in the region. Pryor, a fifth generation Mississippian, is married to Stephanie Sanders Pryor. They have four children: James, Alan, David and Sarah. A graduate of Georgia Tech and the University of Pennsylvania, he makes his home in West Point.

LAND DESIGNATED FOR ENDANGERED BIRD - The Mississippi Gulf Coast's original snow bird, the endangered piping plover, will find new protections in place for its winter home this year. Though they hail from Canada, Nebraska and other northern climes, when the air turns cold, the plovers head for the beach. The 6-inch birds, listed as an endangered species since 1985, flock to southern coast from North Carolina to Texas each winter. Now the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has designated 165,194 acres of coastline as critical habitat for the birds, including 9,529 acres in Mississippi. As a result, any action a federal government agency takes that might affect the critical habitat, such as issuing a permit for development or awarding grant funds for a project, has to be cleared through federal wildlife officials. The environmental group Defenders of Wildlife sued the Fish and Wildlife Service in 1996 and won a court decision forcing the agency to outline critical habitat for the plover. The Endangered Species Act requires critical habitat to be designated for every species on the endangered list.

LAKE CHARLIE CAPPS CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION - Lake Charlie Capps, a 512-acre lake located about 13 miles west of Cleveland in Bolivar County, has been closed to foot traffic in preparation for major new construction and renovations that began this past August. "Our first priority is fixing the problems we have had with erosion and sloughing on the levee," Chief of Fisheries Ron Garavelli said. Other construction includes repairing the wave-breaker, building a new parking lot and road, a new tractor shed and new fishing stations around the lake. In addition, vegetation work by Mississippi State University for habitat enhancement and shoreline restoration will continue. The new fishing stations that will be built will consist of a platform and a roof that will allow anglers to enjoy the lake despite rain or hot temperatures. The improvements to Lake Charlie Capps were made possible by a bill passed by the Mississippi Legislature. The lake will be open throughout construction for boats. The two piers on either side of the boat ramp will remain open. The lake will remain closed until construction is completed.