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Salute to Volunteers: Individuals Give Their Time to Pass On Conservation

Our 9,382 dedicated U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteers in the Columbia Pacific Northwest and Pacific Islands regions gave an incredible 198,914 hours of their time to conservation in 2018. That is the equivalent of 24,864 eight-hour work days and 95 full-time staff members! These incredible folks deserve a huge thank you.

By Brent Lawrence, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service public affairs officer based in the Pacific Regional Office in Portland, Oregon.

Volunteers play a significant role for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Our volunteers are sharers of knowledge, and givers of their time. Individual volunteers may be the person you meet on the trail at a National Wildlife Refuge, or they may be ensuring the next generation of salmon by helping with spawning at a National Fish Hatchery.

Together, our volunteers in the Pacific Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are an amazing force. The numbers from 2018 tell the story: Volunteers donated 198,914 hours of their time to make your experience better.

That equates to 95 full-time workers. … Let that soak in for a while.

There were 9,382 individuals who donated the equivalent of 24,864 eight-hour work days to you – the American public – by showing up to help at your National Wildlife Refuges, and National Fish Hatcheries in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. They do it because they want to pass on a tradition of conservation and wildlife to future generations.

“Words can’t fully express our appreciation and gratitude to our amazing volunteers,” said Robyn Thorson, the Service’s Pacific Regional Director. “They donate their precious time to make everyone's experience more memorable on our public lands. We can’t say ‘thank you’ enough. Our volunteers are our champions, and they help tighten the bonds we have with our local communities.”

#volunteer #nationalvolunteerweek #iServeBecause

Volunteers Dig In to Help Save Native Plants in Washington

Our 9,382 dedicated U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteers in the Pacific Region gave an incredible 198,914 hours of their time to conservation in 2018. That is the equivalent of 24,864 eight-hour work days and 95 full-time staff members! These incredible folks deserve a huge thank you and during National Volunteer Week (April 7-13) we are aiming to do just that. This is the first in a series of blogs about U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteers and projects. Share your story of service or honor an outstanding volunteer by telling us about it with #iServeBecause, #volunteer and #NationalVolunteerWeek on Facebook or Twitter.

By Heidi Newsome, wildlife biologist at Hanford Reach National Monument and Central Washington National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

Hanford Reach National Monument, once set aside for the production of nuclear weapons, may seem an unlikely place to be important for rare plant conservation. The Manhattan Project, however, protected a hundreds of thousands of acres of eastern Washington shrub-steppe habitat, making it an island of conservation for 127 populations of 30 rare plant species.

It’s also where you’ll find another uncommon specimen – volunteer Jane Abel.

Jane, along with her husband Keith and other members of the Washington Native Plant Society, have invested numerous hours in work focused on conservation of rare species within the Central Washington National Wildlife Refuge Complex, and in particular on the Hanford Reach National Monument along the Columbia River.

A refuge biologist like me is often a jack-of-all-trades and master of none, needing to have a knowledge of the biota of the area including plants, animals, insects, mollusks, fungi; and all of the abiotic factors affecting them including soils, hydrology, weather, climate, chemistry, and their numerous interactions. Volunteers provide a needed resource and expertise managing the resources that belong to all of us.

Thankfully, Jane – a plant enthusiast with a combination of intelligence, drive and devotion – came to my aid. She was a perfect fit to help me move projects forward. I had begun experiments in 2005, partnering with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources’ natural heritage program botanist to try to germinate and grow seedlings of the Umatnum desert buckwheat and the White Bluffs bladderpod. In 2009, Jane began assisting in monitoring the extant populations of these species. By 2010, we had collected native seed for Jane to attempt to germinate and grow.

“I don't remember how or when I blurted out, ‘I will grow these for you!’” Jane said. “It was almost shocking to me that there wasn't more of an attempt to grow native plants and try to colonize them on the Hanford Monument. I slowly realized that commercial growers were able to produce the common woody shrub-steppe plants in large quantities, but it would not be profitable for them to grow fussy endemics that require fine-tuned growing conditions and some odd concoction of specialized soil.”

The very first task Jane took on was to develop her own soil medium, based on information from the literature and observations of both plants in their natural setting. Both Umtanum buckwheat and White Bluffs bladder pod grow in unique soils – the buckwheat on bare, rocky basaltic ridgelines; and White Bluffs bladder pod on caliche (calcium deposits).

Keith built tables for the seedlings to grow on in their yard. Jane closely cared for and observed the plants, watering, using a light, organic fertilizer, and providing shade cloth during summer heat to promote seedling development.

Umtanum buckwheat has been one of the more challenging plants to grow, Jane said.

#volunteer #iServeBecause #NationalVolunteerWeek #conservation

National Volunteer Week: Berk Moss’ Legacy Lives on at Tualatin NWR

By Kim Strassburg, Urban Refuge Coordinator for Portland-Vancouver National Wildlife Refuges

Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge is a special place that has attracted, welcomed and included special people. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff, the Friends of Tualatin River NWR, volunteers, advocates, and the community at-large have made significant contributions to what this place has been, is, and will always be.

It’s a place that represents visions and dedication to create and sustain a place for people and wildlife, learning for children and adults alike, but especially a place to foster sustainability of our collective future. Perhaps nobody understood this better that Berk Moss. He often quoted Thoreau: “In wildness is the preservation of life.”

It started back in 2003 when Berk was driving past the old refuge headquarters and noticed the new Tualatin River NWR sign. Always looking for opportunities for students and youth, Berk wondered if somehow the refuge could be a resource for science and nature education. So, he popped in and sought out Ralph Webber, Tualatin’s first refuge manager.

“Berk was a very passionate, caring man who I admired and respected for his ethic and caring for the natural world, one who wanted to share these qualities with our youth. A story that still resonates in my mind is my first acquaintance with Berk before any facilities had been built on the refuge for the public. He was chomping at the bit to bring classes out onto the refuge with few staff, no facilities and/or refuge materials, or any plans for how to manage logistics for such a task. After a long discussion, Berk took a deep breath and said, ‘Well, I guess we have a monumental job ahead of us.’”

That day, Berk left his business card and eagerly awaited the refuge’s first Outdoor Recreation Planner. It only took a couple of meetings with Berk to get the ball rolling. As a Science Director for Beaverton School District, Berk understood the needs of schools, teachers and the nuances that made them tick. He knew we needed more educators to make a team that would be the vital link with the community that would lead to success. So Berk helped plan and host a free pizza night for teachers, which, in turn, attracted the inaugural education committee. Led by Berk, the teacher team created the refuge’s environmental education program. June Poling, who was one of those educators, recalled:

“Berk was a man of many talents. At one moment he could be discussing the inner workings of epigenetics, and at the next moment writing a song about the beaver in his back yard. Berk’s we-can-do-anything attitude influenced everyone around him. He had a gentle way of encouraging me and others to think outside the box to find solutions to what seemed like insurmountable problems. I remember how palpable his excitement was about new discoveries.”

Berk certainly was not afraid to get dirty. One rainy, mucky winter he helped plant trees at the site that became the wetland observation deck. He could only laugh at himself for getting stuck up the knees in mud and having to be pulled out by fellow volunteers. Then there was the day I was figuring out the path the new trail would take. I was so excited to show him where the education study sites were going to be located, so I called him. He was on his way to a business meeting in Portland, but stopped by anyhow, dressed in business attire. He was a good sport as I drug him through the poison oak and the blackberries in his dress shoes and slacks to the spot that became the Rock Creek study site. He was dirty and wrinkled after that, but I am pretty sure he forgave me.

Berk gave so much of himself. Early on, we did not have a consistent and suitable place for working together. So in true Berk fashion, he opened his home and that is where most of the real work took place. So much was created in the hundreds of hours together at his kitchen table. As we were planning the Wildlife Center, I recall showing up at his house in Newberg at 5:30 a.m. to pick him up on the way to all day architectural design meetings up in Tacoma. He was always cheerful, even on those 16 hour days, providing the insight that guided what the classroom looks like today.

#Volunteer #NationalVolunteerWeek #iServeBecause

Rare Gems: Volunteers Help Make Little Pend Orielle NWR Sparkle

Our dedicated U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 9,242 volunteers in the Pacific Region gave an incredible 197,917 hours of their time to conservation in 2017. That is the equivalent of 24,739 eight-hour work days and 95 full-time staff members! These incredible folks deserve a huge thank you and during National Volunteer Week (April 15-21) we are aiming to do just that. This is part of a series of articles about U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteers and projects. Share your story of service or honor an outstanding volunteer by telling us about it with #iServeBecause and #volunteer on Facebook or Twitter.

By Brent Lawrence, public affairs officer for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pacific Region based in Portland, Oregon

Tucked into the far northeast corner of Washington State, the 40,198-acre Little Pend Orielle National Wildlife Refuge is a gem hidden between the foothills of the Cascades and the Rocky Mountains.

It’s a tranquil spot with many more moose, white-tailed deer, elk and black bears roaming the forest than people.

That remote location, however, also has its challenges for a staff of six people, with three of them dedicated to fighting wildfires for half the year. Once the snow melts, trails constantly need repair, buildings require maintenance, and wildlife habitat needs improvement. There’s always something to be done.

But Refuge Manager Jerry Cline has, luckily, found his version of a gold mine – some top-notch volunteers. Among them are Dan Price and the husband-and-wife team of Bob and Krysti Stengle.

“We couldn’t get by without our volunteers,” Jerry said. “If we didn’t have some hands picking up the slack, there’s so much that would not get done. What makes them priceless is that they don’t require direct supervision. They know their way around here so well. They know what needs to be done and how to do it. Getting volunteers like that … it’s like finding gold.”

For nine months a year, Dan serves as president of Friends of Little Pend Orielle NWR. Then he steps away from the Friends group to work as the Youth Conservation Corps leader, where he helps direct four students who work at the refuge.

“He’s our year-round go-to guy. He’s our super volunteer,” Jerry said of Dan, who has been volunteering at the refuge for 11 years. “Anything and everything we need done, he’s out there covering for us almost year around.”

Dan keeps coming back because he’s a big believer in the refuge’s mission.

“I like getting out and promoting the refuge by talking with people,” Dan said. “I’m a walking and talking advertisement for the refuge system by letting people know what’s going on. I show people what the staff has done in habitat restoration. We do a lot of thinning and prescribed burning at the refuge. People are always interested in why we’re doing it. I explain they see more animals due to the work. One hunter says he sees more of everything now.”

Bob and Krysti, who stay at a refuge campsite in their motorhome, bring a different facet to this jewel of a refuge. Krysti works in the refuge’s office, doing everything from paperwork to answering the phone and greeting visitors.

Bob spends his time – up to 50 hours a week – working from heavy equipment with the refuge’s maintenance staff. Bob is a retired truck driver, and he has been certified by the Service to operate heavy equipment such as backhoes, tractors and excavators. Bob was able to get a temporary 6-month job at the refuge this year, helping with maintenance.

The prospect of a job, however, isn’t what brought them back from their regular home in the Spokane, Washington, area.

#iServeBecause #iVolunteer #volunteer #pnw #pnwlife #washington #USFWS #nwr #uwra

‘Why We Volunteer’: Keith and Brenda Krejci Tell The Story of Two Dedicated Volunteers

Our dedicated U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteers in the Pacific Region gave an incredible 230,919 hours of their time to conservation in 2016. That is the equivalent of 28,864 eight-hour work days! These incredible folks deserve a huge thank you and during National Volunteer Week (April 23-29) we are aiming to do just that. This is one of a series of blogs about U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteers. Share your story of service or honor an outstanding volunteer by telling us about it with #iServeBecause on Facebook or Twitter.

Keith and Brenda Krejci have lived in their motor home and traveled the country since November 2005. Along the way they volunteer at National Wildlife Refuges, Bureau of Land Management, and state parks. They have volunteered across the Pacific Northwest, including the last four years at two Oregon National Wildlife Refuges -- Bandon Marsh and Oregon Islands. This is their story.

By Keith and Brenda Krejci

We’re sometimes asked “why do you volunteer?” After all, we’re in our golden years of retirement, and could park in a resort, sit around the pool, and play Bingo each night. So here’s our story:

When we decided to retire to a motor home, we knew we wanted to do something other than just travel, spend time in RV parks, and visit attractions. Both Brenda and I were always interested in learning more about wildlife, birds, and history, but work, family, and life in general never gave us the time. And so we decided to give volunteering at try.

We started by searching volunteer.gov, where every federal and some state volunteer positions are advertised. We settled on searching for openings with U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and sent off applications to the few that interested us. One day, while out shopping, we received a call from the volunteer coordinator at Lee Metcalf NWR in Stevensville, Montana, asking us if we were interested in spending the summer there. We’d be the first “resident” volunteers to stay on their new RV pads, so it was a first for both of us. We accepted, and that April 2006 was the beginning of a journey that has far exceeded our hopes and dreams of full-time RVing.

We look back now and are so grateful that we were lucky enough to fall into Lee Metcalf NWR as our first experience. The staff was welcoming, the area was incredibly beautiful, the wildlife was spectacular, and most of all we were encouraged to explore and learn. We laugh now looking back – we were given a set of keys to the visitor center and told “You guys are it on the weekends”, and knowing we’d be asked questions about the many birds and waterfowl on the refuge, spent hours poring through Sibley Birding Guides and quizzing each other. It wasn’t long before we realized that we were having fun learning – and enjoying being able to share our newfound knowledge. Within a month, we were comfortable in explaining wildlife to visitors, helping teach children’s environmental education, and leading tours.

Spending a summer in the Bitterroot Valley gave us an opportunity to explore some of the country that is billed as “the last best place.” Brenda saw her first moose, I caught cutthroat trout in remote mountain streams, and we made lifetime friends that we still visit every year.

Since that experience we’ve volunteered at other U.S. Fish & Wildlife locations, Oregon and Washington State Parks, The Nature Conservancy, and the Bureau of Land Management. With very few exceptions, we’ve been welcomed, appreciated, and best of all, educated in a new facet of nature. We’ve become proficient birders, versed in the history of the fisheries of the Western U.S., and amateur naturalists. We’ve led wildlife and nature walks, given evening programs on seals and sea lions, and guided people at Pacific tide pools. But most of all, we’ve had the opportunity to teach children about the wonders of nature as Junior Ranger program hosts.

#iServeBecause #volunteers #volunteer #usfws #conservation #oregon #washington #idaho

Volunteer Brings Passion for Environmental Education to McNary National Wildlife Refuge

By Brent Lawrence, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service public affairs officer based in the Pacific Regional Office in Portland, Oregon.

It’s easy to spot Shannon Hayes-Truex at McNary National Wildlife Refuge in Burbank, Washington. Just look for the welcoming smile and the wildlife-themed head gear.

“I usually have on a frog hat or flowers or butterfly wings,” Shannon says. “I make sure others have hats too to add a little more fun to our events.”

Shannon has been a volunteer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 20 years and counting! She was one of the founding members of the Friends of Mid-Columbia River Wildlife Refuges and has been instrumental in development and implementation of the Environmental Education Program at McNary Refuge.

“Over the years, her dedication has never withered and she is always thinking of new ways to enhance the visitor experience,” says Denise McInturff, park ranger at Mid-Columbia River NWR Complex. “Last year she worked with staff and was awarded a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant for a new pollinator garden at our Environmental Education Center. If you visit the refuge, Shannon will be the volunteer with the warm smile encouraging you to see all the beauty and wonder the refuge has to offer.”

#conservation #washington #volunteer #National Volunteer Week #iServeBecause #education #Outdoor Education #usfws

Karen Yochem: 24-Year Volunteer Has Amazing Commitment to Nisqually NWR

By Brent Lawrence

From her house on the hillside above Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Karen Yochem has seen many changes since moving there in 1959. While traffic and development have increased significantly, her amazing views of Mt. Rainier, Puget Sound and the refuge remain the same.

Another thing also has remained remarkably constant for the last 24 years – Karen Yochem.

Every week since 1993, Karen has been making the short drive down the hill to the refuge. Not for a job, but to volunteer. She has put in more than 18,821 volunteer hours at the refuge. That is equivalent to 2,352 eight-hour work days and more than 9 years of full-time work.

Karen is believed to have the third most hours among active volunteers at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Her paycheck comes in the form of smiles of appreciation, watching young faces eager to experience nature, and a huge grateful “family” at the refuge.

“They’ll have to carry me out of here,” Karen says. “It’s such a joy to work here, that’s why I stayed here as long as I have. It’s been a real joy. I appreciate being able to be here all these years.”

Karen is every bit as much of a fixture at Nisqually Refuge as the trails and boardwalks, wildlife and water. She is Nisqually.

“I can’t imagine Karen not being a part of this place,” Glynnis Nakai, project leader at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Complex, says. “Karen’s longevity is a testament to her invaluable support for who we are and what we do, and she is so dedicated to keeping her schedule as if she were being paid. In our eyes, she is part of the staff. All our volunteers are dedicated and passionate about the refuge. But Karen, she is our rock.”

#iServeBecause #washington #nisqually nwr #conservation #usfws #volunteer #volunteers

Salute to Volunteers: Individuals Give Their Time to Pass On Conservation

By Brent Lawrence

“Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another.”- Erma Bombeck

There’s tons of adages about the importance of volunteers. They’re often referred to as the “life-blood” or the “backbone” of many organizations.

Volunteers play a significant role for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Our volunteers are sharers of knowledge, and givers of life. Individual volunteers may be the smiling face when you first arrive at a National Wildlife Refuge, or they may be ensuring the next generation of salmon by helping with spawning at a National Fish Hatchery.

Together, our volunteers in the Pacific Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are an amazing force. The numbers from 2016 tell the story: Volunteers donated 230,919 hours of their time to make your experience better.

That equates to 111 full-time workers. … Let that soak in for a while.

There were 15,129 individuals who donated the equivalent of 28,864 eight-hour work days to you -- the American public -- by showing up to help at your National Wildlife Refuges, and National Fish Hatcheries in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. They do it because they want to pass on a tradition of conservation and wildlife to future generations.

“Words can’t fully express our appreciation and gratitude to our volunteers,” said Robyn Thorson, the Service’s Pacific Regional Director. “Each one of them gives us – and you – their precious time. That’s time away from family and friends, and time away from work. We can’t say ‘thank you’ enough to show our gratitude to our volunteers. Each one makes every experience more memorable at a refuge or hatchery. Volunteers are our champions and illustrate how we’re connected to our local communities.”

This week is National Volunteer Week (April 23-April 29) and the Service’s Pacific Region is celebrating our volunteers by sharing some of their stories with you. You’ll read about people like Karen Yochem, who has a cumulative total of 17,770 volunteer hours since 1993, or the husband-and-wife team of Keith and Brenda Krejci, who travel all across the nation to volunteer. Check them out on our Tumblr blog, Facebook page and Twitter feed.

To volunteer, contact your local National Wildlife Refuge or Fish and Aquatic Conservation station or hatchery. You can also email our regional volunteer coordinator Chelsea McKinney at [email protected] for more information.

Features on our volunteers can be found at:

Willapa Bay NWR -- http://bit.ly/KFreitas

Ridgefield NWR - http://bit.ly/JKrause

Deer Flat NWR - http://bit.ly/BChristensen

Nisqually NWR - http://bit.ly/KarenYochem

Oregon Coast Complex - http://bit.ly/KBKrejci

“You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.” - ~Winston Churchill