The Inside Job - May 2011

8/6/2019 The Inside Job - May 2011

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May 2011

The Employee e-Newsle t t er o f t he F lor ida F ish and Wi ld l i feConservat ion Commission

Serves Them Right Employee Mi les tones Shining Stars Leg is la t i ve Updates

In t h is issue...

Biological status reviews of threatened species now complete Development of management plans now under way... [more]

Drawdown yields 50-year-old Air Force fuel tank Jettisoned into Tallahassee's Lake Munson during emergency landing... [more]

MarineQuest 2011 The 17th annual edition was another success... [more]

Doing a good turn for ternsVolunteers freshen up island nest site for least terns on Tallahassee lake... [more]

Employee Disaster Relief FundWhen disaster strikes, your donation can help a co-worker... [more]

Governor, Lt. Governor come to call Photos from their April 22 visit to the Bryant Building... [more]

Biological status reviews of threatened species now complete By Patricia Zick

Since September, when the Commission approved the new management system for conserving threatened

species, FWC staff have been working hard on biological status reviews (BSRs) for all of the grandfathered

state-listed species. They've also begun the important process of developing management plans for these
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species.

Based on the findings of the Biological Review Group, FWC staffrecommend that the Florida sandhill cranebe listed as a

threatened species.(FWC photo)

Dr. Elsa Haubold , who heads up the Threatened Species

Management team, announced in April that the BSRs for

the 61 species had been finalized and posted on the

website. All the supplemental information is posted as well,

including the draft BSR, peer review comments and any

other documentation received during the process. Each BSR

includes the final staff recommendation for listing the

species. A total of 174 external experts and 29 FWC experts

participated in the reviews, and more helped with thecoordination and finalization of the reports. This required

tremendous effort, and the team appreciates all the staff

from across the agency who came together to create the

first comprehensive assessment of the status of Florida's

state-listed species.

The final findings and recommendations will be brought to the Commission for consideration at the June 8-9

meeting in St. Augustine. (Go to MyFWC.com/ImperiledSpecies to view these reports.) Based on the BSR

reports and peer review comments, staff will recommend that 40 of the 61 species be listed as threatened in

Florida. Five species are being recommended to remain as species of special concern because of risk to the

species and the need for additional information. Sixteen have been recommended for removal from Florida's list.

Florida currently has 67 federally listed species and 64

state-listed species. All state- listed species will have

management plans created in the next 2-3 years. Two - the

gopher tortoise and Miami blue butterfly - already have

approved management plans in place. Two other state-listed

species - the Florida black bear and Panama City crayfish -

have draft plans that are being reviewed and revised. In

March, staff began drafting goals and objectives that will be

the foundation for management plans for the remaining 60

state-listed species. Haubold expects draft goals and

objectives to be completed by the end of May and will begin

seeking stakeholder input in June.

The next step will be creating other important elements of

the plans: conservation actions, research needed, incentives,

permitting standards and implementation and prioritization

schedules. The FWC has never taken on a project of this

magnitude. This will be an adaptive process as we move

forward with determining the best way to conserve Florida's

threatened wildlife.

Another component of the threatened species management

system that is under way is review and possible

development of additional best management practices

(BMPs) for agriculture. Teams of FWC staff have been

formed for each state-listed species. Each three-member

team includes a species lead, an agriculture land-use lead

and a habitat-management lead.

FWC staffrecommend that the pillar coralbe listed as athreatened species.

(FWC photo)

The Lake Eustis pupfish is one of 16 species recommended forremoval from Florida's list.

(FWC photo)

These teams will review existing programs to determine the extent to which current agriculture BMPs would

result in avoidance or minimization of impacts to Florida-listed species. In the new threatened species rules,

these (BMPs) for agriculture will be developed in partnership with the Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer

Services within three years.

"We are well on our way to an exciting, new, streamlined approach to better conserve Florida's most at-risk

wildlife," Haubold said. "And we look forward to the continued involvement of FWC staff in the critically

important management planning and implementation process that will ensure Florida's threatened species are
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here for future generations to enjoy."

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Drawdown yields 50-year-old Air Force fuel tank

You never know what you'll find at the bottom of a lake until you have a drawdown.

As the water drained out of Tallahassee's Lake Munson, Michael Hill and Matt P hillips (HSC) discovered some

sort of fuel tank. They didn't know what it was once attached to, or how long it had been there, only that it was

a hazard to navigation, so they removed it.

After the Tallahassee Democrat published a story about the mysterious find, a local resident with firsthand

knowledge solved the puzzle.

This is how the fuel tank looked when Michael Hill and Matt Phillips foundit on the exposed bottom of Lake Munson.

(FWC photo by Michael Hill)

The T-33 is still used to train pilots. The external fuel tankcan be seen at the tip of the wing.

(FWC photo by Stan Kirkland)

It was an external fuel tank for an Air Force T-33 training plane. Its pilot jettisoned the tank just before making

an emergency landing at the nearby Tallahassee airport in 1961 or 1962.

The man who cleared up the mystery used to fuel planes at the airport and was on duty when the incident

occurred. He added that the pilot safely landed his plane.

The fuel tank was not the first unusual find related to Lake Munson's drawdown. A few months earlier, state

archeologists discovered a 500- to 800-year-old Indian canoe in the exposed lake bottom.

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MarineQuest By Carli Segelson, FWRI

The Fish and Wildlife Research I nstitute recently hosted the 17th annual MarineQuest - a free open house

offering the public a chance to visit and learn about FWRI's new and exciting research.

On April 28 and 29, over 1,800 schoolchildren from nearly 40 schools attended MarineQuest School Daze. After

a brief introduction to the FWC and an overview of FWRI's work, staff guided school groups to a selection of the

30 stations set up for the event.

Saturday, FWRI opened for the general public portion

of MarineQuest. Thousands of visitors explored the

St. Petersburg facility, listened to presentations and

spoke with researchers. Labs were open inside, and

there were interactive displays and exhibits outside.

Kids and adults experienced fish and wildlife research

in a fun, hands-on environment, featuring touch

tanks, gyotaku (fish printing) and crafts. In addition

to the FWRI and Law Enforcement exhibits, more

than 25 other environmental organizations were on

hand Saturday with their displays.


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"School Daze" is a hands-on experience for students.(FWC photo)

Thanks to the dedication ofFWRI employees ,

MarineQuest 2011 was another success.

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Doing a good turn for terns

Armed with shovels, rakes, weed-trimmers and enthusiasm, a handful ofTallahassee employees recently put in

some volunteer hours sprucing up a nesting site for least terns.

These shorebirds prefer to nest in the open sand, but because of beach development and increased humanactivity, they have sought alternative sites including gravel rooftops or, in this case, a small spit of land in Lake

Lafayette, not far from downtown Tallahassee.

Volunteer Wendy Dial (foreground) pulls weeds from the gravel area, whileothers hack away at the brush.

(FWC photo by Liz Sparks)

Volunteers spread sand around the perimeter of the gravel boxes toenhance the area's appeal to least terns.


The little island already had a manmade nesting area, complete with patches of gravel. In late March, Liz Sparks

(Recreation Services) led a work group of employees and other volunteers to prepare the island for the coming

nesting season. They made their way from shore by kayak or Michael Hill 's(HSC) airboat shuttle. The

volunteers commenced to weed-whacking, weed-pulling, raking and smoothing, followed by back-and-forths to

the boat ramp for bucket-loads of sand to spread around the perimeter of the gravel patches.
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The finished nesting area site.(FWC photo by Scott Ball)

The volunteers pose before getting to work. They were much lessphotogenic by the time they finished.


Apparently, their work is paying off. From a respectable distance, observers have sighted least terns flying,

feeding and perching on the island on numerous occasions in recent weeks.

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Employee Disaster Relief FundBy Carli Segelson, FWRI

A tornado tore the roof off the house of an FWC employee,

destroying most of his belongings.

Disaster struck last month when severe storms rolled

through the Tampa Bay area, spawning tornados that

damaged an FWC employees house. The roof was ripped

off, damaging most of his belongings. Fortunately our

agency was able to supply immediate help for the staff

member through the FWC Employee Disaster Relief

Fund , administered by the Wildlife Foundation of

Florida.

The primary mission of the fund is to provide immediate

cash assistance to FWC employees in the wake of a natural

disaster or a house fire. The fund can also assist affectedemployees with utilities, rent or house payments in certain

situations. When disaster strikes, it is important for our co-

workers to know help is available.

You can make a tax-deductible donation to this fund through payroll-deduction, make an online donation at

www.wildlifeflorida.org, or send a check to the Wildlife Foundation of Florida at the following address:

Wildlife Foundation of Florida

P.O. Box 11010

Tallahassee, FL 32302

Ref: FWC Employee Disaster Relief Fund

Thanks to those who already have contributed to this fund.

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Governor, Lt. Governor come to call

On April 22, Gov. Rick Scott and Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll paid a visit to the FWC's Bryant Building

headquarters in Tallahassee. Their morning tour included a brief meeting with the Senior Leadership Team and a

gathering with employees in the parking lot.

Below are a few photo highlights of the visit, taken by Tim Donovan .
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Serves Them Right

Citizens and FWC customers were so impressed by the following employees, they told us about it through the

"Praise an Employee" page of MyFWC.com/Contact:

Officers Michael Albert and David O'Regan, Duty Officer Valerie W ilder - "...I called to report aburrowing owl nest that was being bothered...I was dealt with professionally and courteously...I just want to

thank everyone for the prompt action, you just don't get service like this anymore..."

Mike Blondin, Steve Burger, Doris Durden, Will LaFever, Lance Logan (HSC) - "Subj: Osprey Unit

(Hilochee WMA). Huge Thumbs Up On This Site's Improvement. The changes to this site have been

fabulous...full site turnaround...Thanks for making the FWC unit of Osprey a premier site. Keep spending my tax

dollars on projects like this!!!!!!!!!!"

Kate Dragon (HSC) - "...friendly, professional and helpful. She took time out of her busy day to help find the

person best able to answer my questions...She is a credit to her team and the FWC."

Mark Kiser (Rec. Svcs.), Liz West (CR/ HSC) - "I just had the pleasure of reading through the new GFBWT

(Panhandle) guide. To put it in one sentence, I am blown away at the quality!...please congratulate the wholecrew for me. Y'all get an 'A+.'"

Lt. Roy Payne, Officer Seth W ingard - "...came to our neighbor's assistance. She collapsed while at Picnic

Island in Newfound Harbor...officers managed to jury-rig a stretcher, transport her to marina, where an

ambulance was waiting. She is OK ..."

Sara McCutcheon (FWRI ) - "...was very happy to share all her knowledge about fish biology, in particular the

otoliths...She was exceptionally courteous and went out of her way to educate us..."

David Nicholson (HGM) - "...very knowledgeable...passionate about birds and the biology, hunting, and

passing on knowledge...gave me tips that couldn't be found in magazines or most books..."

JoAnne P eagler (HGM) - "...highly regarded as a person who can get the job done no matter the
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circumstances...unselfishly gives of her time..She just goes and goes like the Energizer Bunny."

Officer David Robison - "My children and I were on the side of I-10 with a bad tire. He stopped on his way to

training in Quincy and changed my tire...We appreciated that he took his time out and helped us...represented

the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in a very upstanding fashion..."

Brandon Schad (HSC) - "...took the time to meet with me the afternoon before the hunt. He went out of his

way to make me comfortable. He made a great hunt even greater."

Magda Soliman (HSC) - "Thank you so much. You are very helpful and considerate of your vendors!"

Eddie White (L&P ) - "...always the go-to guy for the many questions that pop to mind when applying for aquota hunt or regulations...always professional and courteous...I have met other friends that mention him by

name, and all say the same..."

Officer Mike ?? - "...was very courteous to us every time we saw him. Of course he made sure we were in

compliance with the rules. He was doing his job and we were very thankful he was there..."

Unidentified officer - "...on I-4...A lady pulled over and got out to investigate...Without hesitation your officer

pulled over and offered assistance to her. I was glad to see law enforcement assisting the public. Hopefully, if I

ever get into a situation like that I'll have FWC by my side. Good Job...Thanks!"

Unidentified officers - "...pulled my 9-year-old son and me over for speeding in a Manatee Zone...let me off

with a warning based on conditions...it was truly important to show their professionalism in the presence of a

young citizen and rabid fisherman..."

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Shining Stars

At the April Commission meeting in Havana, two Law

Enforcement employees received awards from outside

organizations.

Shikar-Safari Club International honored Officer Marc

Shea of Naples as its Officer of the Year. The

organization presents awards annually to wildlife law

enforcement officers in all states, provinces and

territories in the United States and Canada for

outstanding performance and achievement.

"Shea is an outstanding example of a wildlife officer,"

said Jim Harrison, representative for the club. "I am

delighted and proud that the state of Florida is

maintaining this caliber of individuals working for

Florida's wildlife."

The Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach

County Inc. paid tribute to the FWC's boating access

coordinator, Pat Harrell of Tallahassee, with a

Beacon of Light award.

"The award is presented to an individual, group ororganization whose work supports, promotes and

protects the sound growth of the marine industry in

Palm Beach County for the benefit and education of

the boating public and the environment," said John

Sprague, director of governmental affairs for the

association.

(FWC photos by Tim Donovan)

FWC Officer Marc Shea (center) with Commissioners, Jim Harrison (Shikar-Safari) and Col. Jim Brown.

Pat Harrell (center) with Commissioners, John Sprague (Marine IndustriesAssociation of Palm Beach Co.) and

Col. Jim Brown.


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Michael Hill (R) receives his awardfrom the Dept. of Defense and U.S. Fish &

Wildlife Service.(FWC photo by Stan Kirkland)

The U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

presented an award to Michael Hill (HSC) for his work on behalf of the FWC

with Eglin AFB and other agencies in restoring Okaloosa darter habitat and

leading the way for the species to be downlisted from endangered to

threatened.

Don Francis (HSC) is the FWC recipient of the Department of Environmental

Protection's Jim Stevenson Resource Manager of the Year award. Gov. Scottand the Cabinet will present the award and resolution to him at a Cabinet

meeting May 3.

Francis has served as area manager and biologist on the Joe Budd WMA for

over 30 years. He is known as a tireless leader and champion for the

stewardship of slope forests. His measures to catalog and protect rare natural

communities have included discovering and recording the presence of a new

state and national champion pyramid magnolia.

For the second year in a row, Jake Gipson (HSC) and his partner have won the National Guard FLW College

Fishing National Championship. Representing the University of Florida, Gipson and Matt Wercinski landed 15

bass weighing 41 pounds during the three-day tournament in Kentucky.

For winning the championship, the duo receives $50,000. The university will receive $25,000 and a Ranger bass

boat. Read the full story at www.collegefishing.com.

When he isn't winning fishing tournaments, Gipson is part of an interdivisional team working on the Florida

Shorebird Database (featured in the April issue of the Inside Job).

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Milestones

Editor's note: The FWC has a great many non-FTE employees, and they deserve recognition for reaching 5-

year milestones too. Unfortunately, the system doesn't keep track of such statistics; but we don't want that to

stop us. If you know of a non-FTE employee about to reach a 5-year milestone, please have his/her section

leader notify the Inside Job by e-mail.

Congratulations to the following employees, who reach 5-year milestones of employment with the FWC in May.

Numbers in parentheses indicate total state service, if different.

30 YearsRoy Brown - Law Enforcement

25 YearsJoanne Adams - Law Enforcement

James Estes - Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

Steven Golden - Law Enforcement

Jeffrey Hamblen - Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

Robert Jefferson - Law Enforcement

Michael Nobles - Law Enforcement

George W aldeck - Law Enforcement

15 YearsSharon Bussey - Finance & Budget (21 years, 3 months)

10 Years
http://www.collegefishing.com/mailto:[email protected]?subject=Non-FTE%20employee%20milestone%20for%20the%20Inside%20Jobmailto:[email protected]?subject=Non-FTE%20employee%20milestone%20for%20the%20Inside%20Jobhttp://www.collegefishing.com/


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Mark Cunningham - Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

Hedy (Fredericks) Havel - Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

Meghan Koperski - Habitat & Species Conservation

Alice Mason - Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

5 YearsJennifer Culver - Finance & Budget

Laura Jerome - Human Resources

Angela Jones - Executive Director's Office

Peter Klocksien - Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

Mark Marcucci - Freshwater Fisheries Mgt. (6 years, 6 months )Wendy Nakamaru - Habitat & Species Conservation

Emily Norton - Law Enforcement (5 years, 6 months )

Edwin Pulido - Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (12 years, 7 months)

Daniel Stermen - Law Enforcement (8 years, 11 months )

Susan Trammell - Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

And "Congratulations; we're jealous," to these retirees:

MarchEsther Lehmkuhl - 18 years, 8 months (FWRI)

April William Johnson - 37 years (FWRI)

Charlene Landry - 24 years, 8 months (F&B)

MayWilliam Arnette - 36 years, 6 months (Law Enforcement)

Lee Schlesinger - 29 years, 7 months (Marine Fisheries Mgt.)

Llyn French - 24 years (Fish and Wildlife Research Institute)

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The Inside Job - May 2011

Documents

Transcript of The Inside Job - May 2011