Total Clips: 68 HEADLINE DATE VIEW ARTICLE READ TEXT ONLY PUBLICATION No Category Defined(68Clips) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan factors in climate change - http://is.gd/3Kg84 - Southern C... 09/28/2009 VIEW READ Twitter U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan factors in climate change, comments due Nov 23 http://bit.l... 09/28/2009 VIEW READ Twitter U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan factors in climate change 09/27/2009 VIEW READ Press-Enterprise - Online Article U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan factors in climate change – Riverside Press Enterpr... 09/27/2009 VIEW READ Twitter US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/25/2009 VIEW READ Charleston Daily Mail - Online FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Service Releases Climate Change Strategy for Publ 09/25/2009 VIEW READ Individual.com Fish and Wildlife Service releases climate change strategy for public review 09/25/2009 VIEW READ WaterWorld Partnerships, Science Keys to Wildlife and Climate Change Interior Takes on Climate Change. 09/24/2009 VIEW READ WaterWorld Partnerships, science keys to wildlife and climate change 09/24/2009 VIEW READ Salt Lake Tribune - 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Online Wildlife officials push action on climate threats 09/23/2009 VIEW READ WMC-TV Federal fish and wildlife agency launches climate change plan 09/23/2009 VIEW READ OregonLive.com U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan factors in climate change - http://is.gd/3Kg84 - Southern C... 09/28/2009 Twitter ConservatioNews (Conservation News) Return to Top ConservatioNews (Conservation News) Twitter U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan factors in climate change - http://is.gd/3Kg84 - Southern CA Press-Enterprise U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan factors in climate change, comments due Nov 23 http://bit.l... 09/28/2009 Twitter smtaber (Steve Taber) Return to Top smtaber (Steve Taber) Twitter U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan factors in climate change, comments due Nov 23 http://bit.ly/4DsZPp U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan factors in climate change 09/27/2009 Press-Enterprise - Online JANET ZIMMERMAN Return to Top JANET ZIMMERMAN Press-Enterprise - Online The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released its plan for dealing with the effects of climate change on the country's natural resources, including rising sea levels, the spread of invasive species and changing wildlife migration patterns. The proposed strategy is up for public review and comment until Nov. 23. It will help incorporate climate change into the agency's responsibilities, which include enforcement of the Endangered Species Act and management of 540 wildlife refuges nationwide, including the Coachella Valley and Salton Sea. The plan is the agency's first formal effort to address 'the single greatest conservation challenge of the 21st century,' said Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the interior for fish, wildlife and parks. 'Climate change is a reality. The debate is over,' Strickland said in a teleconference to release the strategic plan for climate change. The announcement followed Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's call a week earlier for a coordinated, strategic response to climate change when it comes to science and resource management. The Fish and Wildlife Service was the first of the bureaus within the Department of the Interior to release its plan, which focuses on reducing the effects of climate change on wildlife and their habitats, reducing greenhouse gases and working with private partners to develop solutions. 'We will help lead a national response that is grounded in sound science, an adaptive, landscape-scale conservation approach, and collaboration with partners,' Strickland said. Those partners would provide cutting-edge science and information that would influence actions by Fish and Wildlife managers on land acquisition and hiring people in the field to better evaluate how climate change will impact sensitive species, said Sam Hamilton, director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. 'They say, 'As goes wildlife in the United States, so goes the nation.' Improving the health and well-being of wildlife benefits all Americans through clean water and clean air,' Hamilton said. As an example, Hamilton pointed to a successful joint venture to protect migratory birds in the lower Mississippi Valley. A partnership between Fish and Wildlife, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. resulted in the planting of 22 million trees to restore native habitat and increase breeding grounds. A similar partnership between environmentalists and an energy company in North Carolina helped fund research to preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, where the coastline is being lost. 'We want to take that approach nationwide,' Hamilton said. The move earned praise from Defenders of Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy and other environmental groups. Larry Schweiger, president of the National Wildlife Federation, praised the use of a collaborative approach for crafting a national strategy. 'It will take all of us working together to confront climate change and conserve natural systems for people and wildlife,' he said. Reach Janet Zimmerman at 951-368-9586 or jzimmerman@PE .com. Article U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan factors in climate change – Riverside Press Enterpr... 09/27/2009 Twitter NCNews0verviews (North Carolina) Return to Top NCNews0verviews (North Carolina) Twitter Article U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan factors in climate change – Riverside Press Enterprise.. http://bit.ly/YH0bW US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/25/2009 Charleston Daily Mail - Online CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Charleston Daily Mail - Online NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Associated Press Writer NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." ______ On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Service Releases Climate Change Strategy for Publ 09/25/2009 Individual.com Return to Top (M2) As part of the Department of the Interior's commitment to building a coordinated strategy to respond to the impacts of climate change on the nation's natural resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today releases a proposed strategic plan... Fish and Wildlife Service releases climate change strategy for public review 09/25/2009 WaterWorld Return to Top • Builds on Secretary Salazar's DOI climate change order WASHINGTON, DC, Sept. 23, 2009 -- As part of the Department of the Interior's commitment to building a coordinated strategy to respond to the impacts of climate change on the nation's natural resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today releases a proposed strategic plan that will guide the agency's efforts to respond to the unprecedented threat posed by global warming. The proposed strategic plan, which is available for public review and comment during the next 60 days, will help guide the Service's response to impacts such as changing wildlife migration patterns, the spread of invasive species, changing precipitation patterns and rising sea levels. The plan, which can be found on the Web at http://www.fws.gov/home/climatechange/, has three key elements: • Adaptation -- helping to reduce the impacts of climate change on fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats; • Mitigation -- reducing levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gas pollution in the Earth's atmosphere; and • Engagement -- reaching out to Service employees, local, national and international partners in the public and private sectors, key constituencies and stakeholders and the broader citizenry of this country to join forces and seek solutions to the challenges to fish and wildlife conservation posed by climate change. The Fish and Wildlife Service's Climate Change Strategic Plan is an integral part of an overarching Department of the Interior (DOI) strategy announced by Secretary Ken Salazar in a September 14 secretarial order(http://www.fws.gov/home/climatechange/pdf/SecOrder3289.pdf) establishing a framework through which Interior bureaus will coordinate climate change science and resource management strategies. "The growing impacts from climate change on wildlife, plants, and watersheds are a call to action," said Tom Strickland, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for fish and wildlife and parks. "These impacts call for a coordinated and strategic response from the Department and its bureaus. We will help lead a national response that is grounded in sound science, an adaptive, landscape-scale conservation approach, and collaboration with partners. This is a crucial first step in that direction." Sam D. Hamilton, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the plan lays the foundation for the Service's role in national efforts to conserve fish and wildlife in a rapidly changing climate "but the plan is not yet complete. It needs constructive input from our most powerful partners -- the American public. The public's involvement is critical, because climate change is bigger than any one agency, department, or government." The Service plan outlines a number of commitments intended to reshape the face of conservation and enable the agency to play a leading role in addressing the challenges of a changing climate system. These commitments include: • Targeting conservation by working with partners to develop science-based methods to identify the most vulnerable species. • Prioritizing existing challenges that will be made more difficult as a result of changing climate, including water scarcity and habitat fragmentation. • Leading efforts to develop a National Fish and Wildlife Adaptation Strategy, as outlined in pending climate change legislation in the U.S. Congress, to serve as the conservation community's shared blueprint to guide wildlife adaptation partnerships during the next 50 years. • Creating a National Biological Inventory and Monitoring Partnership that strategically deploys the conservation community's monitoring resources. Working with DOI's Regional Climate Change Response Centers, the Partnership would generate scientific data needed to understand climate change effects on the distribution and abundance of fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats; model predicted population and habitat change; and help us determine if we are achieving our goals. • Building Landscape Conservation Cooperatives that develop regional and field technical capacity by working with partners to provide cutting edge science and information. These cooperatives, guided by DOI's newly created Climate Response Council, will be the primary vehicle through which the Service and partners acquire and apply the best climate change science to inform fish and wildlife management decisions and actions. "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as one of the nation's leading stewards of America's wildlife, is taking an important step forward by committing itself to both reducing global warming pollution and safeguarding fish and wildlife from the impacts of inevitable climate change," said Larry Schweiger, President and CEO, National Wildlife Federation. "Climate change has emerged as the single greatest threat to our nation's natural heritage and the Service is well-positioned to play a leadership role in confronting this threat. We especially commend the Service for its collaboration with partners in crafting a national strategy for safeguarding fish and wildlife from climate change impacts. It will take all of us working together to confront climate change and conserve natural systems for people and wildlife." The Service requests substantive comments, factual information, and other constructive criticism to help improve the plan. After reviewing the plan, the public can submit comments electronically through November 23, 2009. To view the report, provide comments and find out more about Fish and Wildlife Service efforts to address climate change, visit http://www.fws.gov/home/climatechange/. The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov. Partnerships, Science Keys to Wildlife and Climate Change Interior Takes on Climate Change. 09/24/2009 WaterWorld Return to Top By Brett Prettyman, The Salt Lake Tribune Sep. 24--Evidence of climate change and its impact on wildlife is mounting, from costal refuges inundated with salt water as oceans rise to wildlife spotted in seasons and places where they've never been seen. In Utah, concern has arisen for such sensitive species as pika -- a high altitude mammal that could vanish as temperatures climb -- and native cutthroat trout that don't fare as well as their exotic cousins in warm water conditions. But until Wednesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, charged with protecting the nation's flora and fauna, had not articulated an overall strategy to address the effects of climate change on wild creatures and their habitat. "Climate change is a reality. The debate is over. It is the single greatest conservation challenge of the 21st century," said Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior for fish and wildlife and parks, during a conference call with reporters. "The effect of climate change is widespread and it presents immediate challenges." The plan's release comes a week after Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issued an order establishing a framework for bureaus within the Department of Interior to coordinate climate change science and ways to manage resources that will be affected. The Fish and Wildlife Service is the first of the agencies to respond to that directive. The service's Strategic Plan for Climate Change focuses on three elements: reducing the impact of climate change on wildlife; finding ways to reduce levels of greenhouse gases; and working with conservation partners to provide the best answers for dealing with the issue on a national scale, but through local solutions. While the plan advances only broad goals, such as planning and delivering "conservation actions that support climate adaptations" by wildlife, and changing "business practices to achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2020," its emphasis on regional collaboration seems to signal a greater commitment to the best science available. "This truly is a game changer," said Sam Hamilton, recently appointed director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "They say 'as goes wildlife in the United States so goes the nation.' Improving the health and well being of wildlife benefits all Americans through clean water and clean air. We need partners to help us make informed and adaptive decisions in the face of adversity. We need to target the right science in the right places." Barry Baker, a climate change scientist with the Nature Conservancy's Utah chapter, said he welcomes the opportunity to share research. "The Nature Conservancy is working very hard to prevent the listing of additional species [to the Endangered Species list]," Baker said. "As long as there is good science behind these decisions, then as a scientist I feel very comfortable with this effort." Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials said the plan was not a surprise, but that it will take some time to figure out exactly how the Fish and Wildlife Service will implement it. "We are watching to see what the changes will be," said Alan Clark, an assistant director with the state wildlife management agency. "One of the things they are trying to do is get the best information available and that is something we all want. In the meantime, we will keep doing what we have been doing, which is trying to make the ecosystem healthier so it is more resistant to change." Hamilton, a career employee with the Fish and Wildlife Service for more than 30 years, said there's a greater desire among all the players in wildlife conservation to collect and share information on climate change. "We are seeing some incredible partnerships," he said. "The silver lining to the climate change issue is that we are seeing more desire to cooperate and work together than any of us have seen before in our careers." Climate change and wildlife -- Read the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's plan on wildlife conservation and climate change at www.fws.gov/home/climatechange. Comments will be accepted for 60 days. To see more of The Salt Lake Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sltrib.com. Partnerships, science keys to wildlife and climate change 09/24/2009 Salt Lake Tribune - Online, The Brett Prettyman Return to Top Brett Prettyman Salt Lake Tribune - Online, The Washington, D.C. » Interior takes on climate change. A Pika sits on a rock at the base of Mount Baldy, in the Uinta Mountains. Pikas are small rabbit-like mammals that live in the state's high elevations like the Uinta Mountains Saturday, January 8 2000. Conservationists believe the rodent is threatened by climate change and are attempting to get it listed as an endangered species. Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune Wildlife stories Evidence of climate change and its impact on wildlife is mounting, from costal refuges inundated with salt water as oceans rise to wildlife spotted in seasons and places where they've never been seen. In Utah, concern has arisen for such sensitive species as pika -- a high altitude mammal that could vanish as temperatures climb -- and native cutthroat trout that don't fare as well as their exotic cousins in warm water conditions. But until Wednesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, charged with protecting the nation's flora and fauna, had not articulated an overall strategy to address the effects of climate change on wild creatures and their habitat. "Climate change is a reality. The debate is over. It is the single greatest conservation challenge of the 21st century," said Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior for fish and wildlife and parks, during a conference call with reporters. "The effect of climate change is widespread and it presents immediate challenges." The plan's release comes a week after Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issued an order establishing a framework for bureaus within the Department of Interior to coordinate climate change science and ways to manage resources that will be affected. The Fish and Wildlife Service is the first of the agencies to respond to that directive. The service's Strategic Plan for Climate Change focuses on three elements: reducing the impact of climate change on wildlife; finding ways to reduce levels of greenhouse gases; and working with conservation partners to provide the best answers for dealing with the issue on a national scale, but through local solutions. While the plan advances only broad goals, such as planning and delivering "conservation actions that support climate adaptations" by wildlife, and changing "business practices to achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2020," its emphasis on regional collaboration seems to signal a greater commitment to the best science available. "This truly is a game changer," said Sam Hamilton, recently appointed director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "They say 'as goes wildlife in the United States so goes the nation.' Improving the health and well being of wildlife benefits all Americans through clean water and clean air. We need partners to help us make informed and adaptive decisions in the face of adversity. We need to target the right science in the right places." Barry Baker, a climate change scientist with the Nature Conservancy's Utah chapter, said he welcomes the opportunity to share research. "The Nature Conservancy is working very hard to prevent the listing of additional species [to the Pikas in Utah Endangered Species list]," Baker said. "As long as there is good science behind these decisions, then as a scientist I feel very comfortable with this effort." Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials said the plan was not a surprise, but that it will take some time to figure out exactly how the Fish and Wildlife Service will implement it. "We are watching to see what the changes will be," said Alan Clark, an assistant director with the state wildlife management agency. "One of the things they are trying to do is get the best information available and that is something we all want. In the meantime, we will keep doing what we have been doing, which is trying to make the ecosystem healthier so it is more resistant to change." Hamilton, a career employee with the Fish and Wildlife Service for more than 30 years, said there's a greater desire among all the players in wildlife conservation to collect and share information on climate change. "We are seeing some incredible partnerships," he said. "The silver lining to the climate change issue is that we are seeing more desire to cooperate and work together than any of us have seen before in our careers." Climate change and wildlife » Read the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's plan on wildlife conservation and climate change at www.fws.gov/home/climatechange. Comments will be accepted for 60 days. Federal wildlife service unveils new climate change policy 09/24/2009 Telegraph - Online, The S. Heather Duncan Return to Top S. Heather Duncan Telegraph - Online, The The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday unveiled its new climate change strategy, which environmental groups have heralded as a significant advance in government policy. The proposed plan will provide a framework for incorporating climate change modeling into the service's decisions, which include Endangered Species Act enforcement and management of the nation's 540 national wildlife refuges. Become involved The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requests substantive comments, factual information and other constructive criticism to help improve the plan. After reviewing the plan, the public can submit comments electronically through Nov. 23. To view the report, provide comments and find out more about Fish and Wildlife Service’s efforts to address climate change, visit www.fws.gov/home/climatechange or www.fws.gov/southeast. Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge in Jones County and Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Bibb County are among those refuges. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the interior for fish, wildlife and parks, called climate change “the single greatest conservation challenge of the 21st century” in a teleconference Wednesday. Sam Hamilton, the new chief of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the policy is a fundamental shift toward anticipating effects of climate change on plants, animals, their ecosystems and the humans who rely on the same resources. The wildlife service plan calls for targeted monitoring of climate change impacts on fish and wildlife, developing “landscape conservation cooperatives” with private partners, and pursuing reforestation projects to increase the amount of carbon dioxide being removed from the air. Carbon dioxide is considered a key “greenhouse gas” contributing to climate change. Forests take up carbon dioxide and can be managed to maximize this effect using particular tree species. Carolyn Johnson, assistant manager for Piedmont and Bond Swamp national wildlife refuges, said refuge forests generally take up more carbon than their privately-owned counterparts, which are often not as closely managed. She said the Middle Georgia refuges would benefit from additional research on potential climate change impacts such as dramatic variations in rainfall. If rainfall amounts decrease dramatically, pine trees become stressed, leading to more Southern pine beetle infestations, she said. And drier conditions likely would lead to more wildfires. Over time, she said, this could change the tree mix, replacing pines with sweetgums. This could harm populations of endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers, which rely on tall, old pines for nesting cavities. Piedmont is home to one of the only red-cockaded woodpecker nesting communities in Georgia. On the other hand, more rainfall could eliminate many species that currently live on bottomlands, Johnson pointed out. That would be no help to the neotropical migrant birds that draw bird watchers to Middle Georgia from across the country. “One big issue here in Georgia is the fact that a lot of birds are found only in the northern counties,” wrote Charlie Muise, coordinator of the Georgia Important Bird Area, in an e-mail. “A relatively small climate change could easily mean losing all of those from the state, without any commensurate ‘gain' of other species from the South.” And he said amphibians and plants might be hit even harder than birds. Hamilton said the service plans to look closely at the effect of climate change on wildlife refuges on the East Coast and Gulf Coast. “It's projected we could lose as much as one million or more acres along the mid-Atlantic coast,” where global warming and a related increase in hurricanes is expected to increase erosion, raise water levels and inundate some fresh water marshes with salt water, he said. The Savannah National Wildlife Refuge complex is among those that could be affected. Hamilton pointed to migratory bird management cooperatives in the Mississippi Delta region as an example of the kinds of partnerships the wildlife service hopes to develop. That project created a blueprint for land managers from power companies to refuges to conserve wildlife on the land they control. Leslie Montgomery, environmental stewardship manager for Southern Company, said the company's subsidiary Georgia Power is the largest private provider of public recreation opportunities in the state. Southern Company's subsidiaries already are involved in partnerships with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that could be a platform for further cooperation, although the company isn't currently working on any partnerships specific to climate change, she said. To reach writer S. Heather Duncan, call 744-4225. US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/24/2009 Beaver County Times CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Beaver County Times Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." ______ On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ Wildlife Officials Push Action On Climate Threats 09/24/2009 WDSU-TV - Online Return to Top NEW ORLEANS -- Top U.S. wildlife officials on Wednesday said they will focus on the risks posed by climate change across the South by trying to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate threats and coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. He also said he would like to see more partnerships between government, non-profits and businesses to preserve wildlife. US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/24/2009 Houma Courier CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Houma Courier APN NEW ORLEANS - Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/">http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ U.S. officials cite climate change threats in South 09/24/2009 Item, The Return to Top NEW ORLEANS Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate, and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Energy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ U.S. to try to fight effects on South of climate change 09/24/2009 Baltimore Sun - Online Hubble Space Telescope Return to Top Hubble Space Telescope Baltimore Sun - Online NEW ORLEANS - - Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday that they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the interior for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barack Obama's administration is playing "catch-up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised the Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. U.S. officials cite climate change threats in South 09/24/2009 San Antonio Express-News - Online Cain Burdeau Return to Top Cain Burdeau San Antonio Express-News - Online NEW ORLEANS — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." on "U.S. officials cite climate change threats in South" U.S. officials cite climate change threats in South 09/24/2009 Item, The CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Item, The Date Published: September 24, 2009 [template] By CAIN BURDEAU Associated Press Writer NEW ORLEANS – Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate, and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Energy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ S.C. man confesses to slayings of 4 family members Los Angeles cops take on notorious street gang Neighbors: Elderly shooting victim seriously ill Hearing set to open on N.C. parasailing deaths Officials cite climate change threats in South 09/24/2009 Daily Advertiser - Online The Associated Press Return to Top The Associated Press Daily Advertiser - Online NEW ORLEANS — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday that they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. Officials Climate change threatens South 09/24/2009 Daily World - Online, The Return to Top NEW ORLEANS — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. U.S. officials cite climate change threats in the South 09/24/2009 Times - Online, The Cain Burdeau Return to Top Cain Burdeau Times - Online, The NEW ORLEANS — Top U.S. wildlife officials today said they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. The South is on the forefront of climate change threats, and coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered, said Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," he said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Obama's administration is playing catch-up. "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored." With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." The agency also must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water, he said. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. And he praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit." Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." Federal wildlife service unveils new climate change policy 09/24/2009 Individual.com Return to Top (The Macon Telegraph - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday unveiled its new climate change strategy, which environmental groups have heralded as a significant advance in government policy. The proposed plan will provide a framework for incorporating climate change modeling into the service's decisions, which include Endangered Species Act enforcement and management of the nation's 540 national wildlife refuges. US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/24/2009 Examiner.com CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Examiner.com Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/24/2009 WRGB-TV - Online CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU WRGB-TV - Online NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. “We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing,” Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing “catch up.” “For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored,” Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. “Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water,” Hamilton said. “Species will need to migrate and that may be inland.” Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. “We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit,” Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied “on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow.” On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/24/2009 Ledger Independent - Online, The CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Ledger Independent - Online, The Ap-state-ky Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ FWS wants to help species run for cover 09/24/2009 Climatewire Jessica Leber, E&E reporter Return to Top Jessica Leber, E&E reporter Climatewire The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service unveiled its draft strategy for managing the 'single greatest conservation challenge for the 21st century' yesterday. The plan will guide the agency's response to rising sea levels, changing wildlife migration patterns and the spread of invasive species, among many other threats posed by climate change. It also outlines actions the agency will take over the next five years, such as conducting species and habitat vulnerability evaluations, pinpointing potential legal or regulatory barriers to climate plans, and reducing non-climate stressors like habitat fragmentation. The framework puts 'meat on the bones' of the agency's planning so far, said Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior for fish and wildlife and parks. Significantly, the plan directs FWS employees to incorporate climate change into management decisions. 'We've asked all our management to look at all of their actions, whether it is land acquisition or endangered species consultations, through the lens of climate,' FWS director Sam Hamilton told reporters. One challenge, he said, will be deciding how to prioritize money and other resources to cope with the increasing threat. The strategy does not go into details, however, of what specific changes would be made once climate is considered. Rather, it puts a 'framework' in place. 'It is an attempt to look at a challenge that really can't be dealt with incrementally,' said Strickland. Official expect climate change to affect future land acquisition and conservation decisions, as species migrate and coastal wildlife refuges flood. And considering how in the future to protect endangered species, under the Endangered Species Act, is another major can of worms yet to be fully opened. FWS is the first Interior bureau to release a specific climate strategy. The announcement comes on the heels of last week's secretarial order establishing several top-level initiatives aimed at coordinating and centralizing the Interior Department's approach to climate change. The FWS strategy builds upon that departmentwide effort, officials said. The Interior order established regional response centers and new 'landscape conservation cooperatives' to merge regional science with the on-the-ground realities of climate change across jurisdictional borders. Officials compared the task to their ongoing decades of efforts, in collaboration with states and other countries, to protect migratory birds, a goal no one authority could achieve on its own. Work on the FWS proposal started last year under the Bush administration, and hundreds of career employees commented on the draft, said Dan Ashe, who coordinated the efforts and now services as FWS's deputy director. The strategy also sets an agency goal of being carbon-neutral by 2020 and expanding carbon sequestration forests and prairies it manages. The agency will also lead efforts to develop a National Fish and Wildlife Adaptation Strategy, as outlined by the House-passed climate bill, to guide the larger conservation community. Implementing the strategy over decades to come will come with major costs. FWS has $20 million in its fiscal year 2010 budget that it can use to start forming the landscape cooperatives. But the agency will need funding on a much greater scale, which could ultimately come from dollars allocated in climate legislation being considered in Congress, Strickland said. The plan will now be open for public comment for 60 days through Nov. 3. Federal wildlife service unveils new climate change policy: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ... 09/24/2009 Twitter middlegeorgia (middlegeorgia) Return to Top middlegeorgia (middlegeorgia) Twitter Federal wildlife service unveils new climate change policy: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday unve.. http://bit.ly/Kgw9x The Westerner: Federal wildlife service unveils new climate change policy: The U.S. Fish and Wi... 09/24/2009 Twitter new_mexicoBNN (new_mexicoBNN) Return to Top new_mexicoBNN (new_mexicoBNN) Twitter The Westerner: Federal wildlife service unveils new climate change policy: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on.. http://bit.ly/RzcRR US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Times & Democrat - Online CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Times & Democrat - Online Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 WRAL-TV - Online CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU WRAL-TV - Online NEW ORLEANS Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. Were seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, were seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing, Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agencys draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obamas administration is playing catch up. For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored, Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water, Hamilton said. Species will need to migrate and that may be inland. Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolinas coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. Were going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit, Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow. ______ On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ Federal wildlife officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Press-Register - Online The Associated Press Return to Top The Associated Press Press-Register - Online NEW ORLEANS -- Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Sun News - Online, The CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Sun News - Online, The NEW ORLEANS -- Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Island Packet, The CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Island Packet, The Published Wednesday, September 23, 2009 Related Content NEW ORLEANS — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 R&D Magazine Return to Top Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." ______ On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Washington Examiner - Online CAIN BURDEAU Associated Press 09 Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Associated Press 09 Washington Examiner - Online NEW ORLEANS — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." ______ On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 San Francisco Examiner - Online CAIN BURDEAU Associated Press 09 Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Associated Press 09 San Francisco Examiner - Online NEW ORLEANS — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." ______ On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Times-News - Online CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Times-News - Online APN Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/">http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ Wildlife officials push action on climate threats 09/23/2009 KLFY-TV - Online Associated Press Return to Top Associated Press KLFY-TV - Online NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Top U.S. wildlife officials say they will focus on the risks posed by climate change across the South by trying to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, says the South is on the forefront of climate threats and coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. He also says he would like to see more partnerships between government, non-profits and businesses to preserve wildlife. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Wildlife officials push action on climate threats 09/23/2009 Sun Herald - Online, The Return to Top NEW ORLEANS -- Top U.S. wildlife officials say they will focus on the risks posed by climate change across the South by trying to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, says the South is on the forefront of climate threats and coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. He also says he would like to see more partnerships between government, non-profits and businesses to preserve wildlife. US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Lexington Herald-Leader - Online CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Lexington Herald-Leader - Online NEW ORLEANS -- Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 San Francisco Examiner CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU San Francisco Examiner NEW ORLEANS Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." ______ On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ Fish and Wildlife Service releases its climate change plan 09/23/2009 St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Online Kim McGuire Return to Top Kim McGuire St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Online Fish and Wildlife Service Director Sam Hamilton As part of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's push on climate change, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today released its planto guide the agency's future efforts regarding impacts on wildlife. The plan, which is available for public review and comment over the next 60 days, will help navigate future responses to things like changing wildlife migration patterns, the spread of invasive species, changing precipitation patterns and rising sea levels. “The growing impacts from climate change on wildlife, plants, and watersheds are a call to action,” said Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the interior for fish and wildlife and parks. “These impacts call for a coordinated and strategic response from the Department and its bureaus. We will help lead a national response that is grounded in sound science, and adaptive, landscape-scale conservation approach , and collaboration with partners. This is a crucial first step in that direction.” The plan outlines a number of steps the agency plans to take in a world where conservation is being confronted with the impacts of climate change. Among the more meaty steps is developing a blueprint for the conservation community involved in addressing climate change impacts on wildlife. The plan has already picked up accolades by the National Wildlife Federation and Ecospeak suspects more are to follow. There are a number of conservation groups - Ducks Unlimited is one with a strong Missouri presence that comes to mind - that have long been concerned about the impacts of climate change on wildlife. What do you think Ecospeak readers? Could efforts like these succeed without federal climate change legislation serving as a guiding principle? Loading ... Tags: climate change plan, Interior Department, Ken Salazar, Sam Hamilton, Tom Stickland, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Daily Reflector, The Return to Top NEW ORLEANS Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South ison the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." ______ On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ ___ Sept 23, 2009 - 5:16 p.m. EDT Wildlife officials push action on climate threats 09/23/2009 Fort Mill Times Return to Top NEW ORLEANS Top U.S. wildlife officials say they will focus on the risks posed by climate change across the South by trying to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, says the South is on the forefront of climate threats and coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. He also says he would like to see more partnerships between government, non-profits and businesses to preserve wildlife. US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Times & Democrat CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Times & Democrat Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Daily Reflector - Online, The The Associated Press Return to Top The Associated Press Daily Reflector - Online, The NEW ORLEANS — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South ison the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." ______ On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ U.S. officials cite climate-change threats in South 09/23/2009 Houma Courier CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Houma Courier CAIN BURDEAU,Associated Press Writer NEW ORLEANS — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Herald - Online, The CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Herald - Online, The NEW ORLEANS -- Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." Wildlife officials push action on climate threats 09/23/2009 KNOE-TV Associated Press Return to Top Associated Press KNOE-TV NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Top U.S. wildlife officials say they will focus on the risks posed by climate change across the South by trying to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, says the South is on the forefront of climate threats and coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. He also says he would like to see more partnerships between government, non-profits and businesses to preserve wildlife. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Wildlife officials push action on climate threats 09/23/2009 Houma Courier The Associated Press Return to Top The Associated Press Houma Courier NEW ORLEANS - Top U.S. wildlife officials say they will focus on the risks posed by climate change across the South by trying to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, says the South is on the forefront of climate threats and coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. He also says he would like to see more partnerships between government, non-profits and businesses to preserve wildlife. Louisiana at 1 30 p.m. Wednesday 09/23/2009 Victoria Advocate - Online AMMO SHORTAGE Return to Top AMMO SHORTAGE Victoria Advocate - Online Originally published September 23, 2009 at 12:39 p.m., updated September 23, 2009 at 1:51 p.m. Good afternoon Louisiana editors. If you have any contributions for or questions about the report, call 1-800-662-7717. To report technical problems: 1-800-469-1362. AP stories, along with the photos that accompany them, can also be obtained from http://www.apexchange.com. Reruns are also available from the Service Desk (800-838-4616). The news editor is Brian Schwaner. The desk staffer this evening is Chevel Johnson. TOP STORIES METAIRIE, La. — Don't talk about a recession to Mike Mayer. The owner of the Jefferson Indoor Range and Gun Outlet, like other gun dealers across the nation, said business is so brisk he's had to limit sales of ammunition. People are not just stocking up, Mayer said, they're stacking it away, fearful of potential federal gun control efforts and increased taxes on ammunition and fire arms. By Mary Foster. AP Photos and multimedia. CLIMATE CHANGE-WILDLIFE NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Wednesday that it will focus on the risksx posed by climate change across the South by trying to save barrier islands, fighting invasive species and working with nongovernment organizations to restore wildlife habitat. By Cain Burdeau. ACORN-STATES ST. PAUL, Minn. — As support for the community activist group ACORN withered in Congress in the wake of a hidden-camera scandal, Republican governors and other state officials moved swiftly to sever ties. It turns out the group often commanded little — if any — state business. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, seen as a possible 2012 GOP presidential candidate, directed his budget commissioner to stop all state funding to ACORN except where "the state is legally obligated to provide such funding." None of Minnesota's money was going to the group, and hadn't for more than a year. An order from Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, also seen as a possible 2012 contender, resulted in blocking two possible ACORN social services contracts worth a combined $13,750. By Martiga Lohn. UNEMPLOYMENT CHANGES BATON ROUGE — Unemployment taxes on businesses will rise in Louisiana, while state benefits to unemployed workers will fall next year. That's because an increase in the ranks of Louisiana's unemployed has drained money from a trust fund that pays benefits from taxes on businesses. A state law requires the increase in taxes and decrease in benefits when the trust fund drops below a certain balance. The Revenue Estimating Conference agreed to projections Wednesday from the state labor department that show a drop in the fund balance, triggering the changes. The adjustment means employers will pay taxes on the first $7,700 in earnings per employee, rather than thefirst $7,000. Benefits to those who apply for unemployment after Jan. 1 will drop from $258 per week to $247. By Melinda Deslatte. LOUISIANA CORRUPTION NEW ORLEANS — A former Louisiana congressman's brother convicted of bribery and obstruction of justice charges is asking a judge to order a new trial. In a court filing Tuesday, a lawyer for Mose Jefferson argues jurors were confused by how federal prosecutors charged Jefferson in the case. The jury convicted Jefferson last month of bribing former New Orleans school board president Ellenese Brooks-Simms for her support in awarding school contracts, but acquitted him of conspiring to bribe Brooks-Simms. SOUTHERN-PAY RAISE BATON ROUGE — A proposal to nearly double the pay of the son of a member of the Southern University Board of Supervisors has been removed from the board's Friday meeting agenda. Southern University System interim President Kassie Freeman recommended increasing the pay of Brandon Dumas, coordinator for student affairs, while adding "deputy chief of staff" to his job title. MARCHING BAND HAZING BATON ROUGE — Two Louisiana men and a Georgia man have received probation for their roles in a hazing incident that sent two Southern University marching band members to the hospital before the 2008 Bayou Classic football game. Another Georgia man pleaded no contest in the case. On Tuesday, a state Judge put Lagarian Bridgewater and Clifton Taylor of Baton Rouge and Carlo Carter of Stone Mountain, Ga., on active supervised probation for two years. The three men, who previously pleaded no contest to misdemeanor hazing and criminal conspiracy to commit second-degree battery, were among seven former Southern band members arrested in the case. One of them, Joseph Webb, of Columbus, Ga., entered a no-contest plea to those charges Tuesday. He will be sentenced Oct. 23. ENTERTAINMENT/LIFESTYLE PEOPLE-JEREMY DAVENPORT CHALMETTE — Jazz trumpeter and singer Jeremy Davenport says it's easy to forget how much rebuilding still needs to be done in south Louisiana. He says it's important to look past neighborhoods like the French Quarter and Garden District, which have rebounded and are largely back to normal since Hurricane Katrina four years ago, and look at areas that still have a long way to go. On Tuesday, Davenport put down his trumpet and picked up some tools to help volunteers rebuild a home in St. Bernard Parish that had taken on 14 feet of water. RAPPER-DRUGS BATON ROUGE — Baton Rouge rapper Torrence "Lil Boosie" Hatch will serve at least one year in prison after pleading guilty to a third-offense marijuana possession charge. Hatch told state Judge Chip Moore Tuesday he wanted to get this behind him. LOUISIANA IN BRIEF Editors: The following brief items moved Wednesday on AP's Louisiana wire and may be of interest for your Thursday editions. STREAMLINING GOVERNMENT BATON ROUGE — A panel charged with finding ways to slash government spending by more than $800 million will start considering possible recommendations in October. IRAQ-CONTRACTOR KILLED BAGHDAD — The military says a soldier has been charged with murder in the slaying of a civilian contractor from Leesville, La., on an American base in Iraq. BANK THEFT NEW ORLEANS — A Baton Rouge man who worked for JP Morgan Chase Bank has been charged with embezzling more than $178,000 from the bank. SHERIFF-ETHICS BATON ROUGE — A panel of administrative law judges in Baton Rouge has cleared a former Grant Parish sheriff of ethics charges. INDIAN STUDIES HATTIESBURG, Miss. — The University of Southern Mississippi on Saturday will dedicate its new Center for American Indian Research and Studies. BANKRUPTCY FRAUD ALEXANDRIA — A former Alexandria businessman and his wife have pleaded not guilty to federal bankruptcy fraud charges. OAKDALE SLAYING OAKDALE — Allen Parish sheriff's deputies say two men have been arrested in the death of a Pitkin woman who died early Saturday from at least one gunshot wound she suffered outside of an Oakdale bar. SHREVEPORT-MASTER PLAN SHREVEPORT — Volunteers in Shreveport are compiling residents' opinions on what the city's developing "master plan" should aim for. OUACHITA CORRUPTION MARKSVILLE — Former Ouachita Parish Police Jury Public Works director Frederick Boyte's paid restitution of $2,500 for a tractor he stole in Avoyelles Parish and had a felony theft charge dropped against him. BUSINESS ENERGY PARTNERS-REORGANIZATION NEW ORLEANS — Energy Partners Ltd. says a Chapter 11 reorganization plan approved last month by a federal bankruptcy judge has taken effect and the company expects 40 million shares of new common stock to begin trading this week on the New York Stock Exchange. The New Orleans company has appointed new management following approval of the plan, which took effect Tuesday. Shareholders negotiated to keep 5 percent of new stock in EPL. The other 95 percent goes to noteholders. The company said it has converted more than $470 million of debt to equity. BUSINESS IN BRIEF JINDAL-OFFSHORE DRILLING BATON ROUGE — Gov. Bobby Jindal is urging the Minerals Management Service to expand offshore drilling, but to also pay Louisiana more to fix the damage offshore drilling has caused to the state's coast. COCA-COLA EXPANDS SHREVEPORT — After 60 years in its current facility in Shreveport, Coca-Cola Enterprises is preparing to break ground on a $10 million sales and distribution center. SPORTS SAINTS-SHANLE METAIRIE — Linebacker Scott Shanle quietly went about his business so well last season that his New Orleans Saints teammates named him their defensive MVP, even ahead of defensive captain and leading tackler Jonathan Vilma. With a pair of interceptions in the first two games of this season, Shanle's standing out even more now. By Brett Martel. BILLS-JACKSON ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Marshawn who? Turns out the Buffalo Bills running attack is rolling just fine with Fred Jackson, who's coming off a career-best 163 yards rushing performance following a 33-20 win over Tampa Bay. By John Wawrow. MISS ST-STRUGGLING RECEIVERS STARKVILLE, Miss. — Of all the things Mississippi State wide receiver Chad Bumphis thought he'd be doing in coach Dan Mullen's offense, standing on the sidelines never entered his mind. "I just really want to be out there bad," the freshman said. "I'm so used to just being in the game when the game is coming down to the end, it's just hard to make an adjustment. I know what it takes now." By Chris Talbott. AP Photos. SEC NOTEBOOK BATON ROUGE — Notes from around the Southeastern Conference. Compiled by Brett Martel. SPORTS IN BRIEF SE LOUISIANA-SAFETIES HAMMOND — Southeastern Louisiana University's secondary will have a different look heading into Saturday's game at South Dakota after the team lost both of its starting safeties in last week's 52-6 loss to Ole Miss. US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Malaysia News.net CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Malaysia News.net Florida AP NEW ORLEANS -- Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." Partnerships, science keys to wildlife and climate change 09/23/2009 Salt Lake Tribune - Online, The Brett Prettyman Return to Top Brett Prettyman Salt Lake Tribune - Online, The Washington, D.C. » Interior takes on climate change. A Pika sits on a rock at the base of Mount Baldy, in the Uinta Mountains. Pika's are small rabbit-like mammals that live in the state's high elevations like the Uinta Mountains Saturday, January 8 2000. Conservationists believe the rodent is threatened by climate change and are attempting to get it listed as an endangered species. Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune Evidence of climate change and its impact on wildlife is mounting, from costal refuges inundated with salt water as oceans rise to wildlife spotted in seasons and places where they've never been seen. In Utah, concern has arisen for such sensitive species as pika -- a high altitude mammal that could vanish as temperatures climb -- and native cutthroat trout that don't fare as well as their exotic cousins in warm water conditions. But until Wednesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, charged with protecting the nation's flora and fauna, had not articulated an overall strategy to address the effects of climate change on wild creatures and their habitat. "Climate change is a reality. The debate is over. It Pikas in Utah is the single greatest conservation challenge of the 21st century," said Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior for fish and wildlife and parks, during a conference call with reporters. "The effect of climate change is widespread and it presents immediate challenges." The plan's release comes a week after Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issued an order establishing a framework for bureaus within the Department of Interior to coordinate climate change science and ways to manage resources that will be affected. The Fish and Wildlife Service is the first of the agencies to respond to that directive. The service's Strategic Plan for Climate Change focuses on three elements: reducing the impact of climate change on wildlife; finding ways to reduce levels of greenhouse gases; and working with conservation partners to provide the best answers for dealing with the issue on a national scale, but through local solutions. While the plan advances only broad goals, such as planning and delivering "conservation actions that support climate adaptations" by wildlife, and changing "business practices to achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2020," its emphasis on regional collaboration seems to signal a greater commitment to the best science available. "This truly is a game changer," said Sam Hamilton, recently appointed director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "They say 'as goes wildlife in the United States so goes the nation.' Improving the health and well being of wildlife benefits all Americans through clean water and clean air. We need partners to help us make informed and adaptive decisions in the face of adversity. We need to target the right science in the right places." Barry Baker, a climate change scientist with the Nature Conservancy's Utah chapter, said he welcomes the opportunity to share research. "The Nature Conservancy is working very hard to prevent the listing of additional species [to the Endangered Species list]," Baker said. "As long as there is good science behind these decisions, then as a scientist I feel very comfortable with this effort." Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials said the plan was not a surprise, but that it will take some time to figure out exactly how the Fish and Wildlife Service will implement it. "We are watching to see what the changes will be," said Alan Clark, an assistant director with the state wildlife management agency. "One of the things they are trying to do is get the best information available and that is something we all want. In the meantime, we will keep doing what we have been doing, which is trying to make the ecosystem healthier so it is more resistant to change." Hamilton, a career employee with the Fish and Wildlife Service for more than 30 years, said there's a greater desire among all the players in wildlife conservation to collect and share information on climate change. "We are seeing some incredible partnerships," he said. "The silver lining to the climate change issue is that we are seeing more desire to cooperate and work together than any of us have seen before in our careers." Climate change and wildlife o Read the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's plan on wildlife conservation and climate change at www.fws.gov/home/climatechange. Comments will be accepted for 60 days. More online Read about how climate change may be affecting Utah's pika population and see a video. » www.sltrib.com/outdoors. US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Wilmington Star-News - Online CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Wilmington Star-News - Online Metro NEW ORLEANS - Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/">http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ U.S. officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Times & Democrat - Online CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Times & Democrat - Online NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. “We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing,” Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing “catch up.” “For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored,” Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. “Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water,” Hamilton said. “Species will need to migrate and that may be inland.” Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. “We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit,” Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied “on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow.” On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ U.S. officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Times & Democrat CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Times & Democrat NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. “We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing,” Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing “catch up.” “For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored,” Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. “Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water,” Hamilton said. “Species will need to migrate and that may be inland.” Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. “We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit,” Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied “on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow.” On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Daily Advance - Online, The Return to Top NEW ORLEANS — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South ison the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." ______ On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ Copyright 2009, The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Chevrolet Suburban 2008, 5.3L, 8 CYL., Automatic, FI, Silver Birch Metallic. Call (252)335-0724...(more) Lexus RX 350 2007, 3.5L, 6 CYL., Automatic, FI, Millennium Silver Metallic. Call (252)335-0724...(more) US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Palm Beach Post - Online CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Palm Beach Post - Online NEW ORLEANS — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." ______ On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Rocky Mount Telegram, The The Associated Press Return to Top The Associated Press Rocky Mount Telegram, The NEW ORLEANS — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South ison the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." ______ On The Web: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast region Web site on climate change: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/climate/ US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Charlotte Observer - Online CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Charlotte Observer - Online NEW ORLEANS Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer - Online CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Columbus Ledger-Enquirer - Online NEW ORLEANS -- Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 State - Online, The CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU State - Online, The NEW ORLEANS -- Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Bradenton Herald - Online CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Bradenton Herald - Online Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." U.S. officials cite climate-change threats in South 09/23/2009 Daily Comet - Online, The CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Daily Comet - Online, The CAIN BURDEAU,Associated Press Writer NEW ORLEANS — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Fort Mill Times - Online CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Fort Mill Times - Online NEW ORLEANS — Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." US officials cite climate change threats in South 09/23/2009 Telegraph - Online, The CAIN BURDEAU Return to Top CAIN BURDEAU Telegraph - Online, The NEW ORLEANS -- Top U.S. wildlife officials said Wednesday they will try to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat as they confront the risks posed by climate change across the South. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the South is on the forefront of climate change threats and that coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. "We're seeing sea level rise issues, coastal erosion issues, we're seeing a lot of the sea turtle nesting beaches are stressed and absolutely disappearing," Hamilton said during a teleconference to unveil the agency's draft strategic plan to deal with climate change. Tom Strickland, assistant secretary of the Interior Department for parks and fish and wildlife, said President Barrack Obama's administration is playing "catch up." "For way too long in the last eight years of the previous administration, the issue was ignored," Strickland said. With an estimated 30 percent of habitat in coastal refuges expected to be flooded as glaciers melt and seas rise, officials said they need to look at buying land to help species shift to higher ground in North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast. "Along coastal refuges, we realize some of these will turn into grass beds and open water," Hamilton said. "Species will need to migrate and that may be inland." Hamilton also said the agency must study how to protect coastal areas, perhaps with oyster reefs and new vegetation, to combat ocean surges and the advance of salt water. Hamilton said the agency hopes to expand partnerships between government, nonprofits and businesses. He cited two examples in the South. In the lower Mississippi Valley, a partnership of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Conservation Fund, American Electric Power Co. and Entergy Inc. has led to the planting of 22 million hardwood trees, 80,000 acres of new forest and 40,000 acres of new public lands, Hamilton said. In North Carolina, Hamilton praised The Nature Conservancy and Duke Energy for helping preserve the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Duke Energy donated $1 million to pay for research to understand how climate change might affect the refuge, the agency said. North Carolina's coast is expected to lose 1 million acres over the next century as salt water degrades peat soils and kills plants and trees, the agency said. Hamilton said similar partnerships should be expanded nationwide. John Kostyack, National Wildlife Federation executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming, said the agency has taken the right approach by seeking to understand what the map might look like in the coming decades. "We're going to have ecosystems moving around quite a bit," Kostyack said. Far too long, he added, wildlife management has relied "on the outdated assumption that the climate of yesterday will be the climate tomorrow." Fish and Wildlife Service draft plan to deal with climate change on wildlife 09/23/2009 Minnesota Public Radio - Online Stephanie Hemphill Return to Top Stephanie Hemphill Minnesota Public Radio - Online St. Paul, Minn. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wednesday released the draft of a plan to deal with the impact of climate change on wildlife and natural ecosystems. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service says it will work with states, tribes, and non-profit groups to build understanding and make better predictions of how climate change will affect our landscapes. The agency said land and animals face rising seas, bigger storms and droughts, more wildfire, and other challenges from climate change. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Sam Hamilton said Minnesota is a good example of some of the tough choices that will have to be made. 'Some very difficult decisions about when you try to assist something whether it's migrating [or] whether it's vegetative changes by introducing something,' Hamilton said. 'I know that across the United States folks are experimenting with that right now.' Dan Ashe, who helped write the strategy, said one example of expected changes is the shift of the prairie-pothole region, home to millions of migrating birds, from the Dakotas into western Minnesota. 'If that's going to happen, we may to shift our management strategies,' he said. 'But a lot of that area is in agriculture now, so we would have to work with the Agriculture Department and partnerships.' Ashe said the Minnesota DNR will be an integral part of planning for Minnesota. Wildlife officials push action on climate threats 09/23/2009 WMC-TV Associated Press Return to Top Associated Press WMC-TV NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Top U.S. wildlife officials say they will focus on the risks posed by climate change across the South by trying to save barrier islands, fight invasive species and work with companies to restore wildlife habitat. Sam Hamilton, new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, says the South is on the forefront of climate threats and coastal wildlife refuges from North Carolina to Louisiana are endangered. He also says he would like to see more partnerships between government, non-profits and businesses to preserve wildlife. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Federal fish and wildlife agency launches climate change plan 09/23/2009 OregonLive.com Return to Top By Matthew Preusch, The Oregonian September 23, 2009, 11:30AM View full sizeBrent Wojahn/The OregonianA Yellow-headed Blackbird at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Today the agency that oversees the nation's wildlife refuges announced its climate change strategy. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service this morning rolled out it's plan for facing the challenges posed by climate change. "Climate change is a reality; the debate is over," Tom Strickland, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for fish and wildlife and parks, said in a conference call with reporters this morning. "It is the single greatest conservation challenge of the 21st century." The public will have 60 days to on the plan, which is more a framework than a detail-rich plan of attack. It focuses on three main goals: helping species adapt to a changing climate. reducing the amount of heat-trapping gases that are released into the atmosphere. building partnerships with other agencies, groups and individuals to develop landscape-based climate initiatives. "It's a fundamental shift from being reactionary to more anticipatory of things," said Strickland. The announcement follows an order from Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar last week spelling out how the department's bureaus, including the fish and wildlife service, should incorporate climate chance into their planning. -- Matthew Preusch Previous story: Army Corps of Engineers' regional leader departing Story tags: climate change | fish and wildlife service | global warming | usfws Oregon environmental headlines • Federal fish and wildlife agency launches climate change plan 10:40 a.m. PT • State lifts advisory for Elk Creek in southern Oregon 10:16 a.m. PT • Army Corps of Engineers' regional leader departing 10:44 a.m. PT More: Oregon Environmental News » DIG IN WITH KYM • New-plant alert! 10:26 a.m. PT • Sculptor DJ Garrity demonstrates his art at Hughes Water Gardens 5:36 p.m. PT • MindGlo offers dozens of classes in many subjects, including gardening 2:52 p.m. PT • An embarrassing moment in the garden 10:03 a.m. PT • I'm not thrilled with visits from raccoons 7:14 a.m. PT