Objectives  Overview of How We Got Here  Summary of Conserving the Future  Community Partnership Implementation Team  How to Get Involved Staff and Friends of Plum Island in Green Bay NWR, in Lake Michigan, WI

Overview

How We Got Here Core Teams of Service employees All programs, Refuge System disciplines Conserving the Future Conference 1,100 attendees, Hundreds more virtually

Conserving the Future Conserving the Future acknowledges that strategic, collaborative, science- based landscape conservation – along with effective public outreach, education, and environmental awareness – is the only path forward to conserve America’s wildlife and wild places. “Friends groups are a refuge’s best ambassador in the community—sharing knowledge with their neighbors…”

Chapter 1 Conserving the Future: Wildlife and Wildlands Assess land protection projects Landscape scale planning Nationally coordinated inventory and monitoring program State-of-the-art data management

Chapter 2 Connected Conservation Constituency Urban Refuge Initiative Strategic communications plan Develop and nurture friends groups or community partnerships Opportunities for hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Recreation Volunteers at the Pelican Island Preservation Society's annual Wildlife Festival

Chapter 3 Leading Conservation into the Future Evaluation team for organizational realignments or programmatic efficiencies Service’s workforce match the diversity in the civilian labor force, within a decade

Implementation Teams Strategic Growth Urban Wildlife Refuge Initiative Leadership Development Planning Scientific Excellence Communications Community Partnerships Hunting, Fishing, and Outdoor Recreation Interpretation and Environmental Education

Community Partnerships Recommendation 11: Develop and nurture active and vibrant Friends groups or community partnerships for every staffed refuge or refuge complex. Recommendation 12: Develop a national strategy for recruiting, coordinating and supporting a more self-sustaining volunteer corps, while creating new opportunities for community involvement in implementing refuge priorities.

5 Sub-teams 1.Strategic Plan for strengthening volunteer programs, Friends organizations, and community partnerships 2.Handbook to guide volunteer, Friends and Community Partnership efforts 3.Web-Tools 4.Staff training 5.Friends Partnership Mentoring

Communications

How you can help G o online – J oin the Community Partnerships Social Network P rovide comments and feedback- especially on products B ring the information back to your Board

Ways to Provide Feedback On for comments and feedback through the website’s social networkwww.AmericasWildlife.org Two other ways for public comments - an account and a mailing address: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service NWRS-DVSC, Suite North Fairfax Drive Arlington, VA Attn: Vision Implementation Coordinator Mail Website

Join the Social Network 1) Go to 2) Sign up for the social network using your or through your Facebook

Join the Groups Within the Social Network 3) Click on Social Network, then Groups to the Community Partnerships Implementation Team

AmericasWildlife.org Groups 4) Click on the team name 5) Click Join Group to become a member

Engagement 6) Once a member of the group, you can start discussion topics and post your comments

Questions? Contact: Anna Harris, Vision Coordinator or