Nearly 75 percent of respondents to an independently conducted survey of US Fish and Wildlife Service employees believe the National Wildlife Refuge System is effectively accomplishing its mission of conserving and managing fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats. KRC Research conduced the survey online Jan. 21-30.
More than 3,950 FWS employees responded to the survey. KRC Research contacted about 9,400 employees. CARE (Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement) conducted the same survey among more than 400 nonprofit organizations, including Friends groups that provide financial and volunteer support to refuges.
The CARE survey showed a solid majority of respondents from Friends' organizations 68 percent believe the Refuge System is effectively accomplishing its mission, although only 56 percent of those responding from nonprofit organizations felt the same way.
The surveys will be considered as the Refuge System maps out a shared sense of priorities with its partners during the Conservation In Action Summit May 24-27.
Among other notable findings of the two surveys:
- Three objectives garnered approximately 90 percent support as the most important for the Refuge System among the FWS employees and nonprofit organizations that answered the survey: protecting healthy fish and wildlife populations, effectively managing habitat, and using good science in natural resource management. The findings reflect missions enunciated in the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997.
- Friends' respondents added "protecting additional habitat through land acquisition" among their top three choices, dropping "effective habitat management" to number four.
- Seventy percent of FWS respondents felt the Refuge System was effective in protecting healthy fish and wildlife populations. Nearly 80 percent of the Friends who answered the survey felt that way, although just 57 percent of nonprofit organization respondents rated the Refuge System as "effective" in the area.
- Effectiveness ratings fell somewhat when survey takers considered the Refuge System's effectiveness at using good science in natural resource management. While 66 percent of responding employees gave the Refuge System "effective" marks, just 55 percent of nonprofit stakeholders felt the same way and 57 percent of Friends.
- Looking at providing visitor safety and natural resource protection, 66 percent of responding employees felt the Refuge System was "effective." The numbers fell among other groups: 63 percent of nonprofit stakeholders who answered the survey gave the top rating, and 53 percent of Friends.
Friends, FWS employees and nonprofit organizations respondents generally agreed that the Refuge System should pursue three management tools to improve its prospects for the future: seek new funds, find better public support and pursue more effective partnerships.