FROM THE DIRECTOR: ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS

First, I’d like to thank you all for joining us at our second annual statewide meeting in January. It was a great day of fellowship, recognition and meeting. I was excited to roll out the vision for 2018, focusing on customer service and R3 –  recruiting, retaining and reactivating hunting, fishing and shooting sports participants.

You will continue to receive emails from me each month updating you on licenses and wildlife license plate sales, along with helpful tips to improve our customer-service interactions.

During the statewide meeting we asked you to write down questions, and Assistant Director Mark Whitney and I tried to answer those at the meeting. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite able to answer them all. Please allow me to address several of the more frequently mentioned issues.

P-cards: I know the new p-card policy has reduced flexibility and purchasing options for all of our offices. Just as a reminder, on April 1, 2017, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget and the State Accounting Office changed the p-card policy in an effort to eliminate inadequate controls and strengthen oversight of card use by some state agencies. DNR went from 600 cards to 100, which required severe cuts across all divisions. WRD now has 23 p-cards.

Unfortunately, we have no reason to believe that number will increase in the near future. The frustration with the new policy is felt throughout all DNR divisions. We realize this situation is not ideal, but I encourage each of you to continue to work with your region or program office to find ways to work within this new policy.

In short, the p-card policy is here to stay and we have to adapt to the new rules.

Uniforms: In late February, Mark sent an email letting you know that the DNR Purchasing Office decided to terminate our uniform contract. No more orders should be made through the current process with that vendor. We are working to address all incorrect order deliveries and process outstanding orders.

Our goal is still to provide everyone with appropriate uniforms. The uniform contract was re-bid on March 6 and will close April 6. We should have a new vendor in place later this spring. Thank you for your patience!

Weekend for Wildlife: Last, I’d like to thank each of you that had a part in the 30th anniversary Weekend for Wildlife in January. We raised $1.3 million, with most of the money, after expenses, going to the Nongame Conservation Section. This event would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of the people at WRD.

Thank you for all you do to make our division great!

PS: If you have any questions about R3, feel free to ask them here. You can pose questions anonymously; so don’t be shy to ask!

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go farther with improved go app

Want to fish, hunt, bird or simply get out? Let the Go Outdoors Georgia app help you get there.

Already a favorite of sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts, this free, mobile app -- the official app of the Wildlife Resources Division -- is packing more where-to and how-to information than ever before. It puts in the palm of the hand the ability to buy and store fishing and hunting licenses, access rules and regulations, and use map-based tools to enhance their recreational experience.

The newest release of the app adds even more features. Users can:

• Explore more than 800 public fishing and boating opportunities, plus hunting opportunities at and 150 wildlife management, state park and Voluntary Access Program areas.
• Filter hunting, fishing and boating sites by amenities and even species.
• Access Google driving directions to all sites and detailed map data for wildlife management and public fishing areas.
  

Download the app on your mobile device through the Apple App Store or Google Play (search “Outdoors GA”).

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state tourney aims YOUNG ARCHERS at NATIONALS

Thirty-four Georgia teams and some 750 students nocked scores of arrows and nailed hundreds of bull’s-eyes in the National Archery in the Schools Program state tournament March 2.

Teams from Lake Park Elementary, Loganville Middle and Murray County High led their respective school divisions at the event, held by the Wildlife Resources Division’s Hunter Development Program at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry. Champion archers included 10th-grader Cord Weaver of Loganville High, the competition’s highest-scoring male, and 11th-grader Christina Chen of Bulloch Academy in Statesboro, the highest-scoring female.

Top teams and archers qualified for the NASP Eastern Nationals tournament May 10-12 in Louisville, Ky. Leaders from that competition move on to the World tournament in June, also in Louisville.

Schools qualified for the statewide competition through one of three regional NASP tourneys.

NASP is an in-school program aimed at improving educational performance among students in grades fourth through 12th. Since 2003, NASP has been an approved physical education program in Georgia.

WATCH: WRD's "NASP is …” video

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GAME MANAGEMENT: so HOW ARE WE DOING?

This month, the Game Management Section began using an online survey to measure customer satisfaction based on interaction with agency staff. The brief survey is designed to help ensure the section is meeting customer needs and to identify customer service strengths and areas of improvement, according to section Chief John Bowers. “I firmly believe that our staff, by and large, provide excellent customer service,” Bowers wrote. “We all experience good and bad days and we are all human, but as we continue to strive for perfection we will consistently be excellent! I am looking forward to seeing metrics that quantify objectively the excellent customer service our associates provide every day.” Staff have been sent recommendations on ways to connect customers to the survey, including via printed cards that have been provided to region offices, adding the link to emails and directing customers by phone. An implementation plan features more detail, such as survey scoring methods and ways in which results will be used. Staff can contact Program Operations Manager Tina Johannsen, Ad-hoc Customer Service Survey Committee Chair Greg Balkcom or Bowers with questions. Back to top.

noteworthy

More than 50 anglers from ages 9 to 66 landed a Wildlife Resources Division Angler Award in 2017, reeling in a certificate and a hat embroidered with the angler’s name and details on the fish caught. Now open to 2018 entries, the awards program recognizes catches that exceed a specific weight or length for the species.

Don’t forget the WRD-wide push to promote sales of hunting and fishing licenses and wildlife license plates, which also involves spreading the word about how licenses and tags help wildlife. License sales at the close of February were slightly off-pace but the division can make up lost ground this month, with fishing hitting its spring stride and turkey season opening March 24. Got a success story? Let us know.

Take a deep dive into the Nongame Conservation Section’s work with wildlife, rare plants and natural habitats in the agency’s new annual report. There’s even this story map version, which offers interactive maps targeting everything from saltmarsh sparrow migration to gopher tortoise survey results. Although Good Fire Week (Feb. 4-10) is history, WRD and other agencies continue to do good work with restorative prescribed fire across the state. Prescribed fire is a safe way to apply a natural process, ensure ecosystem health and reduce wildfire risk. DNR Forestry for Wildlife has recognized three companies as 2017 partners: CatchMark Timber Trust, Georgia Power and Weyerhaeuser. The corporate forestland owners were honored at the state Capitol with Gov. Nathan Deal Feb. 14 for work benefiting wildlife on about 1 million acres in the voluntary program. Photos. When a crisis strikes, DNR is one of the state’s strongest and most qualified teams to help Georgia and its citizens. Case in point: Watch how the agency prepared for and responded to Hurricane Irma last September.

The calving season for North Atlantic right whales has gone wrong. With only a few weeks left in the four-month-long monitoring season, not a single calf has been seen off the Georgia/north Florida coast – a low that, in addition to factors such as 17 right whales found dead along the Atlantic Seaboard last year, pictures this endangered species sliding toward extinction. Learn more in the Georgia Wild enewsletter.

If you’re not plugged into WRD's blog, here's a glimpse of what you've missed in just the past few weeks: “Seven facts about Allegheny alligators,” “Study spotlight: fawn and food research in north Georgia,” and the latest Georgia fishing report. Follow the blog and stay in the know.

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names in the news

Our apologies for overlooking Kevin Von Seggern’s 2017 award from the National Wild Turkey Federation. In January 2017, the federation's Georgia chapter named the Game Management wildlife technician Wildlife Manager of the Year.

WE ARE DNR RECIPIENTS

Staff recognized as We Are DNR employees for December through early March include the following, plus some of the comments from those nominating them:

Bill Merriman, Sapelo Island Visitors Center – Bill is a 32-year DNR employee who has managed overall operations of the Visitors Center for more than 20 years. His customer service skills are finely developed and effectively applied to all, from customers to co-workers. The center is maintained in great condition. Bill is adept at solving problems and effectively responding to new situations. He represents well the core values of the National Estuarine Research Reserve, Sapelo Island and DNR.

When customers walk in the door of the Wildlife Resources Conservation Center in Social Circle, Division Training Specialist Lindsey Brown goes above and beyond, whether it’s leading them to the correct employee or talking to them about how licenses benefit the state’s wildlife resources. He is helpful and informative for every customer. Lindsey also works to bring WRD volunteers up to speed on how to volunteer, and forwards key information to the volunteer coordinator.

Denise Wiatrek of Fisheries Management’s regional office in Fort Valley earned kudos for putting a “Hunting and Fishing Licenses Sold Here" sign outside the office. It was a great example of creative thinking that syncs with WRD’s 2018 R3 initiative promoting license sales statewide. (For more on Denise’s work, see her entry below as a Fisheries Champion!)

Stacy Rowe, of the Sapelo Island Visitors Center, brings a smile to work every day. As a front-line face for WRD, he is not only helpful and patient, he is knowledgeable about the programs in his unit, region and section and about other Wildlife Resources initiatives. He contributes to the overall success of the center and WRD through his demeanor and expertise as an information-provider for customers.

WRD Volunteer Coordinator Michael Sellers has visited almost every region office to teach employees about the volunteer program and how to use the “go system” for promoting volunteer events and logging hours. His positive attitude and dedication to the volunteer program makes others want to be involved. Those attributes also make Michael a great asset for WRD’s Public Affairs team and the agency overall.

We Are DNR awards allow all WRD employees to recognize associates for exemplary work. Just click the button below and answer the brief questions.

WRD CHAMPIONS

The WRD champions chosen by section chiefs for October-December are:

Fisheries Management

• Willie Weldon, who works at the Cordele hatchery, is always on the move, doing several things at once and going above and beyond – whether it involves repairing equipment, unloading fish food, mowing grass or draining a pond (which, while waiting, he’ll routinely clean around the catch basin).
• Elaine Hinson, who recently returned to work at the Waycross Region office following medical leave, provides exemplary customer service – internal and external – and the Waycross team is glad to have this dedicated, admired and much appreciated employee back.
• Denise Wiatrek handled all administrative functions of the Fort Valley Fisheries office while the region’s administrative support specialist was on medical leave, while also answering phones, greeting customers, selling licenses and managing regional reports, all in a professional manner.

Game Management

• James Thornton’s exemplary effort in Region 5 (Albany) involved habitat management and public access on Mayhaw WMA, including the reintroduction of prescribed fire into several stands and the maintenance and improvement of miles of roads that had become impassable.
• Private Lands Program’s Emily Rushton provided commendable customer service for USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service partners, including navigating project reporting requirements and mapping/impact determinations. She also voluntarily took on administrative duties for the Voluntary Public Access program.
• In the Hunter Development Program, Jim Foust was noted for his initiative in developing a task list for the Richmond Hill Shooting Range and developing a training guide to train new safety officers at the range.

Nongame Conservation

• Through the coastal habitat mapping project, vegetation surveys and other projects, Jacob Thompson has become a go-to expert in coastal and Coastal Plain flora. His expertise has contributed to 37,500 acres of land conserved in coastal Georgia and helped implement management policy on state lands.
• Jesse Burnette, Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center’s facilities and maintenance supervisor, embodies DNR values: He is proactive in tackling issues, shows keen attention to detail, never passes the buck and works to find solutions to problems, all of which have helped improve the center.
• Data manager Greg Krakow has developed a variety of tools and applications for using biodiversity information, including the new Biodiversity Data Portal. This online portal features maps, profiles and conservation status updates on 1,500-plus plants, animals and natural communities in Georgia.

Congratulations to these employees, from section champs to We Are DNR recipients. Thanks to each for helping WRD excel at customer service and continue to pursue its mission.

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personnel

Changes for December through February (hourly positions not included).

HIRED

• Lauren Frances Long, Fisheries (DJ expansion), administrative support 1
• Aurora Skie Geoghagan, Game Management (Sapelo Island operations), vessel mate
• Porter Akins Ownbey, Game Management (Hunter Education and Shooting Sports), training and development specialist 2
• Aaryn Mckenzie Tarver, Game Management (Albany), wildlife technician 2

PROMOTED

• Robert Vincent Horan III, Game Management (Sapelo Island), wildlife biologist 3
• Regina C. Malcom, Nongame Conservation, business support analyst 1
• Kenneth Stacy Palmer, Game Management (Gainesville), wildlife technician 3
• David C. Reed, Game Management (Gainesville), wildlife tech supervisor

RESIGNED

• James A. Murdock, Nongame Conservation (Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center), curator/preservationist 2
• Jessie Brion Kriner, Fisheries Management (Southeast Region III Operation), fisheries technician 2
• Dallas Paul Grimes, Game Management (Bobwhite Quail Initiative Program), wildlife biologist 3

RETIRED

• Randall J. Wood, Game Management (Fort Valley), wildlife technician supervisor
• Shirley M. Hall, Nongame Conservation, business support analyst 1
• Richard B. Wagner, Fisheries Management (North Region 1 Operations), fisheries technician supervisor

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The mission of Georgia DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division is to conserve, enhance
and promote Georgia’s fish and wildlife resources and outdoor heritage through
science-driven research, management, regulation and education.
WRD's "We Are DNR" is a bimonthly employee newsletter. All rights reserved.

Volume 3, Issue 1