PEER Chapters - Refuge Keeper

PEER's first national chapter, serving employees of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) within the National Wildlife Refuge System, officially opened for business in the Spring of 1999.

Refuge Keeper is headed by Gene Hocutt, a long-time FWS Refuge Manager who during his 29 year career served on five refuges in four Regions, on both coastal and inland units across the country. Gene, who holds advanced degrees in zoology and education, also served as a Supervisor of Conservation Education for the State of Maine.

Refuge Keeper is dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the integrity and independence of the more than 500 National Wildlife Refuges and their dedicated staffs. The purpose is to assist employees who are dealing with natural resource-related conflicts, including conflicts with their own Regional Offices or chain of command. Backed by the entire PEER organization, Refuge Keeper provides legal representation, congressional advocacy and campaign planning when needed by FWS refuge and law enforcement professionals. As chief "refuge keeper" for PEER, Gene is on hand to counsel refuge employees and advocate on their concerns.

"We are advocates not only for the resource but also for the people who are protecting the resource," says Gene. "I have been on the front lines of battles to ban or block incompatible activities on refuges and I know what it takes in order to prevail. I want to share that experience with my former colleagues."

Gene Hocutt
P.O. Box 359
Aurora, New York 13026
Phone: (315) 364-7495
Email: refugekeeper[at]peer.org

Following are PEER news releases, white papers, surveys and other activities for Refuge Keeper:

News Releases for Refuge Keeper
April 29, 2008  ARIZONA GAME AGENCY SCAPEGOATS COUGARS FOR BIGHORN TRAVAILS — Agency Engages in “Biological McCarthyism” by Targeting Puma as Bighorn Gain
April 21, 2008  ARIZONA’S KOFA REFUGE COUGARS GET ONE-YEAR REPRIEVE — Government Halts “Lethal Removal” of Refuge Puma after PEER Intervention
April 2, 2008  WILDERNESS WATER WAR IN ARIZONA REFUGE OVER BIGHORNS — Former Long-Time Kofa Wildlife Refuge Biologist Says His Agency Is All Wet
March 20, 2008  OIL DEAL FOR ALASKA WILDLIFE REFUGE ON FAST TRACK — Yukon Flats Land Exchange Tied to Oil Development but No Time for Appraisals
December 7, 2007  INTERIOR ISSUES NEW MARCHING ORDERS FOR BISON RANGE DEAL — Funding Agreement with Tribe by Next March but Big Questions Remain
November 13, 2007  FATE OF NATIONAL BISON RANGE HAS BECOME A POLITICAL FOOTBALL — House Leaders Pushing in Opposite Directions on Transferring Refuge to Tribes
May 17, 2007  TRIBES REJECT FIVE-YEAR BISON RANGE PARTNERSHIP — CSKT Renews Push for Takeover of Refuge Management and More Jobs
April 11, 2007  NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES SEVERELY SHORTCHANGED — Acre-for-Acre, Refuges Get 17 Cents for Every Dollar Spent on National Parks
February 1, 2007  WILDLIFE REFUGE CUTS CRIPPLING CONSERVATION, SAY MANAGERS — Survey Cites Declining Habitats and Visitor Safety and Growing Frustrations
January 18, 2007  INTERIOR DEPARTMENT LEAVES BISON RANGE EMPLOYEES IN DARK — Grievance Appeal Filed; New Threats Against Employees
January 9, 2007  ABUSES AT NATIONAL BISON RANGE CONFIRMED BY INVESTIGATION — Threats, Intimidation and Safety Concerns Documented in Independent Report
December 14, 2006  FWS TERMINATES CONTROVERSIAL BISON RANGE AGREEMENT — Agency Rebuffs Efforts by Tribe to Assume Management of Entire Refuge in FY 2007
November 15, 2006  TRIBE SEEKING TOTAL TAKEOVER OF NATIONAL BISON RANGE — Fish & Wildlife Service May Also Cede Two More Refuges and Five Waterfowl Areas
October 26, 2006   NATIONAL BISON RANGE EVALUATION CENSORED BY AGENCY — Warnings about Communications Breakdowns and Worsening Relations Were Stifled
October 12, 2006  STAFF REBEL AGAINST HARASSMENT ON BISON RANGE REFUGE — Joint Complaint of Tribe Trying to Drive Off Staff in Order to Take Over Their Jobs
July 20, 2006  TROUBLED FIRST YEAR FOR BISON RANGE REFUGE TRIBAL OPERATION — Agreement Renewal in Limbo as Tribe Demands More Funds and Jobs
February 21, 2005  REFUGE MANAGER CHARGED FOR SAVING THREATENED FROGS — First Case of Refuge Manager Facing Criminal Charges for Wildlife Offense
February 8, 2005  BISON RANGE EMPLOYEES GIVEN REMOVAL NOTICES — Action Against Refuge Workers While Congressional Review Pending
December 14, 2004  BISON RANGE DEAL TO BE SIGNED DESPITE OBJECTIONS — Lingering Questions on Terms, Costs and Consequences
August 28, 2001  REFUGE DOLLARS NOT REACHING THE GROUND — Manager Survey Cites Bureaucratic Barriers
Surveys for Refuge Keeper
2007  Refuge Managers Survey
2001  Refuge Managers Survey
1999  Refuge Managers of the National Wildlife Refuge System Survey
1998  U.S. Fish & Wildlife Refuge Managers Survey
1997  National Wildlife Refuge Survey
Other PEER Activities for Refuge Keeper
PEER Letter to Senator Burns about the transfer of National Bison Range management