Florida Wildlife expedition makes stop at National Guard training post

By Air National Guard Master Sgt. Thomas Kielbasa

Florida National Guard

STARKE, Fla. (4/10/12) – A thousand-mile, 100-day expedition stopped at the National Guard's training post in North Florida recently, emphasizing the importance of the military site as a wildlife habitat.

Four trekkers from the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition visited Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, April 8 to 9, where they met with members of the Florida National Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to discuss the natural habitats at the post.

The expedition, which began Jan. 17, seeks to raise awareness for wildlife corridors in Florida by hiking, biking and paddling through natural lands from the Everglades to the Georgia border.

The team visiting Camp Blanding included a biologist, a conservationist, a photographer, and a videographer.

According to expedition biologist Joe Guthrie, the 72,000-acre military post is an important stopping point for wildlife along the greenway between the Ocala and Osceola National Forests.

"Camp Blanding is a major hub in the corridor that the State and (FWC) are trying to understand – especially when it comes to the Black Bear," Guthrie said.

Guthrie and the team met with Land Component Commander Army Brig. Gen. Richard Gallant, FWC Executive Director Nick Wiley, and other officials during their visit to Camp Blanding.

Conversation during the meeting included the increasing population of bears on the post, the importance of buffer zones between the post and nearby civilian homes, and the amount of military training in the area.

"This is tremendously important to Camp Blanding," Gallant said of the meeting with the expedition on April 9. "This helps us protect the training lands that we have by enhancing our relationships with FWC and other organizations, and improve the training opportunities for those visiting Camp Blanding."

FWC Executive Director Wiley agreed that the expedition's stop would highlight Camp Blanding's place in the wildlife corridor in north-central Florida.

"Camp Blanding is a great example of why these lands are so important to fish and wildlife in Florida," Wiley said. "And that is really a big emphasis of their expedition across the state: to highlight the importance of these lands and how they're linked together.

 "Our fish and wildlife need linkages, they need to be connected," he said. "…without habitat linkages and corridors like this, Florida wouldn't be Florida. It wouldn't be special. One of the things that we hold dear as Floridians is our fish and wildlife."

Camp Blanding Joint Training Center is located near Starke, Fla. The training site is home to both Florida Army and Air National Guard units, and is an ideal training area for military units because of its varied topography-planted pine plantations, swamps, oak hammocks, desert-like terrain-with minimal environmental restrictions. It is also home to many native wildlife species.

NAS JAX Game Warden Educates Sportsman

By Yeoman 3rd Class Timothy Daughton, Navy Region Southeast Public Affairs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- A brutal killing early in 2010 caught the attention of several service members aboard Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS JAX). Helpless, they watched three coyotes break the neck of a doe during a noontime attack.

The coyotes were just one of various species of potentially dangerous wildlife on NAS JAX. Thankfully, base residents have someone they can trust to educate them, and in turn, protect them from potential dangers while engaging in outdoor activities.

Since 2009, Federal Game Warden Lt. Ostell Hargrove has committed himself to educating service members on NAS JAX about potential dangers, and the policies they are required to follow when hunting or fishing on base. This includes posting signs alerting pedestrians of the wildlife native to the area, said Hargrove.

As game warden, Hargrove's responsibilities include the removal of pests or dangerous wildlife from the base and ensuring all state policies are followed. He also is responsible for making sure all non-game wildlife, such as tortoises, bears, alligators and fox squirrels are not taken or harassed.

"The biggest violations I come across everyday are people not knowing they need a license to fish on base. During my first week as game warden, I issued 27 citation warnings for failure to have a license while fishing, and personally followed up on each case to make sure those issues were resolved," Hargrove said.

"After the absence of a game warden on base for four years, he came in and implemented a system that puts safety first," NAS JAX Chief of Police Randy Gommer said.

Hargrove contributed to revisions to the NAS JAX instruction 5090.10E, which outlines base hunting and fishing regulations. The changes included a daily game warden report, which documents wildlife movement and up-to-date violations. NAS JAX is required to abide by state and federal hunting and fishing regulations and to coordinate with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for the most up to date provisions.

"I have worked at NAS JAX for 15 years, and since Lt. Hargrove has been the game warden, the hunting and fishing program on base has gone from almost nonexistent to a flawlessly-ran operation. I can confidently say he is directly responsible for the program's overall success," Gommer said.

According to Hargrove, working as NAS JAX game warden is not just a job, because he truly enjoys what he does.

"I am strict when it comes to policy and safety procedures, and I believe that human life is more important than recreational sport," he said. He is grateful for the opportunity he has been given to prove himself as the game warden.

Hunting and fishing licenses are available at the Mulberry Cove Marina. The Marina is open Monday and Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Fishing licenses are $17.50 for salt or fresh water and $33 for the combination package with military I.D. and valid driver's license. Hunting licenses are $20 with military I.D., driver's license and NAS JAX hunting orientation course certificate of completion. Authorized places to fish on base include Fisherman's Cove, Admiral's Cove, and Turtle Pond.

More information regarding authorized places to fish on base can be obtained by calling the Mulberry Cove Marina.