This Week the Minnesota Land Trust Salutes the US Military
Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 3:04PM The Minnesota Land Trust is proud to have a US Marine Corps veteran, Fitz Fitzgerald, serving as our Northern Region Conservation Director. In honor of Fitz, and all veterans, the Land Trust offices will be closed on Friday, November 11, to celebrate Veterans Day. We asked Fitz to tell us a little about the US Marines and their role in the conservation of natural resources. Enjoy...
I’ll have to admit, that there are not a lot of military veterans working in the conservation world, at least as far as I know. And even rarer, are Marine Corps veterans working in the conservation arena. Now being that I am both a Marine and am also working in conservation, I am proud to point out a few little known facts about the military and conservation, an idea that isn’t as far-fetched as you might imagine.
It’s only fitting that this week in November we salute our veterans on Veterans Day and help celebrate a special anniversary that any Marine never forgets: November 10th, the birthday of the United States Marine Corps. This year is number 236…now that’s old!
Did you realize that there are Natural Resource Departments within the military? I will focus on where my loyalties are, but every branch of service has similar programs. So here are a few, little known facts about natural resource conservation in the Marine Corps.
The USMC actually has a U.S. Marine Corps Conservation Program Section. The primary role is to assure proper management of sensitive natural and cultural resources under USMC stewardship.
The USMC serves as custodian and environmental steward of approximately 3 million acres of some of the most ecologically sensitive areas of the country and the world, including portions of the Sonoran Desert, some of the last remaining sub-tropical rain forest in Asia, and numerous fresh and saltwater waters and wetlands. These areas provide habitat for an abundance of wildlife species including 56 federally listed plant and animal species.
These species and other natural resources are managed through “Integrated Plans” that, while supporting the installation’s military mission, also include plans for best management practices (BMPs) for wildlife, forest & range, erosion control, invasive species and other resource management measures.
By engaging in cooperative ecosystem and adaptive management approaches for sustained use, the Marine Corps preserves the land, water, and airspace needed to sustain military readiness while maximizing environmental protection. Stewardship is done in coordination and partnership with numerous outside agencies and organizations both governmental and non-governmental.
From Cherry Point, North Carolina to Camp Pendleton, California, and beyond, some of the threatened and endangered species protected include: American Alligator, Wood Stork, Sonoran Pronghorn, Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard, Desert Tortoise, Bald Eagle, West Indian Manatee, Bottlenose Dolphin, Hawaiian Duck, Humpback Whale, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Coastal California Flycatcher, and so on and so on!
So next time you thank a vet for serving his country, don’t forget to thank him for protecting the natural resources of our country!
Semper Fi,
Fitz Fitzgerald
P. S. If you’re really curious, you can follow this link to read more about the USMC's role in conservation.
Reader Comments (1)
Thanks Fitz for the fascinating information......and your service.