By Pat Lawrence
Janet Butler in uniform. |
Janet Butler often must do her job with no air conditioning in summer,
no heat in winter, surrounded by dirt and water.
She thinks her life is charmed.
Janet is the Outdoor Recreation Planner for the Ohio River Islands
National Wildlife Refuge based in Parkersburg. Her mission is
to work with others to conserve, protect and enhance wildlife and
their habitat for the continuing benefit of the American people. Her
job is to manage public use of the 22 islands that have been designated
as one of West Virginia’s two national refuges. The recreational
activities she plans and directs for the public always put wildlife
first, but Janet encourages people to come to the refuge to learn
to approach and appreciate wildlife from a conservation perspective.
“We invite people to visit the islands for many reasons. The
refuge offers a wonderful opportunity for wildlife observation, like
bird watching or natural photography. We also offer learning
programs and activities, helping people understand wildlife habits
and habitat.”
She says hunting and fishing opportunities are also provided on the
islands. “Deer have had a very negative impact on our environmental
efforts –they eat the trees we plant! Lyme disease and
damaged gardens are also at issue. Hunting takes the place of
natural predators.”
Unlike wildlife sanctuaries where wildlife is generally isolated
from the public, the Ohio River Islands serve as a refuge for migratory
birds and endangered species while offering people an opportunity
to interact with wildlife. The islands extend almost 400 miles across
four states, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. The
federal government owns the land, which is administered by the US
Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
System.
Janet has been involved in a number of activities celebrating the
National Refuge System centennial this year. She’s also
helping commemorate the Lewis and Clark Expedition, at the Hannibal
Locks on the Ohio River. “The first refuge was established
by Theodore Roosevelt at Pelican Island in Florida in 1903. Now,
there are well over 500 across the country.” Although West
Virginia has over a million acres of protected public land owned by
the Forest Service, the only other refuge is in Canaan Valley.
Since much of the refuge isn’t accessible except by boat, Janet
spends a lot of time on the river. She pilots boats filled with
visitors or volunteers, and dives with the scientific dive team, performing
mussel surveys and habitat studies. She says, “One
of the greatest roles of the river is to provide natural habitat.”
They observe forty different kinds of mussels in the river. “Two
are endangered and one is a zebra mussel, a non-native that’s
a problem. The zebras attach to hard surfaces, including the
native mussels, who get starved out.”
Janet, originally from northern Minnesota “where there were
lots of moose, bear, wolves and mosquitoes”, started with a
biology degree. “I wasn’t very practical. I
took what I wanted. But, I got a job right away with the forest
system.” She worked with the US Forest Service for 12 years
and was director of the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center. “I
like the people end of things,” she says. “This job
gives me a connection with the natural world and with people.”
Because it’s a division of the Fish and Wildlife service with
a small staff, Janet says, “We all do manual labor! Digging,
repairing signs, spraying herbicides- it’s all in the job description
somewhere.” During winter, “which goes by too quickly”
Janet does planning and reports, writes brochures and develops new
programs, like the insect safari scheduled in September. She’s
interested in promoting activities related to the 200 species of birds
that visit the refuge each year. “Birds often use the Ohio
as a migratory corridor. We have tiny warblers that winter in
South and Central America. When they’re traveling, they
need a place to stop and take a break, just like we do.”
A gardener and naturalist at home, Janet believes “Our quality
of life depends on the quality of our environment. People need
a place to get away. I’m lucky to have a job I enjoy, but
my desk is always a mess and there’s never enough time to do
everything. On my day off, I need to reach out to the natural
world to decompress. I go to the refuge.”
For more information, call Janet Butler at 3044- 22-0752 or visit
www.fws.com
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