Last refuges for declining, rare, endangered species
Military bases have a lot of protected land throughout the country. Langley Air Force Base has the perfect environment for the Diamondback Terrapin Turtle, a declining species. To read the full article click here.
NSA Hampton Roads, Portsmouth Annex kicked off this year’s NPLD event activities on 29 October 2015. Navy sailors and civilians volunteered to perform necessary repairs to the garden’s arbor, weeding and preparing the site for planting. On 24 November volunteers completed planting of approximately 275 various native shrubs, and perennials to rejuvenate the garden. As a recipient of the DoD Legacy Award in 2014, NSA Portsmouth Annex created the Pollinator Garden to attract butterflies and other pollinator species.
Master Jet Base Naval Air Station Oceana and Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress are operational 24 hours a day year round, with operations conducted during day and night hours in order to familiarize pilots with realistic ship/shore landing conditions. Between the two installations over 195,000 flights are conducted annually. NASO is also boarded by private development adjacent to nearly every installation boundary. NASO and NALFF are both located along migration routes for various species of birds, butterflies, and bats. The number of aircraft operations, coupled with populated urban areas, and migrating wildlife lead to safety concerns. The integrated nature of and coordination efforts of the Natural Resources Team helped to ensure safety of pilots, the community, and the wildlife within the watersheds via strategic conservation planning efforts and bird aircraft strike hazard avoidance measures.
Through partnership with the Nation Aquarium, Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex held a restoration event to plant native dune grasses. NAS Oceana was able to purchase approximately 7K more plants than budgeted because the installation applied for and was awarded Legacy Funding in support of the installation’s National Public Lands Day Event.
The Navy has numerous installations throughout the lower Chesapeake Bay where training, testing, and maintenance activities regularly occur. Considering the potential impact these activities may have on Atlantic sturgeon, the Navy sought to gain a better understanding of when and how the endangered animals used the bay waters.
Feral Cat Memorandum of Understanding
Naval Station Norfolk, in partnership with animal rescue volunteers and the Norfolk Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, moves forward on plan to trap, spay and neuter the healthy cats on base and find them homes in the community. To read the full story click here.