I've gotten some emails about where I got my information. Here is the news blurb that I got from news.google.com. It looks like it originated from the Pioneer Press and made it into the Grand Forks Herald:
Sharon Stiteler Minneapolis, MN www.birdchick.com Bird/Wildlife Observation Specialist for www.eagleoptics.com DNR plans changes in Nongame Program The Nongame Program at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is slated for reorganization, but the changes won't diminish one of the agency's most popular programs, DNR officials say. "There will be changes,"' said Lee Pfannmuller, director of the agency's Division of Ecological Services, which oversees the programs that address the needs of popular animals such as loons, trumpeter swans, peregrine falcons and songbirds. "But I strongly believe in the (Nongame) program and its mission." Started in 1977, the Nongame Program relies on a special checkoff on state income tax forms for funding. It has grown from one staff biologist to six field biologists and a $1 million budget. Its supervisor, Carrol Henderson, is a popular speaker and author of books on wildlife landscaping and woodworking and birding. Henderson was in Costa Rica last week on a birding trip and unavailable for comment. But Pfannmuller said she was aware staff and some citizens are concerned about the Nongame Program's future, as well as Henderson's future with the agency. She said changes in the Nongame Program are part of an overhaul of the Ecological Services Division, and the overhaul is still in the proposal stage. But one of the ideas is for more Ecological Services staff to report directly to field regional supervisors, instead of managers in St. Paul. That includes the six Nongame field biologists who report to Henderson. She said having Nongame biologists report directly to field managers will help them coordinate projects with other DNR field employees. "We want to have a voice with what other regional manager teams are doing," she said. "We would benefit from bringing in their expertise." The Nongame Program had been under the umbrella of fish and wildlife managers. Recently, it was transferred to Ecological Services, a division that deals with environmental monitoring, research and management of scientific and natural areas. The DNR has decided to keep the Nongame Program with Ecological Services so the Fish and Wildlife Division can concentrate on its traditional hunting and fishing programs, Pfannmuller said. While it's unlikely Henderson will continue supervising the Nongame Program, which he founded, "there are no plans for demoting Carrol in pay or status," Pfannmuller said. She didn't know what Henderson's future role will be. "Carrol will always be here as long as he wants to be doing good wildlife education and recreation," she said. "That's what I want to encourage him to do." St. Paul Pioneer Press
