May 2016 Newsletter

New Faces around the Refuge 

• New Administrative Officer- Valerie Sinesky:

"Hello! I’m Valerie Sinesky, the new Administrative Officer for the Ridgefield Complex and Washington Maritime Complex. I’ll be tracking funding, purchasing project requirements, and supporting employees and volunteers with other various governmental matters.

Really, I’m here to help in any way that will contribute to the refuges' success. I’m excited for this position because I have a high respect of wildlife habitats. In all my endeavors as a volunteer, as a “real” world worker, and a long time career government employee, I can’t think of any better place to be for my final decade of my career (to have a view of beautiful birds instead of car parking lots).

I’ll be looking forward to learning about your goals and visions for this natural environment."

• New Security Officer- Ryan Wagner:

Ryan Wagner has been selected to be the first Federal Wildlife Officer in the Portland-Vancouver metro area.

The position is under the direction of the Ridgefield Complex but offers Ryan the opportunity to develop and implement a new Law Enforcement Program in one of the most popular urban areas on the west coast.  His area of responsibility will cover two Complexes (Ridgefield and Tualatin) totaling 6 Refuges, each with it's own unique circumstances and needs.     

Ryan brings a thorough knowledge of developing and maintaining positive working relationships with local, county, state and federal agencies as well as experience in working on and around urban national wildlife refuges. He steps into the SWO position from a federal law enforcement officer position held at Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina where he has served in that capacity since 2010. Prior to that, Ryan worked at "Ding" Darling NWR in Sanibel,  Florida as the law enforcement officer.  These refuges are also urban in nature and have given Ryan the knowledge and experience in dealing with resource enforcement and developing excellent communication skills with an urban public, essential components for this new position. 

The position will be based at Steigerwald Lake NWR and Ryan will report to duty on June 13, 2016. 

• Cultural Education Specialist for the Cathlapotle Plankhouse- Juliet McGraw: 

Juliet's educational background is that of an archaeologist with an applied anthropological approach, believing that research is only as good as it is helpful to the indigenous populations it represents.

She earned her BA in Anthropology at WSU Vancouver in 2008. She is currently taking a break from MA studies where her research was focused on plant resources of Plankhouse peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast and is already enjoying the expansion of that knowledge to the Peoples of the Lower Columbia River.

One of the things that Juliet is most excited about is the opportunity to combine skill sets developed in her previous career in Student Development and Leadership with her academic passions of archaeobotany and the meaning of place within the landscape.

She thoroughly enjoys connecting to people to one another and is looking forward to connecting people from all walks of life to the Ridgefield NWR and the Cathlapotle Plankhouse. 

Cathlapotle Plankhouse 

Update & Events 

Take Mom out for a talk and walk at the Cathlapotle Plankhouse at the Refuge
this Mother’s Day!

1pm “Where the Women Are: Gender and Power in the Archaeological Record of the Pacific Northwest

Despite the wealth of data on gender division of labor in indigenous groups of the 19th-20th centuries, archaeological research on gender is rare. Activities traditionally associated with women such as plant gathering, cooking, basketry, and mat making remain poorly understood. In this presentation WSU doctoral student, Tiffany Fulkerson, will discuss how the traditional roles of Native women in Pacific Northwest helped maintain gender equality and explore evidence of women’s labor in the archaeological record.

2pm: Ethnobotany Hike

Join our speaker and a Refuge Naturalist for a walk on the Oaks to Wetlands Trail. (2 mile hike on moderately uneven terrain.)

12 - 4pm: Plankhouse Tours and Kid’s Activities ongoing throughout the event.

(Click this poster for a link to our website)

Upcoming Events and Exhibitions: 

Portland Art Museum Presents:

Contemporary Native Photographers and the Edward Curtis Legacy

Zig Jackson, Wendy Red Star, Will Wilson

FEB 6 – MAY 8, 2016

This major exhibition will feature contemporary photographs by Native American photographers Zig Jackson, Wendy Red Star, and Will Wilson in dialogue with photographs from Edward Sheriff Curtis’ renowned body of work The North American Indian. This timely exhibition and associated educational programming will ask visitors to consider Curtis’ continuing influence on the interpretation of Native American culture while highlighting contemporary reactions to his complex role within the history of representation of indigenous peoples.

For a schedule of events, to buy tickets, and learn more click HERE

Longhouse Education and Cultural Center
20th Anniversary Exhibition 

March 31- May 11, 2016

Location: Evergreen Gallery Library 

Opening Reception March 31st 5-7pm

To view this photo larger, click here

Questions? Contact Sarah at Sarah_Hill@fws.gov

or call (360) 887-4106