The government shutdown has Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge unusually quiet this fall – Detroit Lakes Tribune

Report on the Suspension of Environmental Education Programs at Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge and its Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A federal government shutdown, effective October 1, has resulted in the indefinite suspension of volunteer-led environmental education (EE) programs at the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. This cessation of activities directly obstructs progress toward several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The closure of the Visitor and Discovery Centers has halted educational programming for hundreds of students, disrupted vital conservation partnerships, and furloughed essential staff, thereby impacting SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Impact on SDG 4: Quality Education

The suspension of the EE programs constitutes a significant impediment to achieving SDG Target 4.7, which aims to ensure learners acquire knowledge and skills for promoting sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles. The program at Tamarac is a key local resource for this type of education.

• Interruption of Learning: An estimated 500 to 600 students, primarily from the 3rd and 5th grades, have been denied access to the fall session of outdoor education.
• Program Cancellations: Eight out of twelve scheduled school groups have canceled their educational trips to the refuge.
• Curriculum Disruption: The hands-on curriculum, which teaches students about nature, conservation, and land stewardship, has been abruptly halted. The long-term impact of this educational gap on the students’ development as environmentally conscious citizens is unknown.

Impact on SDG 15: Life on Land

The operational shutdown compromises the refuge’s ability to protect and manage its terrestrial ecosystems, directly affecting the objectives of SDG 15, which focuses on protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and halting biodiversity loss.

1. Staffing Reductions: All but one “essential” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee have been furloughed. This drastic reduction in personnel, compounded by recent retirements, severely limits the refuge’s operational capacity.
2. Management Gaps: The ongoing needs of wildlife and critical water management issues are not being addressed due to the shutdown, creating long-term risks for the local ecosystem and its biodiversity.
3. Loss of Public Engagement: By ceasing educational outreach, the refuge loses a primary tool for building public awareness and support for the conservation of biodiversity, a foundational component for the success of SDG 15.

Impact on SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The shutdown demonstrates the fragility of the multi-stakeholder partnerships that are essential for achieving the SDGs, as emphasized in SDG 17. The EE program is a model of such a partnership.

• Disruption of Public-Private Collaboration: The effective partnership between a government entity (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and a non-profit organization (Friends of Tamarac NWR) has been forcibly paused.
• Erosion of Community and Volunteer Networks:
  • Engagement with established school partners and the community of volunteers has ceased.
  • The recruitment of new volunteers is impossible, and the camaraderie among seasoned volunteers has been disrupted.
  • There is significant concern about the potential difficulty of re-engaging these crucial partners once the shutdown concludes.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses issues that are directly and indirectly connected to several Sustainable Development Goals. The primary focus on the cancellation of educational programs, the context of environmental conservation, and the cause being a governmental failure links the article to the following SDGs:

• SDG 4: Quality Education: The core issue is the indefinite suspension of “outdoor education classes” for elementary school students. This directly impacts the provision of quality and specialized education.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: The educational programs are centered on “nature and conservation and stewardship of the land” and take place at a National Wildlife Refuge. The shutdown also affects the management of the refuge, as “the needs of the wildlife do not” pause, impacting the protection of terrestrial ecosystems.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The root cause of the program’s suspension is the “federal government shutdown.” This highlights a failure of effective governance and institutions, which has tangible negative consequences on public services and civil society partnerships.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article describes a multi-stakeholder partnership involving a nonprofit organization (“Friends of Tamarac NWR”), a government entity (Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge), and local school districts. The shutdown has disrupted this partnership, causing a “lack of engagement with our school partners and community of volunteers.”

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the specific details in the article, the following targets can be identified:

1. Target 4.7 (under SDG 4): “By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles…”
   • Explanation: The article explicitly states that the suspended programs are “environmental education (EE) programming” designed for “Teaching them about nature and conservation and stewardship of the land.” This directly aligns with the goal of providing education for sustainable development.
2. Target 15.5 (under SDG 15): “Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.”
   • Explanation: The shutdown has led to the furloughing of almost all U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees at the refuge. As one volunteer noted, “When the government pauses, the needs of the wildlife do not… It’s (the shutdown) going to impact things out there for a long time.” This implies a disruption in the necessary actions to manage and protect the natural habitats and wildlife within the refuge.
3. Target 16.6 (under SDG 16): “Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.”
   • Explanation: The “federal government shutdown” is a clear example of an institutional failure. It has rendered a public service (the operation of the National Wildlife Refuge’s visitor centers and programs) ineffective, demonstrating a lack of institutional stability and accountability that directly impacts citizens and community programs.
4. Target 17.17 (under SDG 17): “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.”
   • Explanation: The article highlights a successful partnership between the “Friends of Tamarac NWR” (a nonprofit/civil society), the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge (public), and area school districts (public). The shutdown has forcibly halted this collaboration, causing a “lack of engagement with our school partners, and community of volunteers,” undermining an effective existing partnership.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article contains several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure the impact of the issues discussed:

• For Target 4.7:
  • Number of students participating in environmental education: The article states the program normally serves “800-plus students… every fall, winter and spring.”
  • Number of students impacted by the shutdown: The cancellation affects “about 500 to 600 students” for the fall session.
  • Number of school groups affected: “Eight out of 12 school groups have canceled their trips.” This is a direct measure of the disruption to educational delivery.
• For Target 15.5:
  • Number of furloughed staff: The article mentions that “all but one ‘essential’ staff member out of all the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees who normally work there have been furloughed.” This indicates a severe reduction in human resources available for conservation and management activities.
• For Target 16.6:
  • Occurrence and duration of government shutdown: The event of the “federal government shutdown” itself is an indicator of institutional instability.
  • Number of public facilities closed: The “doors of Tamarac’s Visitor Center and nearby Discovery Center are locked.”
• For Target 17.17:
  • Status of volunteer engagement: The article implies a negative impact on volunteerism, noting that “new volunteers starting… now they just can’t do it” and that seasoned volunteers “miss seeing each other.”
  • Status of partnerships: The “lack of engagement with our school partners and community of volunteers” is a qualitative indicator of the partnership’s disruption.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: dl-online.com