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Aleutian Canada Goose

The recovery of the Aleutian Canada goose is really something to celebrate! The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service celebrated at two simultaneous events in February 2001. In California, an awards ceremony and cookout feast were held to honor the Lyons and Gallo families, who were instrumental in the recovery and who maintain a deep committment to conservation on their respective ranches. The ceremony was great and the food was excellent!

In Alaska, many biologists who took part in the goose's recovery over the past few decades gathered in Anchorage to tell stories around one of the original dories used in the 1960s. The stories were spellbinding and told of hardships which ranged from finding the right kind of food for young goslings to rowing the dory through cold Aleutian surf while landing on the islands.

Both celebrations were great fun and richly rewarding. Recognizing this kind of cooperation among partners, without which ecosystem-scale recoveries cannot happen, is something the Service hopes to repeat many times in the future.

spinger award
Left to Right: Mike Spear, Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, USFWS
Dr. Paul Springer, retired Aleutian Canada goose researcher, USFWS Vernon Byrd, Team Leader, USFWS

Lyons Award
Left to Right: Mike Spear, Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, USFWS
Bill Lyons, owner, Mape's Ranch
Vernon Byrd, Team Leader, USFWS

Eric Nelson talks
Eric Nelson (leaning at left of dory) talks about
restoring the dory "Phalarope."

Jeff Williams
Jeff Williams talks about recovery of the Aleutian
Canada goose at the Dory Party.

The Party
The audience gathered for the Dory Party.

Reporter
The Dory Party is documented by a TV camera.