Pete Benjamin New U.S. Fish and Wildlife Field Supervisor in Raleigh, North Caro

Pete Benjamin New U.S. Fish and Wildlife Field Supervisor in Raleigh, North Carolina

      Pete Benjamin, a 13-year veteran of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, is the new Field Supervisor of the Service’s Ecological Services
Field Office in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Formerly Assistant Field
Supervisor of the Jacksonville, Florida Ecological Services office,
Benjamin began his new duties on July 12.

      “Pete has a lot of knowledge and experience in programs involving
wildlife and habitat conservation,” said Sam D. Hamilton, Southeast
Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  “Not only has he
been Assistant Field Supervisor of our Jacksonville, Florida Field Office
for six years, he has also served as a staff biologist, giving him
perspective on Service programs from both sides of the desk.”

      As Field Supervisor of the Raleigh Office, Benjamin directs a staff
of 17 people and oversees Ecological Services activities in support of
threatened and endangered species, migratory birds, and fish and the
ecosystems upon which they depend.  Ecological Services is responsible for
implementing the Endangered Species Act of 1973, one of the most
comprehensive wildlife conservation laws in the world.  There are 45
federally-listed species in North Carolina.  Ecological Services also
restores wetlands and other rare habitats on public and private lands and
mitigates or prevents the effects of environmental pollution on wildlife
and their habitats.

      “I am honored to lead the outstanding team in the Raleigh Field
Office,” said Benjamin.  “I look forward to working with them and our many
state, federal, and community partners to protect the vast and varied fish
and wildlife resources in North Carolina.”

      In his previous position as Assistant Field Supervisor in the
Jacksonville Field Office since 1999, Benjamin supervised a staff of 13
biologists and oversaw several federal programs including the Clean Water
Act and federal projects, Habitat Conservation Plans, Farm Bill activities,
Partners for Fish and Wildlife, and work involving coastal and marine
mammals.  Benjamin joined the Jacksonville Field Office staff in 1998 as a
senior biologist.

      Benjamin began his U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service career in 1991 as a
Federal Activities Biologist at the New Jersey Field Office in
Pleasantville.  Before coming to the Service, he worked with the Indiana
Department of Natural Resources, where he was involved with the state’s
bald eagle reintroduction program.  Benjamin also worked with the U.S.
Forest Service in Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska.  There, he
conducted species surveys and studied human and black bear interactions.

      Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Benjamin holds a bachelor’s degree in
Environmental Biology from Ohio University and a master’ s degree in
Ecology from Indiana State University.   His wife Karen is also a
biologist, and she worked as the Environmental Contaminants Specialist for
the Jacksonville Field Office.  They have a three-year-old daughter,
Hannah.  Benjamin enjoys woodworking, gardening, and fishing.

      The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and
plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge
System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small
wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national
fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 ecological
services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws,
administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations,
restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife
habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their
conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program,
which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on
fishing and hunting equipment to State fish and wildlife agencies.
Pete Benjamin New U.S. Fish and Wildlife Field Supervisor in Raleigh, North Carolina

      Pete Benjamin, a 13-year veteran of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, is the new Field Supervisor of the Service’s Ecological Services
Field Office in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Formerly Assistant Field
Supervisor of the Jacksonville, Florida Ecological Services office,
Benjamin began his new duties on July 12.

      “Pete has a lot of knowledge and experience in programs involving
wildlife and habitat conservation,” said Sam D. Hamilton, Southeast
Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  “Not only has he
been Assistant Field Supervisor of our Jacksonville, Florida Field Office
for six years, he has also served as a staff biologist, giving him
perspective on Service programs from both sides of the desk.”

      As Field Supervisor of the Raleigh Office, Benjamin directs a staff
of 17 people and oversees Ecological Services activities in support of
threatened and endangered species, migratory birds, and fish and the
ecosystems upon which they depend.  Ecological Services is responsible for
implementing the Endangered Species Act of 1973, one of the most
comprehensive wildlife conservation laws in the world.  There are 45
federally-listed species in North Carolina.  Ecological Services also
restores wetlands and other rare habitats on public and private lands and
mitigates or prevents the effects of environmental pollution on wildlife
and their habitats.

      “I am honored to lead the outstanding team in the Raleigh Field
Office,” said Benjamin.  “I look forward to working with them and our many
state, federal, and community partners to protect the vast and varied fish
and wildlife resources in North Carolina.”

      In his previous position as Assistant Field Supervisor in the
Jacksonville Field Office since 1999, Benjamin supervised a staff of 13
biologists and oversaw several federal programs including the Clean Water
Act and federal projects, Habitat Conservation Plans, Farm Bill activities,
Partners for Fish and Wildlife, and work involving coastal and marine
mammals.  Benjamin joined the Jacksonville Field Office staff in 1998 as a
senior biologist.

      Benjamin began his U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service career in 1991 as a
Federal Activities Biologist at the New Jersey Field Office in
Pleasantville.  Before coming to the Service, he worked with the Indiana
Department of Natural Resources, where he was involved with the state’s
bald eagle reintroduction program.  Benjamin also worked with the U.S.
Forest Service in Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska.  There, he
conducted species surveys and studied human and black bear interactions.

      Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Benjamin holds a bachelor’s degree in
Environmental Biology from Ohio University and a master’ s degree in
Ecology from Indiana State University.   His wife Karen is also a
biologist, and she worked as the Environmental Contaminants Specialist for
the Jacksonville Field Office.  They have a three-year-old daughter,
Hannah.  Benjamin enjoys woodworking, gardening, and fishing.

      The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and
plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge
System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small
wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national
fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 ecological
services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws,
administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations,
restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife
habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their
conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program,
which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on
fishing and hunting equipment to State fish and wildlife agencies.