2024 Annual Work Plan for the Refuge with Paul Balkenbush, Deputy Refuge Manager

Spring Storm Beauty by Pam Rendall-Bass

Deputy Refuge Manager Paul Balkenbush will talk about the 2024 Annual Work Plan for the Refuge.

Paul was graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Conservation from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. In 1996 he earned a Master of Science degree from Oklahoma State University. His field of study was Wildlife and Fisheries Ecology. Paul is a Certified Fisheries Professional as qualified by the Board of Professional Certification for the American Fisheries Society.

Paul began his professional career as the assistant district supervisor for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries Division in Tyler. After two years he spent the next 12 working for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. In that role he served as the statewide streams management coordinator and a regional fisheries management supervisor.

In 2009, Paul began Federal service as a civil works and military biologist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers –Tulsa District. He then transitioned to the staff environmental specialist for the western Red River Area where he was responsible for the environmental programs at Texoma and Waurika lakes, the chloride control project, and the federal mitigation area at Crowell, Texas.

Paul transferred to the Department of Interior in 2017 to serve in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. His current position is deputy manager of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge in Grayson County, Texas.