On Saturday, March 26, 2011, visitors to Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery (NFH) may find themselves in the dark, all to raise awareness of the importance of energy conservation and the potential impacts of climate change to our fish and wildlife species. As part of the global Earth Hour 2011 campaign, Wolf Creek NFH will turn off all non-essential lights for one hour, beginning at 12 noon-1 p.m. CST. All visitor facilities will remain open. Staff will be available to answer questions.

Business, families, schools and more are also encouraged to join Wolf Creek NFH in Earth Hour 2011. To do so, simply turn off your lights and other electronics for one hour. Visit www.fws.gov/home/climatechange to find out additional information on how you can continue to help as well.

National Fish Hatcheries and Fisheries Resource Officers across the Southeastern U.S. will be participating in Earth Hour 2011 as well, with the goal of creating a unique and memorable opportunity to connect with visitors in order to raise awareness of climate change, the impacts it will have to our fish and wildlife species, and how the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is preparing to address the challenge–as well as to collectively conserve energy and reduce global greenhouse emissions.

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change. Only a year later and Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating. Global landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, CN Tower in Toronto, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness.

In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4,000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world’s largest global climate change initiative.

On Saturday, March 27, Earth Hour 2010 became the biggest Earth Hour ever. A record 128 countries and territories joined the global display of climate action. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Asia Pacific to Europe and Africa to the Americas switched off. People across the world from all walks of life turned off lights and came together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common–our planet.

To learn more about Earth Hour, please visit http://www.earthour.org/Homepage.aspx. The World Wildlife Fund sponsors the campaign.

For more information, along with tips and ideas on how to conserve energy and help make a difference in improving and protecting our natural resources, please contact Environmental Education/Outreach Specialist Amanda G. Patrick at 270-343-3797 or via email at: Amanda_Patrick@fws.gov.

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 547 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 distributed hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.