Florida award spotlights AF natural resources manager's career

  • Published
  • By Eric M. Grill
  • AFCEC Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas --  For more than 40 years, the natural resources manager at Avon Park Air Force Range in Florida has been working to balance Mother Nature with the Air Force's military mission.

At a recent award ceremony in Florida, the work of Paul Ebersbach's four-decade journey was highlighted and recognized with one of the state's oldest conservation awards -- the Florida Wildlife Federation's Land Conservation and Planning Award.

Ebersbach, the Environmental Flight chief at Avon Park, spent his career ensuring that the 106,000-acre facility in Central Florida continues to be a premier military training facility as well as a conservation and recreational area, according to Florida Wildlife Federation officials at the award ceremony. The range is situated within a complex of protected lands in the heart of Florida and provides a natural buffer for the Kissimmee River.

By the adoption of an "avoidance and minimization" policy, training operations, which include air-to-ground, as well ground-based activities, have little negative impact on the ecological functions of the land, FWF officials said.

"In the 40 years Mr. Ebersbach has been based at APAFR, he has made protecting the environment and conserving the native plant and wildlife species and their habitats there a top priority," said Bob Progulske, assistant field supervisor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's South Florida Ecological Services Office, who nominated Ebersbach for the prestigious environmental award. "As a result, thanks to his efforts, the 106,000-acre-range is one of America's foremost multi-purpose military training installations, wildlife (conservation) and family recreation areas."

Over the years, Ebersbach has been the driving force behind ensuring the base's military mission, wildlife management responsibilities and recreational opportunities effectively co-existed, Progulske said.

"With an eye on future environmental and conservation initiatives, he worked with partners -- including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission -- to guide the development and implementation of the installation's short-term and long-term ecological management strategies."

Avon Park is home to several federally listed and protected threatened and endangered species that stand to benefit from the plan's implementation, he said. These species include Florida grasshopper sparrows, northern crested caracaras, Red-cockaded woodpeckers, Everglade snail kites, Florida scrub jays, wood storks, eastern indigo snakes, Florida panthers and sand skinks.

"Due to conservation efforts for those species and other factors, Mr. Ebersbach recognized that maintaining the ecosystems at APAFR requires intensive cooperation with federal, state and local regulatory and management agencies, as well as numerous private nonprofit organizations and community organizations acting as stakeholders," Progulske said. "He was instrumental in establishing APAFR's agreement with the service for the presence of a full-time service representative (at the range) to coordinate the development and maintenance of ecological management strategies."

The list of Ebersbach's accomplishments is lengthy, but what Ebersbach said he is most proud of -- and one the award validates -- is his devotion to balancing military and ecological needs.

"Balancing mission needs with natural resources stewardship has been my goal all along," Ebersbach said. "Missions have changed and understanding the dynamics of the ecosystems we are charged with using and protecting have changed throughout the years as well. Because of this, the Air Force has gone to great lengths to recognize their responsibility for stewardship for the environment."

One accomplishment Ebersbach noted is the Air Force has never denied any training request because of adverse environmental impacts.

"We have always worked closely with our military customers to ensure they are able to accomplish their mission needs while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Range," he said. "Coordinated planning has been the key to our success."

Talking about the recognition, Ebersbach said he doesn't focus his work for recognition, but instead focuses "on the appropriate actions the Air Force should take to balance the mission and conservation. I hold the Florida Wildlife Federation in high regard. It's humbling to me that they selected me for this award."

Ebersbach said he wouldn't be able to achieve the success he's achieved without partnerships with local, state and federal agencies.

"I've worked very hard to establish and maintain good relationships with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Florida Ecological Services Office throughout the years," he said.

"This award validates my work-life's goal."

Editor's Note: Restoration efforts at Avon Park Air Force Range, Fla., fall under the Air Force Civil Engineer Center's Environmental Directorate. The directorate is responsible for managing Air Force restoration, compliance, sustainability and National Environmental Policy Act programs and providing environmental technical assistance and advice to Air Force installations, major commands and other clients.