Tennessee
Cookeville, TN 38501-4027
Get Involved
As a small office with a large work area, partnering with others is a foundation of our work - whether it be funding research, coordinating on-the-ground conservation efforts, or shepherding the next generation of conservation leaders. There may be opportunities for you to get involved conserving some of the rarest species and special habitats of southern Appalachia, either with us, or with one of our myriad partners.
Volunteering
Congratulations on taking important steps towards your future career in conservation! Volunteer Internships with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are unique opportunities to experience many aspects of a career in conservation with a Federal agency. There are many benefits to volunteering as an intern:
- Build your resume with real world experience
- Learn about the day-to-day tasks of staff in a Federal conservation agency
- Network with professionals and partners of the USFWS
- Learn about rare species in Tennessee
- Gain knowledge of federal and international laws governing wildlife
- Practice and refine your scientific analysis and writing skills
- Earn college credit
For more information about volunteering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, visit our national volunteer webpage.
Services
To promote the conservation and recovery of federally listed endangered and threatened species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tennessee Field Office's endangered species responsibilities include the following:
- Identifying species that need protection. The Service is responsible for listing, reclassifying and delisting land and freshwater species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), based on an assessment of threats to the species and their habitats.
- Providing biological and regulatory technical assistance to federal agencies through ESA section 7 consultation.
- Providing biological and regulatory technical assistance to non-federal entities (individuals, organizations, companies and agencies) regarding activities that may affect listed species.
- Implementing and coordinating recovery activities for listed species.
- Working with private landowners to avoid and minimize impacts to listed species and to implement actions to benefit listed species.
- Enforcing protections for federally listed species,and tracking their progress towards recovery.
- Providing grants and technical assistance to states to assist with their conservation efforts benefitting species.
- Working in partnership with people who have an interest in the conservation and recovery of federally listed species.
- Evaluating the status of species to determine whether they qualify for listing under the ESA (candidate assessment).
- Implementing conservation actions to prevent the need to list additional species (candidate conservation).
The following are the focal programs that staff in our office work diligently on:
About
The Tennessee Field Office is a leader in conserving Tennessee's imperiled species and their habitats, ensuring that sustainable populations of fish, wildlife, and plants continue to thrive for future generations. Our team is involved in conservation throughout the state, focusing on recovery of over 100 threatened and endangered species, with the majority occurring in central and east Tennessee. Working with others, we have demonstrated success in fulfilling the purposes of the Endangered Species Act, conserving ecosystems and recovering multiple species to the point that the protection of the Endangered Species Act is no longer necessary.
Field office biologists have developed expertise in imperiled species and key habitats of Tennessee including:
- Streams, rivers and wetlands
- Caves, mines, and other bat habitat
- Grassland and other habitats important for pollinators and rare plants
