"Working to restore native species"

Mission Statement:  The mission of the Extirpated Species Foundation shall be the facilitation of efforts to repatriate locally extinct species of indigenous animals and plants for the enjoyment of future generations.

Goal:  Our goal is the rebuilding of total ecosystems through replacement of missing species to vacant niches in their native habitats.  Achieving maximum biodiversity through reintroduction will only be supported in areas where such efforts are shown to be ecologically and sociologically feasible.

Our lost Heritage:   During the last two centuries, five major species of mammals have been listed as "extirpated" or locally extinct in the Southeastern United States alone. The list of lost species include: elk, fisher, bison, panther, and gray wolf. Birds such as the Carolina Parakeet and the Passenger Pigeon have been driven to total extinction. Some of the most productive species of plants have been virtually eliminated. Notable among missing keystone plant species are the American Chestnut and several native grasses. All of these losses can be attributed to the activities of man and only man can make right the mistakes of the past.

The Executive Director:  Bob Long is a high school ecology teacher at Chattanooga Central High in East Tennessee.  He earned a bachelors degree in biology and a masters in wildlife and fisheries science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  He also has an additional 24 hours of graduate work above the masters in ecology and biology.  While at UT, he worked as a graduate researcher in the Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries.  He is dedicated to restoring native species to their former habitats to reactivate total ecosystems with every niche filled.  He has worked closely with many different state and federal agencies to bring wildlife restoration projects to fruition.  The director believes ESF can best achieve the foundation goals by using professional, objective, and scientific methods to build credibility with all concerned.