“These pictures are a microcosm of how bad it really was”, Jason Holm, assistant regional director for the Fish and Wildlife Service, told the Guardian. The agency remains anxious, Ashe said, that an occupation could happen again here or elsewhere. Some artifacts were badly damaged. Officials say it will be early summer before all the debris is removed and the damage repaired.
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Since the high-profile occupation, which drew armed militiamen from across the country, began 2 January at the headquarters of the refuge, protest leaders have insisted that they were not damaging any public property and were instead cleaning up facilities.
“Of course it’s emotional”, Beck said. Among the documents kept at the headquarters were maps detailing where artifacts are likely to be found, he said, and while it’s not known if the occupiers accessed these maps, refuge staff are on alert to guard against any unauthorized excavations of significant sites in the future.
The wildlife service also spent roughly $2.3 million on law enforcement and estimates it will spend $1.7 million to restore damaged property and replace missing items, Holm said.
During the occupation, protesters, visitors, reporters and others were free to enter most buildings at the refuge, which were unlocked when the activists took over. Their hosts were the 20 or so ranchers who graze cattle in partnership with the refuge.
She said the effort was set back as much as three years by her forced absence. “I can’t imagine them [damaging property]”. Bundy repeatedly said at news conferences that the refuge and other federal lands had been mismanaged in ways that oppressed local ranchers.
Ashe and refuge manager Chad Karges both said it’s possible the attention the refuge received during the occupation could boost visitor numbers beyond the bird watchers who have historically visited the area.
Federal employees who have returned to the refuge are still reeling from the standoff, although they appear are eager to return to work.
“And we’re going to be smarter and better in the days ahead as a result of it, but our refuges we need them to be open and accessible to the people and that’s what they’re going to be”, Ashe said.
“Normal will be a new normal”, Karges said.
Refuge employees made available Wednesday spoke freely about their experiences during the occupation.
The threat was real to many employees.
Fish biologist Linda Beck is happy to be back at work, however said that the major standoff cost was missed work.
They were planning to remove invasive carp by commercial fishing.
If anything, the occupation hardened Beck’s commitment to her work at the refuge and her desire to rid the lake of the carp that have damaged plants beneficial to migratory birds.
“I would say I’m probably past the anger stage”, Beck said.
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OPB covered the full story of the occupation in an hour-long audio documentary, 41 Days.
