•The newsletter reports on the recent signing of the Sikes Act Amendments, with most of the changes the Association wanted included in the final version. There is a discussion on the possibility of DoD discontinuing support for policy sessions at the NMFWA meetings. Amendments to the Bylaws are being worked on and will be included in the ballot for new officers to be mailed to members in February. DoD is reviewing activities for possible contracting, which may impact natural resource management as a government function. The Association is considering a logo design that encompasses all natural resources and an endowment fund to support education and outreach activities. There is also a call for a new membership chair. •The Sikes Act Improvement Amendments of 1997 have been passed, which will bring changes to natural resource managers and biologists for DoD almost immediately. NMFWA worked with Congress and other agencies for five years to bring about these amendments. The changes have been widely anticipated and will help achieve conservation goals that are otherwise unreachable through regular funding processes. •Public Law 105-85 requires the preparation and implementation of Integrated Natural Resource Management Plans (INRMP’s) for most military lands. Plans must be annually revised and updated, and funding must be provided to implement them. The law also authorizes DoD personnel to conduct natural resource law enforcement on military lands and clarifies the definition of military lands. It includes all lands withdrawn for military use for periods greater than five years and National Guard and Reserve lands where DoD provides primary financial support. •ALIENS-L is a listserver that is part of the Invasive Species Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. It covers both invasive plants and animals and allows users to share information about the threats these species pose to biodiversity. To subscribe, send an email to majordomo@ns.planet.gen.nz and type "subscribe aliens-l" followed by your email address in the body of the message. •The author is inviting people interested in establishing a working group for exotic plants and other species to contact them by phone or email. They reference a previous issue of FAWN that provides information on how to establish a working group. If there is sufficient interest, they will proceed with the group's formation. •The AEC Conservation Branch has expanded its website to include a variety of materials that can be useful for environmental and range managers at the MACOM and installation level. The Natural Resources section contains links to significant Federal legislation and regulations and guidelines for the development of an Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan. The Cultural Resources section contains the new AR 200-4 and accompanying DA PAM 200-4, along with historical contexts and other related materials. •Recent court rulings have created some confusion regarding the applicability of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) to federal agencies and their employees. The 11th Circuit and 8th Circuit Courts of Appeals have ruled that the MBTA does not apply to the federal government, but their rationales differed. While the 11th Circuit's ruling was based on the MBTA's prohibition and penalties not applying to the federal government, the 8th Circuit's ruling was based on the MBTA prohibiting direct take rather than take incidental to otherwise lawful activities. •The article discusses the potential role of the Natural Resources Management Workshop (NMFWA) in addressing ecosystem management on military lands. The paper explores four major points, including the NMFWA's ties to other professional organizations, constraints to HQ policy and program personnel participation, NMFWA's role in ecosystem management, and its role in the American Defense Preparedness Association (ADPA). The paper also suggests two additional points addressing relevant changes in the scope of the annual NMFWA training workshop. Ultimately, the article proposes that NMFWA should maintain its long-standing ties to other professional organizations, bridge the gap between HQ and field-level personnel, and investigate its potential role in the ADPA proceedings •The NMFWA will host a Law Enforcement Training Workshop •The meeting discussed several topics including a request to change the meeting schedule due to the availability of meeting rooms, proposed amendments to the NMFWA Bylaws, the establishment of an effective law enforcement program, changing officer's terms and types of officers, adding an Audit Committee and a Government Affairs Committee, establishing working groups, and coupling the NMFWA meeting with other associations such as the TWS and ADPA. There were various opinions and suggestions from meeting attendees regarding these topics, but no final decisions were made. •List of Natural Resource publications •he Association poster, which is displayed at various locations and meetings, needs new material. Current photos with narrative descriptions or captions, newspaper articles, brochures, or pamphlets produced by members depicting their projects would bring the poster up to date. •The provided text describes various tuition-free courses offered by the DoD Interservice Environmental Education Review Board (ISEERB) to military and civilian employees and USCG personnel. The courses cover topics such as cultural resource management, historic preservation compliance, natural resources compliance, and Native American traditions and cultures. The courses aim to sensitize employees to relevant laws, regulations, and other guidance, and improve their understanding of cultural resources typically found on Federal installations. •Shows examples of new logos