William "Bill" Koch oral history as conducted by Libby Herland. Mr. Koch grew up near the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and remembers when the refuge was established and the designation of it. Mr Koch started as a temporary employee at Great Swamp before getting an offer for a permanent position. He would work at several refuges, before returning to Great Swamp, where he only planned on staying three to five years, but turned into thirty. Mr. Koch would also be the first recipient of the National Wildlife Refuge System Wilderness Legacy Award. Organization: FWS Name: William "Bill" Koch Years: 1971-2017 Program: Refuges Keywords: Biography, Employees (USFWS), History, work of the Service, wildlife refuges, management, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, 50th Anniversary of Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Helen Fenske, John Gottschalk, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, refuge manager, George Gavutis, National Wildlife Refuge System Wilderness Legacy Award, contaminants, Jack Fillio, wilderness, Rupert Cutler, Congressman Peter Frelinghuysen, Stewart Udall