News
Big news for national wildlife refuges! Congressional leaders just released a funding bill to keep the government running through March 14, 2025 (coincidentally the anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge System!). But even more exciting, this bill includes $500 million for disaster relief to repair national wildlife refuges damaged by hurricanes, floods, and severe storms.
The 125th Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is here! Running from December 14, 2024, to January 5, 2025, this beloved tradition invites bird lovers to join one of the world’s longest-running wildlife surveys. Organized by the National Audubon Society, the CBC began in 1900 as a conservation-friendly alternative to holiday bird hunts. Many national wildlife refuges fall within CBC count circles, making it a fun and meaningful way to support wildlife and collect valuable bird data. Join a local count or tally birds from your feeder and contribute to understanding bird populations around your favorite refuge!
The National Wildlife Refuge System, founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1903, is the only service within the federal government whose sole mission is the conservation of wildlife and the preservation of habitat – meaning the places wildlife need to survive. Resident within these refuges are the last great migrating herds of caribou, humpback and right whales, polar bear, grizzlies, rare orchids and hummingbirds, elk, moose and river otter. Closer to home, the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge covers almost the entire Connecticut shoreline. Included are many nearshore islands, salt marshes and riverine ecosystems. Contiguous marine areas benefit through reduced pollution.
Leatherback Sea Turtles, the largest turtles in the world, are facing significant threats from climate change, habitat loss, and artificial lighting. These ocean giants, known for their incredible migration journeys, rely on a few crucial nesting sites to lay their eggs. The Refuge System plays a vital role in protecting these habitats. Discover how you can help protect Leatherback Sea Turtles and support our conservation initiatives.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association is excited to announce a groundbreaking partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Catawba College, establishing a unique internship program at the breathtaking Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina. This collaboration embodies a shared commitment to cultivating the next generation of conservation leaders and safeguarding the future of our natural treasures.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently shared some good news for conservation efforts throughout the United States. Four national wildlife refuges have been expanded, protecting up to 1.13 million acres of newly protected wildlife habitat across New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas. This announcement is particularly exciting for the National Wildlife Refuge Association, which played a significant role in expanding two critical refuges in Texas - Aransas and Big Boggy NWRs. The other two refuges that received expansions are Roanoke River NWR in North Carolina and Muleshoe NWR, which spans the border between New Mexico and Texas.
President Geoffrey Haskett of the National Wildlife Refuge Association testified before Congress on the proposed revisions to the Biological Integrity, Diversity, and Environmental Health (BIDEH) rule for the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association is excited to announce the opening of the application period for our 2024 O’Brien Prize for Refuge Friends Groups. The O’Brien Prize is a prestigious award that recognizes outstanding achievement by Refuge Friends groups in support of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is embarking on an ambitious new effort to establish an Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area (formerly known as the Southwest Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Area). If successful, a new conservation area would allow the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to work with willing landowners to protect the lands most important to our water and wildlife, in one of the most biologically diverse regions in our country. The USFWS has released a draft Everglades to Gulf Land Protection Plan and is seeking input.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association recently joined forces with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to offer a National Friends Workshop, which took place from April 28th to May 1st, 2023. This workshop brought together Refuge and Hatchery Friends groups, nonprofits that support specific national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries. These groups play a crucial role in the success of the National Wildlife Refuge System by providing financial support for facility and habitat projects, contributing numerous volunteer hours, and actively supporting advocacy initiatives.
