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Celebrating Endangered Species Day: Nurturing Wildlife in the National Wildlife Refuge System

Celebrating Endangered Species Day: Nurturing Wildlife in the National Wildlife Refuge System

Happy Endangered Species Day! On this special day dedicated to endangered species, we gather to celebrate the profound significance of the National Wildlife Refuge System. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act—a milestone that underscores our commitment to protecting and preserving our imperiled wildlife. As we explore the importance of these national wildlife refuges, we find inspiration in the teachings of those who have urged us to embrace a land ethic—a transformative perspective that recognizes the interconnectedness and intrinsic value of all species. Let us delve into the significance of the Refuge System and the crucial role it plays in nurturing species, especially those threatened and endangered.

Feathered Friends and Flowing Water: The Vital Role of National Wildlife Refuges in Protecting Migratory Birds

Feathered Friends and Flowing Water: The Vital Role of National Wildlife Refuges in Protecting Migratory Birds

World Migratory Bird Day is a global celebration of the incredible journeys birds make each year as they travel thousands of miles between their breeding and wintering grounds. This year's theme is water, which is fitting since migratory birds rely heavily on aquatic ecosystems throughout their life cycles.

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Friends Unite for Wildlife: National Workshop Brings Together Advocates for National Wildlife Refuge System

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Friends Unite for Wildlife: National Workshop Brings Together Advocates for National Wildlife Refuge System

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.

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Delray Beach Creates Second Pocket Refuge as Part of Urban Wildlife Refuge Program

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Delray Beach Creates Second Pocket Refuge as Part of Urban Wildlife Refuge Program

We've got some seriously exciting news for you. This Earth Day, the National Wildlife Refuge Association teamed up with the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, the City of Delray Beach’s Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Department of Sustainability to create a groundbreaking Pocket Refuge at the Family Recreation and Fitness Center Playground.

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Urban Partners Team Up to Plant Trees in Chauncey Park for Earth Day

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Urban Partners Team Up to Plant Trees in Chauncey Park for Earth Day

An Earth Month celebration was held on April 8, 2023, at Chauncey Park in Dobbs Ferry, NY, in collaboration with the National Wildlife Refuge Association, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Groundwork Hudson Valley, and Moms Organic Market. The event aimed to unite community members to stabilize the riparian habitat along the Sawmill River. Groundwork Hudson Valley led the planting of 68 potted dogwoods, elderberry, and birch trees along the banks of Sawmill River Island.

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Few staff, many problems: Inside the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge’s funding crisis

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Few staff, many problems: Inside the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge’s funding crisis

On spring mornings, a chorus erupts from the mouth of the Missisquoi River. 

Scores of birds, from Canadian geese to bobolinks, are migrating north, feeding, breeding, and raising their young in the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge. Deer feed on the shores, while muskrats patrol the shallow waters alongside a myriad of fish, with the river itself one of the few spawning sites of Lake sturgeon in Lake Champlain.

However, budget constraints across the National Wildlife Refuge System have put a chokehold on what the skeleton crew managing the local 7,000-acre refuge can do. 

Happy 120th Birthday National Wildlife Refuge System!

Happy 120th Birthday National Wildlife Refuge System!

Happy 120th Birthday to the National Wildlife Refuge System! Today, we celebrate the incredible accomplishment of creating and maintaining over 560 national wildlife refuges throughout the United States, which provide vital habitats for wildlife, offer outdoor recreation opportunities, and serve as outdoor laboratories for scientific research.

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Join the Refuge Friends Community: Get Involved with Your Local Refuge Friends Group

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Join the Refuge Friends Community: Get Involved with Your Local Refuge Friends Group

Welcome back to the Refuge Friends Corner! As a supporter of the National Wildlife Refuge Association, you have a fun opportunity to get involved with your local Refuge Friends group and the overall Refuge Friends community. Whether you're passionate about conservation, enjoy spending time in nature, or want to connect with like-minded individuals, joining a Refuge Friends group can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. Are you interested in exploring ways to get involved and make a difference for the National Wildlife Refuge System locally? Read on for ideas on how to get involved with the Refuge Friends community. 

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New Urban Community Engagement Specialist Helps Expand Conservation Impact in New York, New Jersey

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New Urban Community Engagement Specialist Helps Expand Conservation Impact in New York, New Jersey

As far back as she can remember, Lucy Crespo hasn’t liked being indoors. Maybe it’s in her genes: she was born in Argentina, surrounded by forests and mountains, lush grass and plants, and rivers that ran by her home. The air was crisp and sweet, the water clear.

That’s all a distant memory for her now. When she was four years old, Lucy and her family left home in search of a better and more prosperous life, eventually settling thousands of miles away in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

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Elizabeth Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership Christmas Bird Count!

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Elizabeth Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership Christmas Bird Count!

Elizabeth, New Jersey is home to skyscrapers, parking lots, and one of the busiest seaports in the eastern United States, but may not immediately come to mind when thinking of a location for bird watching as part of the Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count. Appearances can be deceiving though, as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with the Friends of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Groundwork Elizabeth, and the National Wildlife Refuge Association, successfully hosted their third-annual Christmas Bird Count in Elizabeth on December 17, 2022.