Something exciting has touched down in Roswell— and this time, it’s not from another planet. The National Wildlife Refuge Association is thrilled to welcome Marianne Kelso as our new biologist at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), where she’s bringing her skills, smarts, and species-saving know-how to southeastern New Mexico’s Pecos River watershed.
President Joe Biden will sign a Proclamation restoring protections to the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, the first marine monument in the Atlantic Ocean. This monument, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, protects unique geological features and habitats for whales, puffins, turtles, and deep-sea corals.
Last month, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s archeological team discovered the long-lost site of Harriet Tubman’s father, Ben Ross’ cabin within the 2,961 acres of newly added forested wetlands to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland. This finding shows not only how important it is to preserve our refuges for wildlife, but also for the deep historical significance that lies within them.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association is closely monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on national wildlife refuges. As you know, many national and state parks, national wildlife refuges and other public lands have been closed due to overcrowding to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Be sure to research the status of your local refuge and if you choose to visit wildlife refuges that remain open, remember that they are not at full staffing right now. Please do your part to keep them open by respecting CDC social distancing guidelines and following these measures:
Invasive plant species threaten ecosystems across the US and, if left uncontrolled, can quickly degrade wildlife habitat. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has adopted various strategies for better addressing this threat and recently held several weed prioritization workshops across the Mid-Columbia River and Central Washington national wildlife refuge complexes.
