While public programs remain on hold, for the most part, our Urban Wildlife Refuge Program continues to grow and strengthen partnerships with communities and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Urban Wildlife Conservation Program.

In Southern California, Angie Horn and the urban team moved a new schoolyard habitat project along by acquiring a technical assistance grant from the National Park Service (NPS) to help with community design and construction of the habitat. NPS staff and several design fellows from UCLA and USC will coordinate with the National Wildlife Refuge Association, USFWS, and the LA Unified School District to bring a native habitat and outdoor classroom to a Title I school near downtown Los Angeles. Across the county line, Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge will host a crew from the Conservation Corps of Long Beach to maintain and improve the native plant garden, remove trash and debris, and assist staff and local Refuge Friends, Friends of the Seal Beach NWR, with restoring several acres of critical marsh habitat. The crew will also learn about principles of conservation, participate in outreach and engagement events, and build skills necessary for a career or higher education study in conservation or ecology.

Due to the success of the pilot partnership program in Southern California, we plan to expand our Urban program to Florida, Texas, and the Northeast to help grow our impact.