This year the National Wildlife Refuge Association celebrated Black Birders Week at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Dorchester County, Maryland. Black Birders Week, which runs from May 29 to June 4 in 2022, is an annual celebration aimed at highlighting Black nature enthusiasts and increasing the visibility of Black birders, who face unique challenges and dangers when engaging in outdoor activities.
The event was hosted in collaboration with Harriet Tubman Tours, Delmarva Birding Weekends, and the Freedom Birders project and explored Harriet Tubman's formative years paired with ecological interpretation along the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway and in Blackwater NWR.
During the event the National Wildlife Refuge Associations’s Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy, Libby Marking, spoke with Tykee James, a cofounder of Black Birders Week and Government Affairs Coordinator at the National Audubon Society.
Libby also spoke with Alex Green of Harriet Tubman Tours and Jim Rapp of Delmarva Birding Weekends about Harriet Tubman’s history with the refuge and its changing landscape.
Last year in 2021, 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. 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. Harriet Tubman spent much of her young life in close contact with the natural world which she then used later in life on her quest for freedom. It is known that Harriet even used the call of an owl to alert refugees seeking freedom of safety and danger.
“I am thankful to Harriet Tubman Tours, Delmarva Birding Weekends, and Freedom Birders for partnering with the National Wildlife Refuge Association to meaningfully uplift and celebrate Black Birders Week. The tour highlighted the significance of Harriet Tubman’s connection to the land, places, and wildlife that surrounded her through vivid and accurate portrayals of her history. Connecting the dots between the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and this significant piece of American history underscored the importance of protecting our valuable public lands from threats like climate change and habitat destruction. Ensuring safe access to national wildlife refuges and other public lands for all Americans enables everyone to get outdoors and appreciate the ecological, cultural, and historical significance of the natural world around them.”
