News
The 6,100 acre Bill Williams River NWR is located in central-western Arizona, along the lower Colorado River. The refuge was initially part of the Havasu Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
In 1993, the tract was separated from the Havasu Lake NWR and became the Bill Williams River NWR. It is now managed separately due to its unique characteristics.
Steve Berendzen, Refuge Manager at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Complex based in Alaska, was named the country’s outstanding Refuge Manager for 2021 by the National Wildlife Refuge Association in Washington, DC. This award recognizes outstanding accomplishments by a refuge manager (project leader) in the protection and management of our national wildlife refuges. The award is given each year in honor of Paul Kroegel, the first manager of the first refuge established in 1903 at Pelican Island, Florida. His dedication and effectiveness set a high standard for those who have followed.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association has an opportunity for you!! Through the generosity of some of our great Board Members, we are announcing our 2021 O’Brien Prize, an annual award for Refuge Friends groups. The prize is named after Donal O’Brien III, a past Board Chair and longtime enthusiast of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Don is a generous supporter of the great work we do for national wildlife refuges and is very impressed by the dedication and effectiveness of Refuge Friends groups.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 Refuge Awards, presented by the National Wildlife Refuge Association. This year’s award recipients are:
Paul Kroegel Refuge Manager of the Year: Steve Berendzen, Arctic NWR (AK)
Refuge Employee of the Year: Natalie Fath, National Elk Refuge (WY)
Molly Krival Refuge Friends Group of the Year: Friends of St Marks Wildlife Refuge (FL)
Refuge Volunteer of the Year: Mary Weiler and Kevin Weiler, Merritt Island NWR (FL)
Refuge Advocate of the Year: Jose Witt, Shaaron Netherton, Friends of Nevada Wilderness (NV)
The National Wildlife Refuge Association congratulates Secretary Deb Haaland on her confirmation as Secretary of the Interior. Her confirmation as the first Native American in the position is groundbreaking and will help the Department of the Interior move towards an equitable and inclusive approach to wildlife conservation, visitation, and use of our public lands.
Today, the National Wildlife Refuge System is celebrating its 118th birthday – and everyone is invited to join in the fun.
On this date in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge in Sebastian, Florida. The refuge was created to provide a haven for wading birds such as snowy egrets, and protect a critical rookery for species including the brown pelican and wood stork.
Located in the northeast corner of Nevada, Ruby Lake NWR is an expansive marsh nestled in the High Desert, at the southern end of the Ruby Mountains. Today, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto introduced a bill that would protect the Ruby Mountains and Ruby Lake NWR from future oil and gas development. We applaud the Senator for her forethought and for the inclusion of the Ruby Lake NWR in this package.
