Donal "Don" O’Brien III & His Legacy For National Wildlife Refuges

Donal "Don" O’Brien III & His Legacy For National Wildlife Refuges

Recently Donal “Don” O’Brien, III died peacefully, surrounded by his family, on November 24, 2022, after a courageous 10-year battle with a progressive neurological illness. As a former board member, Don was always one of the National Wildlife Refuge Association’s greatest supporters and was instrumental in making the Refuge Association a far more effective and powerful organization. We owe so much to Don for what he accomplished for the National Wildlife Refuge System and our work for it. You can read more and send condolences through his online obituary here or leave a comment below.

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Filing an Environmental Lawsuit to Save Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge: Community Action Against Twin Pines Strip Mine

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Filing an Environmental Lawsuit to Save Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge: Community Action Against Twin Pines Strip Mine

The Okefenokee Swamp is one of the wild, pristine, and ecologically intact places in America, home to more than one thousand different species of animals and plants. It is also an economically important area for local residents and holds great cultural and historical significance, with Native American roots dating back thousands of years. This is why the National Wildlife Refuge Association, with partners; the National Parks Conservation Association, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Center for Biological Diversity, are taking legal action to protect the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from the proposed strip mine from Twin Pines.

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Court Rehearing Granted For Izembek National Wildlife Refuge

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Court Rehearing Granted For Izembek National Wildlife Refuge

Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska recently had a big win in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals when a rehearing was granted for a previous District Court decision that could allow a road to be constructed across the unique national wildlife refuge. The National Wildlife Refuge Association, former President Jimmy Carter, Former Secretary Bruce Babbitt, and other conservation partners petitioned to request a rehearing of that decision by a larger set of 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges earlier this year.

New Partnership Changes Conservation Landscape in Florida

New Partnership Changes Conservation Landscape in Florida

The National Wildlife Refuge Association and Florida Conservation Group recently agreed on a partnership to strengthen their respective work and impact in the state. The collaboration offers increased benefits to the Florida conservation community.

We've Moved: The National Wildlife Refuge Association's New Headquarters Address

We have moved!

We would like to inform you that as of October 31st, 2022 we have moved and have a new address. The National Wildlife Refuge Association’s new address is 

National Wildlife Refuge Association 
1701 K Street NW, 
Suite 550, 
Washington, DC 20006

Please change your records and direct any future correspondence and contributions by mail to our new headquarters address.  We have set up a forwarding service for all mail currently routed to our old address for the next few months. Thank you!

Congratulations To Partnerscapes On Their Next Chapter!

Congratulations To Partnerscapes On Their Next Chapter!

One of the more innovative inter-organizational conservation partnerships of recent years is entering a new phase. Ten years ago this October, staff from the National Wildlife Refuge Association approached an emerging group of private landowners focused on public-private partnerships with a tantalizing proposal. The landowners working solely as volunteers had incorporated a new organization, Partners for Conservation (now Partnerscapes), to work on the communication and partnership-building aspects of sustaining working landscapes.

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Celebrating Urban Wildlife Conservation Day

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Celebrating Urban Wildlife Conservation Day

Urban Wildlife Conservation Day, is an annual celebration of nearby nature that invites everyone to connect with the outdoors, from National Wildlife Refuges to local parks. Urban Wildlife Conservation Day was established in 2018 to recognize and celebrate more than 100 urban national wildlife refuges that are within 25 miles of cities and towns across the country.

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Let's Celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week!

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Let's Celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week!

Each year, during the second full week of October, National Wildlife Refuge Week celebrates the greatest network of lands and waters set aside for wildlife and people alike, the National Wildlife Refuge System. In 2022, National Wildlife Refuge Week occurs October 9-15.

Saddened By Hurricane Ian's Impact On Florida & It's National Wildlife Refuges

Saddened By Hurricane Ian's Impact On Florida & It's National Wildlife Refuges

The National Wildlife Refuge Association is deeply saddened by the news from Florida regarding the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Many of our staff, board members, and partners are a part of the Florida community, especially in the southwest which was most directly impacted. As we survey the impacts of Hurricane Ian on national wildlife refuges across Florida, the Refuge Association will work hard to secure funding to repair losses to critical habitats, repair damages to refuge facilities, and assist the communities affected in rebuilding.

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House Passes the Bipartisan “Keep America’s Refuges Operational Act of 2022”

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House Passes the Bipartisan “Keep America’s Refuges Operational Act of 2022”

The Keep America’s Refuges Operational Act of 2022 (H.R. 6734) recently passed the House of Representatives and now heads to the Senate for consideration. In March, the National Wildlife Refuge Association’s former Vice President of Government Affairs, Caroline Brouwer, testified in support of the bill to the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.