News
The Okefenokee Protection Alliance (OPA) has been named the 2024 Refuge Advocate of the Year by the National Wildlife Refuge Association. This award recognizes OPA's extraordinary accomplishments in protecting the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia from the threat of mining operations and their unwavering commitment to conservation.
The Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge, a dynamic and dedicated Refuge Friends organization, has been awarded the prestigious 2024 Molly Krival Award - Refuge Friends Group of the Year. This honor recognizes their outstanding contributions to community engagement and conservation at Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge, which spans Illinois and Wisconsin.
Under the exceptional stewardship of David Lucas, the Colorado Front Range National Wildlife Refuge Complex, encompassing the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Two Ponds, and Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuges, stands out for its conservation excellence and urban community engagement. David Lucas’s innovative leadership has earned him the prestigious 2024 Paul Kroegel Award - Refuge Manager of the Year.
Within the heart of America’s national wildlife refuges lies a commitment to nature and conservation that is essential for the well-being of our communities. The National Wildlife Refuge Association is proud to announce the recipients of the 2024 Wildlife Refuge Awards, recognizing the exceptional contributions made to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service managed National Wildlife Refuge System.
As spring transitions to summer, one of nature’s most captivating spectacles begins – the migration of the Monarch Butterfly. In honor of Endangered Species Day on Friday, May 17th, our Refuges For Recovery campaign spotlights the Monarch Butterfly, a species whose remarkable journey and delicate beauty underscore the urgency of conservation efforts in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association is excited to announce a groundbreaking partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Catawba College, establishing a unique internship program at the breathtaking Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina. This collaboration embodies a shared commitment to cultivating the next generation of conservation leaders and safeguarding the future of our natural treasures.
From majestic mountains to coastlines, the National Wildlife Refuge System protects vast ecosystems across our nation, both on land and sea. Yet, a threat disrupts the delicate balance in these sanctuaries: plastic pollution. This year's Earth Day theme, Planet vs. Plastic, underscores the global struggle against this pervasive environmental contaminant.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently shared some good news for conservation efforts throughout the United States. Four national wildlife refuges have been expanded, protecting up to 1.13 million acres of newly protected wildlife habitat across New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas. This announcement is particularly exciting for the National Wildlife Refuge Association, which played a significant role in expanding two critical refuges in Texas - Aransas and Big Boggy NWRs. The other two refuges that received expansions are Roanoke River NWR in North Carolina and Muleshoe NWR, which spans the border between New Mexico and Texas.
President Geoffrey Haskett of the National Wildlife Refuge Association testified before Congress on the proposed revisions to the Biological Integrity, Diversity, and Environmental Health (BIDEH) rule for the National Wildlife Refuge System.
