The U.S. Senate has passed a resolution designating the week of October 9-15, 2011 as National Wildlife Refuge Week. National Wildlife Refuge Week was first commemorated by the Senate last year and was initiated under President Bill Clinton.
The resolution (S.R. 288), passed by unanimous consent, recognizes the importance of America’s 553 National Wildlife Refuges and [...]

October 9-15 is National Wildlife Refuge Week. Many refuges around the country have special events planned, so be sure to check in with a refuge near you. You can also find a list of events via the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website.

The Wisconsin State Journal proudly proclaimed in its paper that the National Wildlife Refuge System will be holding its “Vision Conference” in Madison, Wisconsin this coming week.

Hundreds of professional and citizen conservationists will be in Madison next week to help finalize a new vision for the country’s 553 national wildlife refuges.
The refuge system holds a [...]

The 2011-2012 Federal Duck Stamp is now on sale and should be on the shopping list of everyone who enjoys wildlife and the outdoors.
Ninety-eight percent of the proceeds from the $15 Duck Stamp support the acquisition of wetlands for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since 1934, Duck Stamp receipts of over $750 million have protected [...]

As this blog has mentioned in past posts, Refuge System staff, volunteers, Friends, and conservationists will be meeting for the “Conserving the Future: Wildlife Refuges and the Next Generation” Vision conference on July 11-14, in Madison Wisconsin, where the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will adopt a new plan for the future of the National [...]

May 20, 2011 is recognized as Endangered Species Day, but this year certainly doesn’t feel like a time to celebrate. The Obama administration’s recent controversial decision to allow Congress to remove the gray wolf from endangered species protection — establishing a precedent that could lead to political meddling in future listing decisions — smacked of [...]

On May 14, 2011, many places and people will celebrate International Migratory Bird Day, which was created specifically to highlight the migration of nearly 350 species of migratory birds between nesting habitats in North America and non-breeding grounds in South and Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. However, the day serves as an opportunity to [...]

This week the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE) issued a press release and a report which warns that unless Congress provides adequate funding for the Refuge System, the economic benefits refuges provide, along with the lands, waters, wildlife, and recreation and education opportunities that refuges were established to protect, could be in jeopardy. [...]

The “Take Pride in America” National Awards recognizes individuals, groups, or organizations for outstanding volunteer service on public lands. Volunteers nominated must have volunteered during May 1, 2010-April 30, 2011. Categories include: individual, school program, youth/youth group, corporation or business, non-profit organization, faith-based group, Federal volunteer event/program, local government event/program, state event/program [...]

Today marks the 108th anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Over a century ago on this day, President Theodore Roosevelt signed an executive order establishing Pelican Island in Florida as the first federal bird reservation. He would go on to establish a network of 55 bird reservations and national game preserves reserved for wildlife [...]

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife Refuge System turns 108 years old on March 14, 2011, and many National Wildlife Refuges will help celebrate the noteworthy occasion.
The nation’s premier system of public lands and waters set aside for the conservation of America’s fish, wildlife and plants was established in 1903 when President Theodore [...]

The National Wildlife Refuge Association has just announced the winners of the 2011 National Wildlife Refuge System Awards.
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NWRS 2011 Friends Group of the Year Award
This award recognizes a Friends group that has shown outstanding leadership as a voice of the community and as an advocate for the protection, conservation, and enhancement of local refuges and [...]