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National Wildlife Refuge System Advocates 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. We are proud to announce the recipients of the 2023 Wildlife Refuge Awards, recognizing the exceptional contributions made to the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Within the hustle and bustle of everyday life lies a world of nature and conservation that is vital to the vibrancy of its surrounding communities. Although many of us have not yet experienced the peace and serenity of a national wildlife refuge, we are all fortunate that there are those who dedicate their lives to the preservation of these wild and unique places.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association announced that Shaaron Netherton, Jose Witt and the Friends of Nevada Wilderness are the 2021 National Wildlife Refuge System Advocates of the Year. They are being honored for their efforts to develop support for protecting the Desert National Wildlife Refuge (DNWR) in Nevada. Mr. Witt and Ms. Netherton worked tirelessly to engage and inspire a diversity of people and organizations to support the Refuge, which generated 32,000 public comments that were submitted to the Air Force, opposing the expansion of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), which encompasses over 2.9 million acres of federal land that has been withdrawn from public use and reserved for military use by the U.S. Air Force.
