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2022 Wildlife Refuge Awards Nominations Now Open!
Every year, the National Wildlife Refuge Association honors the outstanding accomplishments by refuge managers, refuge employees, volunteers, Friends Groups, and refuge advocates through our Refuge System Awards program. Today, we begin accepting nominations for our 2022 National Wildlife Refuge Awards. The deadline for nominations is March 7th, 2022.
It's Our 47th Birthday!
Today, Saturday, January 8th, 2022 is the National Wildlife Refuge Association’s 47th Birthday! That’s 47 years of protecting, promoting, and enhancing the National Wildlife Refuge System, the world’s largest network of lands and waters set aside for wildlife conservation.
Refuge & Hatchery Friends Photo Contest Winner— Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge
You may have heard about the first winner of the Friends Photo Contest and the refuge’s fantastic fungi in the Winter 2022 Edition of The Link. Nicole Souza’s stunning photos of fungi at Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge caught our attention, so Assabet River NWR was featured for the month of December.
A Busy Year Protecting, Promoting, and Enhancing North Carolina National Wildlife Refuges
2021 has been a busy and productive year in and around North Carolina’s national wildlife refuges. We made great progress in raising awareness of NC NWRs with Catawba College and the surrounding community of Salisbury, NC by presenting a slide show about the 11 national wildlife refuges in North Carolina with a follow up virtual meeting with the faculty of the Catawba College Center for the Environment faculty. The faculty is receptive to the opportunity of providing college interns for science-based project work on NC NWRs.
2021 O'Brien Prize For Refuge Friends Groups Update
The 2021 recipient of the O’Brien Prize is the Friends of the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex (FWVNWRC), Oregon for their Bilingual Trail Video Project. They are producing a series of 14 short trail videos in English and Spanish showcasing the plants, animals, and habitats found within the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, the Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, and the Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge. Each of the national wildlife refuges that the Refuge Friends group support are a part of the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Oregon. They have created a YouTube channel, posted videos of the first three trails, photographed and taken video footage for four additional trails, and identified seven additional trails for future videos. You can view all of the Friends Trail Videos on their YouTube Channel and one video of the series is shown below in both English and Spanish.
Refuge's Natalie Fath wins national honor
For years volunteer coordinator encouraged folks to lace up their boots and pitch in.
2021 Refuge Awards: Ensuring Safety
The National Wildlife Refuge Association's annual Refuge Awards brings together supporters and lovers of our National Wildlife Refuge System. The event honors the outstanding achievements of Refuge System staff, leaders, volunteers, supporting groups, and advocates. It is a chance to celebrate those who make the National Wildlife Refuge System the greatest network of conservation lands and waters in the world.
In 2021, the National Wildlife Refuge Association is still planning on holding this event in person. But we will be implementing protocols for safety.
Outstanding individual and group efforts recognized at annual Refuge Awards program by the National Wildlife Refuge Association
Since 1994, the National Wildlife Refuge Association has honored the outstanding accomplishments by refuge managers, refuge employees, volunteers, Friends groups, and refuge advocates through our Refuge System Awards program. The National Wildlife Refuge System depends on the dedication of individuals and groups like this year’s award winners to manage, protect, promote, and enhance the world’s largest network of lands and waters set aside for wildlife conservation.
Mary Weiler and Kevin Weiler named National Volunteers of the Year by the National Wildlife Refuge Association
Mary Weiler and Kevin Weiler; volunteers at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Titusville, FL, have been named the country’s outstanding 2021 Volunteers of the Year, by the National Wildlife Refuge Association. The award, given annually, recognizes outstanding accomplishments of volunteers in support of the operation and management of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Natalie Fath Named 2021 National Wildlife Refuge System Employee of the Year
The National Wildlife Refuge Association has named Natalie Fath, Visitor’s Center Manager and Volunteer Coordinator at National Elk Refuge near Jackson, Wyoming as the 2021 National Wildlife Refuge System Employee of the Year. This award recognizes the outstanding work of the men and women employed by the NWRS and is awarded to a current refuge employee whose accomplishments are judged to be the most outstanding of the candidates nominated.
Steve Berendzen Named Refuge Manager of the Year by the National Wildlife Refuge Association
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.
An Opportunity For Your Friend Group: The 2021 O’Brien Prize
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.
Wayne Hubbard Announced As Master Ceremonies for National Wildlife Refuge Association’s Annual Refuge Awards
The National Wildlife Refuge Association’s annual Refuge Awards will be presented by the host and producer of the award-winning program: Urban American Outdoors, Mr. Wayne Hubbard. Mr. Hubbard is an active member of the National Wildlife Refuge Association’s board of directors.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association Announces 2021 Refuge Awards
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)
Announcing The Winners of the 2020 O’Brien Prize For Refuge Friends
We are pleased to announce the two national wildlife refuge Friends groups who will be receiving the O’Brien Prize; International Wildlife Refuge Alliance of Detroit, MI, and Friends of the Mariana Trench National Wildlife Refuge, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.
An Opportunity For Your Friends Group: Announcing The O'Brien Prize
The National Wildlife Refuge Association has an opportunity for you!! Through the generosity of some of our great Board Members, we have established the O’ Brien Prize, an annual award for our 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 Refuges and is very impressed by the dedication and effectiveness of Refuge Friends groups.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association Postpones The 2020 Refuge System Awards
Due to concerns related to COVID-19, the National Wildlife Refuge Associations is postponing the Refuge System Awards scheduled for April 2, 2020. In the wake of the cancellation, the Refuge Association will begin planning for the 2020 Refuge System Awards to be held at a later date.
2020 National Wildlife Refuge System Award Winners Announced
The 2020 National Wildlife Refuge System Award Winners have been announced! The National Wildlife Refuge Association could not be more excited to present these deserving individuals and group with the prestigious Refuge System Awards.