For Immediate Release: October 23rd, 2026
Contact: Eden Taylor | etaylor@refugeassociation.org
South Florida Urban Wildlife Refuge Project brings students & partners together to create native wildlife habitat
WEST PALM BEACH, FL – The National Wildlife Refuge Association partnered with the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts and its Good Thyme Garden Club to create a new Pocket Refuge on the school’s West Palm Beach campus on October 15th, 2026. Through the Refuge Association’s South Florida Urban Wildlife Refuge Project, a partnership with Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, student volunteers cleared turf and planted 30 native plants, turning a patch of lawn into habitat for native wildlife.
Students planting natives at the Dreyfoos School Pocket Refuge planting | Courtney Phelan / Refuge Association
The project brought together the Refuge Association’s work to connect urban communities with wildlife conservation and a vision that began at Dreyfoos. Social studies teacher Mrs. Stout had hoped to establish a native garden at the school for years, and the Good Thyme Garden Club wanted to turn an often-overlooked part of campus into a beautiful place for wildlife.
“I’ve had a vision of having a native garden here at Dreyfoos for a number of years,” said Mrs. Stout, Social Studies Teacher at Dreyfoos School of the Arts. A native plant enthusiast who grows native plants and a food forest at home, she said she was excited to see that interest take root at the school.
“I really like helping nature and animals,” said Faith Walters, President of the Good Thyme Garden Club. She described the Pocket Refuge as creating habitat for insects, butterflies, and birds.
The Refuge Association provided funding through its South Florida Urban Wildlife Refuge Project, with additional support from Wild About Wildlife, the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, and Florida Power & Light.
Native Habitat Close to Home
The Refuge Association’s Pocket Refuge program helps communities create small, but impactful native pollinator gardens in developed and densely populated areas. These gardens restore patches of native habitat in public and community spaces, providing food and shelter for wildlife. By bringing habitat conservation beyond refuge boundaries, the Refuge Association gives people opportunities to connect with nature where they live, work, and learn.
The planting includes Butterfly Milkweed, Tropical Sage, American Beautyberry, and Muhly Grass. The garden is expected to benefit Monarch, Zebra Longwing, White Peacock, and Viceroy butterflies, as well as hummingbirds and other pollinators.
With the addition of Dreyfoos, the Refuge Association’s South Florida project now includes 19 Pocket Refuges. Each garden is created with community partners as a place to learn about native plants and wildlife. At Dreyfoos, students can observe pollinators and see how their own campus supports conservation.
“A Pocket Refuge gives students a chance to see how the choices we make in our own communities can support native wildlife,” said Natalie Balaguer, South Florida Regional Partnership Specialist for the National Wildlife Refuge Association. “At Dreyfoos, that connection can begin right on campus, where students can watch the garden grow and see the wildlife it attracts.”
The Refuge Association’s Work in South Florida
The Refuge Association’s South Florida Urban Wildlife Refuge Project works in partnership with Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge to expand opportunities for residents to experience nature, participate in conservation, and explore careers in the field. Through projects like the Dreyfoos Pocket Refuge, the partnership brings conservation education beyond refuge boundaries and helps students connect native wildlife close to home with the broader National Wildlife Refuge System.
Natalie Balaguer, South Florida Regional Partnership Specialist & Courtney Phelan, Director of Development of the National Wildlife Refuge Association stand with designated Pocket Refuge sign at the Dreyfoos School planting | Refuge Association
The Refuge Association also advances this work through its Floating Wetlands pilot program, which creates miniature Everglades ecosystems on stormwater ponds as a setting for learning, and youth programs that introduce students to practical refuge work and conservation careers.
“Conservation is strongest when people come together to care for the places they share,” said Desirée Sorenson-Groves, President & CEO of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. “Through our Pocket Refuge program, we’re working with students, educators, and community partners to create habitat close to home. The Dreyfoos native garden shows what we can accomplish together and how a small place can help build a lasting connection to wildlife and our national wildlife refuges.”
Explore South Florida Pocket Refuges
Learn more about the Refuge Association’s South Florida Pocket Refuge program, explore the map of gardens in Palm Beach and Broward counties, and find native plant and pollinator resources at refugeassociation.org/pocket-refuges-sfl-urban.
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The South Florida Urban Wildlife Refuge Project is a regional initiative of the National Wildlife Refuge Association, carried out in partnership with Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and local communities. Through Pocket Refuges, Conservation Ranger Camp, and Floating Wetlands, the project connects residents with wildlife, restores native habitat, and expands opportunities for environmental education, outdoor recreation, and conservation careers.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association’s Urban Wildlife Refuge Program connects people with nature and conservation in communities across the country. Working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, schools, community organizations, and other local partners, the program expands access to outdoor experiences, supports habitat restoration, and helps young people explore conservation careers. Its work builds lasting connections to public lands and support for the National Wildlife Refuge System.
As the only nonprofit solely dedicated to supporting the National Wildlife Refuge System, the National Wildlife Refuge Association protects, promotes, and enhances America’s wildlife heritage through strategic programs that serve the Refuge System and wildlife beyond its boundaries. The organization addresses Refuge System funding, management, and strategic growth, while also promoting programs that maximize the system’s conservation impact.
