"Friends in Action Conference" Draws from 45 States
Secretary Gale Norton lauded the achievements of the nation's Friends groups, calling them "essential partners as stewards of the refuges," as more than 250 Fish and Wildlife Service staff and Friends gathered during the "Friends in Action Conference" Feb. 4-7 in Washington, DC. Many of the attendees were new supporters of national wildlife refuges, drawn to the conference to learn how to improve their groups and build support for the Refuge System.
The energetic crowd, representing 55 refuges in 45 states, applauded Secretary Norton when she told them that her father is a member of the Friends of Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Kansas. Acknowledging the tireless efforts of many who helped to restore refuges damaged by last year's hurricanes, Secretary Norton declared, "You are more than friends."
The conference offered an array of educational sessions on how to build membership, organize fundraising events, and create community partnerships, among other topics.
Fish and Wildlife Service Deputy Director Marshall Jones hailed the "accelerating success" of the Friends movement, noting that just a decade ago there were only 74 groups. Today, more than 240 groups support refuges.
Emilyn Sheffield, chair of the Department of Recreation and Parks Management at the California State University in Chico, offered a different perspective on the role of people in conservation, noting, "The first 100 years was about the land. The second 100 will be about the heart."
Scenes from the Conference:
AWARDS PRESENTED
Ervin Davis, a volunteer at National Bison Range in Montana, received the Volunteer of the Year Award for more than 35 years of work. During those years, Davis walked hundreds of miles to monitor more than 400 of the 1,500 bluebird nest boxes he and local schoolchildren built. His work fostered the return of western bluebirds, which are now breeding on the range for the first time.
 The Friends of Black Bayou received the Friends Group of the Year award for its support of the Black Bayou Lake Refuge in Louisiana. Over the past year, they have strengthened links to the community and raised $450,000 for a wetlands learning center on the refuge. The group helped refurbish and convert a historic house into a visitor center, and worked with a local professor to create an innovative photo blind. Each achievement promotes exceptional public involvement and strengthens community ties.
The awards were given by the National Wildlife Refuge Association and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
The Refuge Association sponsored the conference in cooperation with the Fish and Wildlife Service. Association President Evan Hirsche encouraged Friends to build their skills and offered a different perspective in preparation for their discussions on Capitol Hill. On the heels of the Presidential election, we "shouldn't look at the country in terms of red and blue states," he maintained. Instead, Hirsche suggested, conference participants should consider the potential for nationwide support for conservation, as a map of the United States glowed with wildlife images behind him.
The conference closed Feb. 7 with Friends blanketing Capitol Hill to teach lawmakers how much the Refuge System means to America's wildlife, its communities, and to its people.
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