What do Refuge Support Groups do?

Refuge Support Groups are involved in a wide variety of activities. There are no two groups that are exactly alike, because each group works to help meet the individual needs of its local National Wildlife Refuge or Service facility. Some activities in which groups are involved include:

• Advocacy - providing information about the needs and mission of the Service.

• Citizen Science - assisting refuges in research and wildlife surveys;

• Community relations/Outreach - offering opportunities to the public to learn more about refuges and get involved;

• Conservation - working with refuge personnel on some of their land management programs;

• Fund raising - raising funds for refuge and group programs;

• Education - offering educational programs and opportunities to children, families and the public at large;

• Interpretation - assisting refuge personnel in writing and funding trail guides and information kiosks and helping to convey the importance of protecting the area and its inhabitants;

• Publicity - getting information about the refuge and its activities to the public through the media and providing written materials;

• Refuge planning - assisting in the Comprehensive Conservation Planning process mandated for all refuges nationwide;

• Research - raising funds and providing volunteers to conduct critical research on refuge lands;

• Sales (Cooperating Associations) - operating a book store on refuge property;

• Special events - conducting festivals, celebrations, tours and programs to highlight the refuge;

• Sounding board - providing citizen feedback to Service personnel;

• Volunteering - for maintenance, educational and outreach programs, just to name a few.