Your Fee Dollars at Work!
Entrance/Recreation fees collected at Ridgefield National Wildlife
Refuge are used to support recreation related expenses.
Cathlapotle Plankhouse
Entrance/Recreation Fee money funded a new design for the smoke
holes within the roof of the Cathlapotle Plankhouse. Upon further
funding, the new design will be constucted to prevent moisture from
entering the Plankhouse from the smoke holes. The current design
is difficult to operate and often fails to keep rain out of the
structure.
Overlook Park
Entrance/Recreation Fee money will fund Refuge signage at Refuge
Overlook Park in the City of Ridgefeild. This signage will contain
Refuge interpreation and directional signage to the Refuge from
the park.
Oaks to Wetland Trail
Entrance/Recreation Fee money was used during the summer of 2010
to partially fund trail improvements to the Oaks to Wetland Trail.
The trail project included hard surfacing, grading, realignment,
and drainage improvements.
River S Bridge
In February 2008 the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge used Entrance/Recreation
Fees to replace rutted and worn timbers on the access bridge to
the Refuge's River 'S' Unit.
Before/After
Publications
Entrance/Recreation Fees are used to produce and print brochures
that are available to visitors.
Visitor Services
Entrance/Recreation Fees are used to maintain the visitor contact
station, gates, roads, trails, and other ammenities used by the
public. Annually, Entrance/Recreation Fee money offsets thousands
of dollars of expenses related to the maintenance of public restrooms.
These reoccuring services including cleaning the stalls, restocking
paper and hand sanitizer, and pumping of the vaults are very costly..
Hunter Services
In the summer of 2010, Entrance/Recreation Fees replaced two toilets
in the hunt area with new disabled portable restrooms. Entrance/Recreation
Fees are used to maintain the hunter checkstation, gates, roads,
trails, toilets, and other ammenities used by hunters. Entrance/Recreation
fees annually, fund hunter checkstation staff that collect fees,
manage hunter reservations, assign blinds, and manage compliance
to regulations/rules.
Entrance Fee Program
An daily entrance fee of $3.00 per non-commercial vehicle is charged
at the entrance of the Carty and River 'S' Units. This fee covers
the occupants of the entire vehicle and allows visitors to move
between both areas without repaying the fee. Directions are posted
at either entrance to the Refuge. All entrance fees collected at
the Refuge will be used to support recreation related expenses including;
brochures, signage, facilities enhancement, trail/road maintenance,
restoration associated with wildlife-dependent recreation, and public
safety. Many pass options are availalbe to waive the entrance fee,
the tables below summarize the pass options.
Ridgefield Annual Refuge Pass:
| What is it? |
Entrance pass to Ridgefield National Wildlife
Refuge |
| Who is it for? |
General Public |
| Time Period |
One year from date of purchase. |
| Cost |
$15 |
| Admits |
Admits pass holder and occupants of a private non-commerical
vehicle or pass holder and up to 3 additional persons (16 or
older). Please note, persons 15 and younger are admitted free
of charge. |
| How to get one? |
1) May be purchased directly at the Ridgefield National
Wildlife Refuge office.
2) May be obtained by mailing a self-addressed stamped envelope
and check or money order for $15.00, made payable to 'U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service' to P.O. Box 457, Ridgefield, WA,
98642. Please include the name of the individual to be named
on the pass and a phone number in the event of a question.
Passes will be mailed to the address on the check, unless
otherwise noted. All efforts will be made to process requests
and mail passes within 10working days
3) May also be obtained by placing $15.00 cash, check, or
money order (please make checks or money orders made payable
to 'U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service') into a fee envelope.
Also include in the fee envelope a note identifying the name
of the individual to be named on the pass, a mailing address
for the pass, and a phone number to contact in the event of
a question. Please retain the envelope stub as proof of payment.
Deposit the fee envelope into the fee collection vault at
either the Carty or River 'S' Unit. All efforts will be made
to process requests and mail passes within 10working days.
|
Federal Duck Stamp:
| What is it? |
Entrance pass to all National Wildlife Refuges |
| Who is it for? |
General Public |
| Time Period |
July 1 to June 30 of each year. |
| Cost |
$15 |
| Admits |
Admits pass holder and occupants of a private non-commerical
vehicle or pass holder and up to 3 additional persons (16 or
older). Please note, persons 15 and younger are admitted free
of charge. |
| How to get one? |
1) May be purchased directly at the Ridgefield National
Wildlife Refuge office.
2) May be purchased at United States Post Offices. |
Interagency Annual Pass:
| What is it? |
Entrance pass to Nation Parks, National Wildlife
Refuges, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management sites
that charge entrance fees. |
| Who is it for? |
General Public |
| Time Period |
One year from month of purchase. |
| Cost |
$80 |
| Admits |
Admits pass holder and occupants of a private non-commerical
vehicle or pass holder and up to 3 additional persons (16 or
older). Please note, persons 15 and younger are admitted free
of charge. |
| How to get one? |
May be purchased directly at the Ridgefield National Wildlife
Refuge office. |
Interagency Senior Pass/Golden Age Passport
| What is it? |
Entrance pass to Nation Parks, National Wildlife
Refuges, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management sites
that charge entrance fees. It also provides a 50% discount on
some federal recreation use fees. |
| Who is it for? |
Citizens or permanent residents or the United States that
are 62 or older. |
| Time Period |
Lifetime |
| Cost |
$10 |
| Admits |
Admits pass holder and occupants of a private non-commerical
vehicle or pass holder and up to 3 additional persons (16 or
older). Please note, persons 15 and younger are admitted free
of charge. |
| How to get one? |
Must be purchased directly at the Ridgefield National Wildlife
Refuge office in person. Proof of age required. |
| Is my Golden Age Passport still valid? |
The Senior Pass replaces the Golden Age Passport. Golden Age
Passports will continue to be honored. There is no need to replace
existing Golden Age Passports with the new Senior Pass. |
Interagency Access Pass/Golden Access Passport
| What is it? |
Entrance pass to Nation Parks, National Wildlife
Refuges, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management sites
that charge entrance fees. It also provides a 50% discount on
some federal recreation use fees. |
| Who is it for? |
Citizens or permanent residents or the United States that
are legally blind or permanently disabled. |
| Time Period |
Lifetime |
| Cost |
No charge. |
| Admits |
Admits pass holder and occupants of a private non-commerical
vehicle or pass holder and up to 3 additional persons (16 or
older). Please note, persons 15 and younger are admitted free
of charge. |
| How to get one? |
Must be purchased directly at the Ridgefield National Wildlife
Refuge office in person. Must present documentation
of permanent disability and residency. |
| Is my Golden Access Passport still valid? |
The Access Pass replaces the Golden Access Passport. Golden
Access Passports will continue to be honored. There is no need
to replace existing Golden Access Passports with the new Access
Pass. |
Interagency Volunteer Pass
| What is it? |
Entrance pass to Nation Parks, National Wildlife
Refuges, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management sites
that charge entrance fees. |
| Who is it for? |
Issued to volunteers who accrue 250 volunteer hours with participating
Federal Agencies |
| Time Period |
One year from month of issue. |
| Cost |
No charge, to those that qualify. |
| Admits |
Admits pass holder and occupants of a private non-commerical
vehicle or pass holder and up to 3 additional persons (16 or
older). Please note, persons 15 and younger are admitted free
of charge. |
| How to get one? |
Accrue 500 volunteers hours since January 1, 2007. |
Interagency Military Pass
| What is it? |
Entrance pass to Nation Parks, National Wildlife
Refuges, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management sites
that charge entrance fees. |
| Who is it for? |
Active military personnel and their dependents |
| Time Period |
One year from month of issue. |
| Cost |
No charge, to those that qualify. |
| Admits |
Admits pass holder and occupants of a private non-commerical
vehicle or pass holder and up to 3 additional persons (16 or
older). Please note, persons 15 and younger are admitted free
of charge. |
| How to get one? |
Active military must present a Department of Defense ID
(CAC Card). Dependents must present a Department of Defense
ID (DD Form 1173). |
Additionally, entrance fees may be waived for environmental education
visits and refuge volunteers. To qualify for an educational waiver,
visits must be: prearranged by no less than one week, support clearly
stated educational objectives with clear links to the Refuge, AND
the visit must integrate into a larger course of study that relates
to the natural environment or cultural history. Refuge volunteers
may be eligible for a refuge specific volunteer pass of various
durations. Eligible volunteers must volunteer have >100 hours
of annual service, be in good standing as a volunteer, have a signed
Volunteer Services Agreement, AND have a proven record of submitting
a record of volunteer hours in a timely and accurate manner.
