Get Involved
National Wildlife Refuges do not stand alone in the effort to preserve
our nation's wild things. Many organizations and individuals contribute
thousands of hours to our wildlife refuges and local communities
by planting trees, battling invasive species, and by providing visitor
outreach and education programs. Friends groups serve as advocates
for our refuges and natural areas at the local, regional, and national
level. With these extra voices and hands at work, today's conservation
projects are making a difference on our refuges and for our wildlife.
Why become a volunteer at Steigerwald Lake, Franz Lake and/or
Pierce National Wildlife Refuge?
Besides being part of the conservation effort by restoring and
protecting habitat and educating and inspiring the public, volunteers
also enjoy the following benefits:
- Invitations to special walks and talks offered only to volunteers
and Friends members.
- Annual Refuge Complex Volunteer Appreciation Dinner with catered
food and prizes for those giving 25 hours or more.
- Annual summer BBQ for all complex volunteers and Friends members
on a closed part of the Ridgefield Refuge.
- Periodic summer BBQ for all Columbia Gorge volunteers and Refuge
Stewards members.
- Volunteer Training with staff teaching about Refuge history,
flora and fauna, and what you can do to keep this place a great
destination for animals and humans alike.
For more information contact the Refuge Manager, Jim Clapp, at
360-835-8767 or by email at jim_clapp@fws.gov.
Become a Columbia Gorge Refuge Steward
The Columbia Gorge Refuge Stewards is a non-profit organization
dedicated to promoting habitat restoration and invasives control
and increasing public awareness of the resources of the Columbia
Gorge Refuges. They are also working with Refuge staff to develop
an environmental education program To learn more about this important
organization and to see a calendar of refuge volunteer and other
events follow this link: Columbia
Gorge Stewards.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!! 
Help Restore Steigerwald Lake NWR!!
Volunteers of all ages and abilities are needed to help with restoration
projects at Steigerwald Lake NWR. This spring we will be maintaining
the restoration sites that have been planted in past years. Once
planted, they need to have tubes (and plants) straightened, and
competing vegetation removed to enable maximum survival and growth
of our new plants. Come on your own or share your passion for the
outdoors with friends and family. The Spring
Restoration Flyer contains date and location details.
When: Work parties are scheduled for the Third Saturday
of the month through May. All plantings are 9am to Noon.
What to bring: Water bottle, extra clothing, including socks and
shoes for the ride home, camera and/or binoculars, if desired. Tools
and supplies are provided. We'll also provide gloves but you are
welcome to bring your own.
What to wear: Dress for the weather, clothes may get muddy. Long
sleeves and pants are recommended, as are sturdy shoes or boots
and rain gear.
About the site: The Refuge has been working with the Lower Columbia
Estuary Partnership for the last several years, and will continue
to do so into the future, supplementing our native plantings during
the winter months. During the shoulder seasons of spring and fall,
Partnership staff and Refuge volunteer team leaders will lead Saturday
morning volunteers in maintaining our plantings by straightening
up and/or replacing tubes, installing stronger support stakes, and
removing competing vegetation around the plants to allow for more
vigorous growth by our plants. It may not be as glamorous as putting
plants in the ground, but it is just as important to keep the plants
alive.
About the Estuary Partnership's Volunteer Program: The goals of
our Volunteer Program are to help involve people in the preservation,
protection and restoration of lower Columbia River resources, increase
understanding of the importance of natural resources, and help build
personal stewardship for natural areas.
How to Get There: To get there from the West, drive east on SR
14 from the intersection of I-205 and SR 14 towards Camas. Drive
past Camas and Washougal. Be on the lookout for a large vertical
sign marking the boundary of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic
Area on the right of the highway at about the MP 16 mile marker.
Shortly past that you will see a large Steigerwald Lake NWR entry
sign at the entrance to the trailhead and parking lot.
Interested in other habitat work?
We have a variety of other projects and programs going on year-round.
Other volunteer work may occur on an as-needed basis, so let us
know your availability and special skills or experience. Learn more
about other projects by looking at our Volunteer Opportunity List
located on our Refuge Stewards website at www.refugestewards.org.
Volunteer Signups
All volunteers must fill out a volunteer services agreement (VSA).
People under 18 years of age must have their parents sign the VSA.
Forms are available on the day of the event, or download them here:
volunteer
services agreement. See the bottom of this page for
other, non-mandatory volunteer forms.
Volunteer Forms
Volunteer
Service Agreement (required): Anyone volunteering for Natural
Resource Agencies, such as the US Fish and Wildlife Service, must
have a volunteer service agreement filled out and renewed each year.
This is a very easy form that protects you as a volunteer while
out on the Refuge volunteering.
Volunteer Timesheet:
The time and effort that you donate to the Refuge is priceless to
us and the wildlife and habitat that you support. But did you know
that you are also donating cash for each hour you spend here? When
you volunteer our agency and our Friends group can use your time
in grant applications as matching donations to get more funding
for habitat projects, education, and much much more. Plus, if you
don't record your hours we will never know how to properly thank
you through our gifts and recognition. For example, 25 hours gets
you an invitation to the annual catered recognition dinner, and
500 hours gets you a free yearly pass to all public lands! These
are just a few of the benefits given to dedicated volunteers so
fill your timesheet out monthly and turn it into the Refuge!
Volunteer Application:
If you are interested in joining our volunteer team but are not
sure what you would like to do because you have a variety of interests,
please fill out this volunteer application so we can see what opportunities
will be the best fit for you. This also helps us when we have new
types of volunteer jobs come up and we are looking for someone with
specialized experience. Note that not all jobs on this form are
currently offered on the Refuge as this is a nationwide form used
by all Natural Resource Agencies.
Photo Release Form: A
photo says and thousand words! And photos of volunteers say a lot
about how special this community and Refuge is. We use pictures
taken during volunteer events to show those inside and outside the
agency what a asset our volunteers are and how we could never do
all the good things we do without them. If you are okay with us
using your image to promote our volunteer program please fill out
this photo release form. You can even specify what type of publications
you are comfortable being in and what you are not, and we can inform
you when your picture is being used.
International Migratory Bird Day - 20 Simple everyday things you
can do for migratory birds.
1. Prevent Bird Collisions with Your Windows Collisions are one
of the most frequent causes of bird deaths. Birds see nature reflected
in the window or mistake houseplants inside the building for outdoor
plants and fly into the glass. Putting up curtains or window decals
helps make the window visible to birds.
2. Protect Birds From Pets Unleashed dogs and outdoor cats can harm
birds by disturbing, chasing, and even killing them. Keeping your
cat indoors and your dog from straying saves millions of birds each
year.
3. Clean Your Bird Feeders Dirty feeders can spread disease. Disinfect
and clean out old seed from feeders frequently and put fresh water
in your bird bath every day.
4. Don’t Buy Illegally-Caged Birds Selling wild-caught birds as
pets is illegal. Buy only captive-bred birds. Make certain that
the breeder or pet store is reputable.
5. Use Cloth Grocery Bags and Reusable Bottles Birds that mistakenly
eat plastic trash can become ill or even die. Avoiding plastic bags
and bottles reduces plastic pollution and conserves resources.
6. Recycle Anything you recycle reduces litter and saves resources.
Get creative! You can make a bag from used juice containers and
bird feeders from old dishes and plastic bottles.
7. Restore Natural Habitat in Your Community Birds need a place
to live and many bird habitats are disappearing. City parks and
open spaces are natural places for birds. Work with your community
to recreate the habitat that once existed in your area.
8. Keep Your Distance Birds need space for feeding, nesting, and
other daily activities. Approaching too closely may cause them to
become nervous and deplete much-needed energy reserves. During the
nesting season, it may even result in loss of eggs or young to predators.
9. Leave Fledglings Where You Find Them Fledglings may spend several
days on the ground after they leave the nest before they are able
to fly. You can help by keeping people and pets away, so their parents
can continue to care for them. If you think a bird is truly an orphan,
call a wildlife rehabilitator for instructions.
10. Slow Down When Driving Cars kill millions of birds each year.
Driving slowly gives you more time to respond if there is an animal
in the road and gives the animal plenty of time to get out of the
way.
11. Buy Bird Friendly Products You can help preserve bird habitat
in Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean by buying
shade-grown coffee and chocolate. Shade coffee farms, which imitate
native forests, have many more bird species than sun coffee farms.
12. Plant Native Native plants provide food, nest sites, and cover
for birds.
13. Teach Others About Birds Talk to your friends about birds and
start a club in your community to teach people about the challenges
birds face. The more people know, the more they can do to help.
14. Get Outdoors and Enjoy Nature You can appreciate the bird habitat
near your home. Find a local park and go for a walk or just stroll
around your neighborhood.
15. Take a Friend Bird Watching Invite a buddy and see if you can
spot more birds together.
16. Support Conservation. Join a bird club or other conservation
organization to learn more and contribute to protecting birds. Volunteer
with organizations that preserve habitat and help birds.
17. Be a Citizen Scientist Many projects need helpers to gather
data on birds and their habitat. Contact your local Nature Center,
library or
conservation organization to volunteer.
18. Reduce Energy Use Riding your bike or walking reduces your carbon
footprint and prevents pollution of bird habitats. Switching off
the
lights in your house not only shrinks your energy bill, but can
also help prevent birds from colliding with your windows.
19. Avoid Chemicals Birds may accidentally eat pesticide and herbicide
pellets or prey that have been poisoned. This can kill a bird or
have toxic effects on their own health and that of their growing
embryos, including deformation or suppressed immune systems.
20. Learn the Hunting Laws Federal and local laws protect sensitive
areas and manage the harvest of birds to ensure healthy populations.
Purchase a Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps.
It contributes to habitat which benefits all birds.
