Grand Opening of the new additions on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

The Nature Play Area and Outdoor Classroom at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

Oct 3, 2023

Written By

Celeste Chen

Welcome. Tsaa yu saikki. Bienvenidos.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (Refuge) celebrated the grand opening of their Nature Play Area and Outdoor Classroom on Saturday, September 23.

Grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony with officials from USFWS, Box Elder County, Box Elder County Tourism and Friends of the Bear River Refuge. Cutting ceremony in front of of the welcome sign with a mountain background — Grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony with officials from USFWS, Box Elder County, Box Elder County Tourism and Friends of the Bear River Refuge.

Sign for the Bear River Refuge. "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Wildlife Education Center"

The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is a 78,000-acre National Wildlife Refuge in Brigham City, Utah. It was established on the ancestral homelands of the Shoshone, Paiute, Bannock and Ute people, known as Newe or Meme (the People). The Refuge protects the marshes and associated habitats found at the mouth of the Bear River, the largest freshwater component of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem, and is an oasis for waterbirds and wildlife.

The Refuge is a valuable place for people to experience and reconnect with Utah’s natural world. With the new additions to the land, visitors can play, discover and learn more about conservation efforts on the Refuge.

Staff and youth playing with xylophones in the music area with a mountain background — Staff and youth playing on Xylophones.

The grand opening event consisted of a tour of the classroom, led by Park Ranger Jill Shannon, a ribbon cutting ceremony and free lunch for the 290 visitors (more than half being youth) that attended. Visitors participated in a rubber ducky derby and received a free craft kit from the Friends of the Bear River Refuge. Visitors explored the permanent features of the new Nature Play Area and Outdoor Classroom, which include areas for nature art, water play, building, climbing and balancing. Additionally, there are pollinator and drought tolerant demonstration gardens, as well as an area for music and movement with an accessible stage.

Pollinator habitat garden is part of the new additions to the Refuge. Pollinator habitat sign in the garden with a mountain background — Pollinator garden.

Over the last 2 years, this project has been supported by multiple community groups and partners with intentions of enhancing community engagement at the Refuge and the Ogden Nature Center, an urban partner of the Refuge. The Refuge and the Ogden Nature Center continue to work closely on goals to enhance and provide steppingstones for community engagement at both locations.

The Mountain-Prairie Region provided initial funding for designs, planning sessions, educational workshops, and materials for this effort. Additionally, the Friends of Bear River Refuge (Friends) secured a grant from the Box Elder County Tax and Tourism Advisory Board for the Refuge’s new additions. With this grant, installation materials were purchased, the gardens were created, and a rock feature was installed to represent the Bear River.

Installing these new additions couldn’t have been possible without the abundant help from Friends, local companies, volunteers, Eagle Scouts and staff!

Both areas, at the Refuge and the Ogden Nature Center, are designed to be used as part of the curriculum for field trips and are available for the public to explore. The play area at the Refuge will be open sunrise to sunset, 365 days a year, with backpacks that visitors can borrow to help with further exploration and help youth become Junior Rangers.