Environmental Education

Environmental education is identified by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 as one of the priority public uses of refuges. What that means is that if education is compatible with the refuge purposes (i.e., why a particular refuge was established) and resource protection, it should be provided for and, in fact, encouraged. We at the Mid-Columbia National Wildlife Refuge Complex whole-heartedly endorse that sentiment and actively provide opportunities for environmental education, within budget and time constaints, of course.

If you are an educator and would like to bring your class to Umatilla NWR or have Refuge staff come to your classroom, please contact us at mcriver@fws.gov, phone: 509-546-8300. We cannot accommodate every request with our limited staff, but interacting with students is one of the most fun, most important things we do, and if we can, we'll help you.

For additional educational opportunities, please contact the Friends of Mid-Columbia River Wildlife Refuges at mcnaryedcenter@gmail.com or by telephone at 509-546-8350.