Were very pleased that a Friends group from within our region was selected for this national honor, said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Director Bill Hartwig. The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge is one of the finest urban refuges in the nation, and our partnership with the Friends of Minnesota Valley is a big reason for that success.
With its origins in 1976, Friends of Minnesota Valley is one of the oldest refuge support groups in the United States. And, with a staff of 4 and nearly 700 individual and corporate members, it is also one of the most effective.
Refuge Manager Rick Schultz nominated the group for the award. Without their advocacy, there would be no Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, notes Schultz, who oversees the refuges 9,500 acres scattered in tracts along the Minnesota River from Bloomington to Jordan. It was because of their influence the Refuge was established in 1976 through an Act of Congress.
That same advocacy continues today as the group actively monitors and supports natural resource conservation throughout the Minnesota River Valley, home to nearly 300 wildlife species and next door to 2.2 million Twin Cities residents. Working within the community, the Friends have been instrumental in helping the refuge grow--to date more than $22 million dollars in federal funds have been obtained for land acquisition in the area.
Environmental education and grassroots community involvement are cornerstones of the groups success. Governed by a 20-member citizen board of directors, the Friends have gained broad support from area businesses and foundations as well as individuals. They have also developed a registry of over 130 private landowners who have voluntarily committed to protecting and preserving their land.
Nelson French, executive director of the Friends group was thrilled to learn the group had been selected as the nations best. Were very happy to be recognized for our role in the past, said French. More importantly, he feels the recognition will help prepare the group to take on the challenges facing them in the future, which are significant.
This is an urban refuge in a growing suburban area, French explained, and we see many challenges with respect to growth, development, and natural resources. Given their success to date, French is confident the group will meet the challenge head-on. Well continue to focus on working with private landowners and fostering stewardship of the natural resources in the lower Minnesota River watershed, he said.
In addition to their own work, the Friends of Minnesota Valley are also in demand as a resource for others interested in establishing Friends groups with their own local refuges. It is an idea the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service supports. With over 500 National Wildlife Refuges across the country, there is much work to be done, says Regional Director Hartwig, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cant do it alone. We encourage everyone who enjoys our National Wildlife Refuges to become active and involved. And establishing or joining an existing Friends group is a great way to start.
For information on becoming a member of the Friends of Minnesota Valley, contact the group at (612) 854-5900.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 530 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our home page at: http://midwest.fws.gov
