Ways to Get Involved
Whether you want to further conservation, learn more about nature or share your love of the outdoors, you’ve come to the right place. National wildlife refuges and wetland management districts provide many opportunities for you to help your community by doing what you love. National wildlife refuges and wetland management districts partner with volunteers, youth groups, landowners, neighbors and residents of urban and coastal communities to make a lasting difference. Find out how you can help make American lands healthier and communities stronger while doing something personally satisfying.
Volunteering
Discover for yourself what tens of thousands of volunteers have learned: Volunteering for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is fun and rewarding in many ways. Learn new skills, meet new friends and enjoy a sense of accomplishment from doing your part to further wildlife conservation for the pleasure of generations to follow. Check out our station's latest volunteer opportunities on volunteer.gov. For more specific information email us at Litchfieldwetland@FWS.GOV.
Community Science, also known as citizen science, is the involvement of the public in collecting scientific data. You can become an amateur scientist and learn to gather information that will help us learn more about what is out there. The following community science projects are things you can do on your own, either on our waterfowl production areas, at your local park, or at home. Most of these just involve noticing, identifying, and reporting what you observe. Some will even help you to identify what you are seeing.
Our Partners
Nature does not recognize human-made boundaries. In order to conserve our natural and cultural resources effectively, we must work with others to bridge these boundaries. Partnerships foster creative solutions to challenging situations and often the results are greater than the sum of the parts. Therefore, the district works with many local partners. Some examples of these partners include Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, the Nature Conservancy, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Land Trust, and Minnesota Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
We also partner with private landowners! The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a program called Partners for Fish and Wildlife, which helps private landowners conduct all the same resource management actions used on waterfowl production areas on their own land.
The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program provides technical and financial assistance to solve land management problems, identify partners, and coordinate restoration work on private lands. The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program in south-central Minnesota concentrates on restoring degraded wetlands, native grasslands and riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.
Learn more about riparian stream and river habitat for migratory birds, endangered and threatened species, and fishes.
Restoration costs may be shared by any combination of governmental agencies, private organizations, and the private landowner. Cost-effective restoration projects that provide the greatest fish and wildlife benefit for the least money are most likely to receive attention from the Partners program. The landowner must commit to maintaining restored habitat for a minimum of ten years. Private landowners in central Minnesota who are interested in habitat restoration should contact us. Of course, not all projects qualify for assistance, but contacting us is the first step.
Outreach
Litchfield Wetland Management District hosts an annual “Habitat Day” event during the month of April each year, from 12:00 - 4:00pm in Litchfield, Minnesota. The event has a variety of offerings for all ages who are interested in wildlife and habitat in our area. This event is FREE! Each year we bring in a guest to host interactive animal shows. These programs use a variety of live animals. Be sure to stop by and attend one of the shows! Spring is just around the corner this time of year, and it will not be long before wood ducks and bluebirds return to the area in search of nesting sites. If you have good habitat areas for placing nest boxes for these species, free, pre-cut birdhouse kits will be available for assembly on site. Bat boxes and robin nesting shelves will also be available while supplies last. All necessary tools to assemble the houses will be provided. Staff and volunteers will be on hand to assist with construction. Coloring books, activity packets and an assortment of wildlife related materials and educational displays for all ages will be available. Special guests at the event include the Wildlife Wizard as well as other programs, organizations and partners who will have staffed booths. No reservations are necessary, but if you would like more information about our next Habitat Day, please contact us.
