Fall 2022 Friends Newsletter | |
If Willamette Valley NWR Complex is on your mind during this season of Thankfulness, be sure to mark your calendars for
November 29th, 2022 - Giving Tuesday!
| Ankeny Hill Nature Center Fundraising Appeal |  | |
Dear Friends,
The Friends Board wishes to THANK YOU for your continued support in our endeavors to make WVNWRC a vibrant habitat for all to enjoy. Together we have constructed new kiosks for Ankeny, William L. Finley, and Snag Boat Bend. We’ve established an environmental education shelter at the William L. Finley Woodpecker Loop, annually contribute to Winter Wildlife Field Days, and we have contributed to the Streaked Horned Lark Nest Monitoring Project. We funded riparian plantings for the Dusky Marsh Restoration Project at Baskett Slough; funded three beautiful benches at the Ankeny Hill Nature Center and funded the start of the Nature Center’s thriving volunteer program.
The Ankeny Hill Nature Center is now embarking on its second phase. This phase of development includes the Dave Marshall Outdoor Classroom which will be built below Gehlar Hall and will be accessible from the parking area off Buena Vista Rd or via Big Loop Trail. Perched on the edge of Peregrine Marsh, this 800-1000 square foot classroom will be a unique open-air space for environmental education. This accessible public use space will function as an engaging interpretive space dedicated to wetlands and as a viewing blind for Peregrine Marsh. It will be a destination for folks walking the Big Loop trail around the Ankeny Hill Nature Center. We are asking for donations to contribute to the success of this project.
This recreation and education space will be open from dawn to dusk every day for classes, picnicking, wildlife viewing, photography, and so many more opportunities to connect with nature. Dave Marshall was instrumental in creating all of the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuges, including Ankeny, in 1965. Your contributions will help make the Dave Marshall Outdoor Classroom a reality for future generations to cherish and enjoy our wild spaces in the Willamette Valley.
Thank you for helping to make this second phase of construction a reality. All donations are tax deductible.
Please make your check payable to FWVNWRC. Contributions can be mailed to:
FWVNWRC
PO Box 2238, Corvallis OR 97339
Thank you for your time and dedication to conservation of these valuable resources.
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Friends 2023 Calendars Available!
Now on Sale! 30% Discount!
Our 2023 Friends Calendar has arrived and is for sale at The Wild Goose Nature Store at William L. Finley NWR. The discounted sale price is $14.00. The Nature Store is open Friday-Sunday 10:00- 4:00.
The calendar features beautiful images of our refuges taken by local photographers. Funds raised by the sale of the calendar are used to support conservation efforts.
For an additional shipping charge of $5.50 per calendar we can also mail calendars to you. To receive a calendar, mail a check to FWVNWRC, P.O. Box 2238, Corvallis, OR 97339 with instructions on where to the send the calendar. Checks should be made out to FWVNWRC.
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THE WILD GOOSE STORE IS OPEN! | |
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Please come in and see us at the WGNS. We would enjoy visiting with you.
Our hours are the same as before: We are open all year on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays 10 AM - 4 PM.
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Board of Directors Updates | |
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Board Meeting at Baskett Slough, Summer 2022.
Pictured L to R: Cynthia Donald, Jill Scofield, Lisa Kerr, Sharon Gracen, Diane Young, Jennifer Butler, Dianna Fisher, Anne Hartley. Not pictured: Steve Suckow, Rebecca Cashero
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Message from the newly elected Board President, Lisa Kerr | |
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I am honored to be elected President of the Friends board. I have spent my life educating people about the importance of maintaining biodiversity and protecting the habitat that supports the flora and fauna of the region. In my 26-year career, as a high school Environmental Science educator, I taught the youth about the importance of stewardship, sustainability, and the conservation of our world.
It is my belief that the best way to protect our planet is to provide opportunities for people to become involved and experience the strength and fragility of the planet’s natural capital. The biophilia hypothesis, explored by E O Wilson in 1984, proposes that humans possess an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life. By being involved in environmental stewardship, we can appreciate the ecological services of nature and become emotionally connected to it, creating a foundation for preservation.
The Friends non-profit group is a perfect fit for me to continue to express my passion for environmental education and outreach. My background of community involvement and curriculum development for the State Park system provides unique experience that I can use to further the wellbeing of the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuges.
In the past year, we have had many new individuals join our board. These amazing people bring a wide range of knowledge and talents to our team. It is exciting to work with such a dedicated group as we plan activities and opportunities to share the beauty, culture, and natural wonders of the Refuge Complex system. As a board we look forward to offering new and unique opportunities to gain a better insight and fresh appreciation of each of the Refuges. We are working diligently this winter to create our programs and look forward to sharing them with you in the spring.
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By Jill Scofield, Treasurer, Friends of the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Earlier this year, the Fish and Wildlife staff at the Complex nominated me for the 2022 Friends Academy. I was accepted, and in late July, I flew to Shepherdstown, West Virginia for the training. Held at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC), the Academy is a five-day advanced training program for board members and staff of Friends organizations that is designed to increase the effectiveness of Friends/Fish and Wildlife Service partnerships.
The campus comprises a little over 100 acres, and is a walking campus, with many buildings and walking/hiking paths, so it was like spending time at a wildlife refuge. In spite of the humidity, temperature, and thunderstorms, it was a wonderful place to visit. They actually have urns filled with umbrellas by each door of every building in case of thunderstorms. You just grab an umbrella when you exit a building, and deposit it in the urn when you reach your destination.
The Academy covers board development and governance, board diversity, digital media, nature store operations, fundraising, and the federal budget process, among other topics. There were representatives from 24 refuges around the country in attendance; two from our region, Friends of Kauaʻi Wildlife Refuges in Hawaii and our Complex. In addition to the course content, we were treated to a Rachel Carson impersonator, and a private tour of the Fish and Wildlife Archives to see her artifacts. Ms Carson worked at NCTC for 16 years before she began writing her books, and actually wrote conservation guides for a number of refuges while there.
When the training was over, I took a few days to visit Washington DC, taking in a guided tour of the US Capitol, a tour of Arlington National Cemetery, and a boat ride on the Potomac River. All in all, a wonderful, educational way to spend a week, and the guidance I received will enable the Friends and our membership to continue our growth as a knowledgeable team, supporting USFWS and our beautiful Willamette Valley refuges.
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Seeking Outreach Committee Members! | |
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The Friends Outreach Committee seeks members interested in organizing First Sundays Outreach Programs. Pre-pandemic these were popular events held at our refuges and featured guest presenters speaking on topics ranging from bats to photography or activities such as nature hikes and crafting for the kids.
We extend our invitation to you as active users of WVNWRC to consider this opportunity.
If you are interested, please contact Sharon at fwvnwrc.outreach@gmail.com
Friends Mission Statement
Promoting the conservation of the natural resources of the refuge complex. Fostering awareness and appreciation of the complex through educational and recreational opportunities. Participating in activities that help the complex achieve its goals.
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Motus, A Towering Victory for Ankeny Hill Nature Center!
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Last month a team worked under roof and under falling rain to erect the first-ever Motus receiving station in northern Oregon. The equipment was paid for by a grant from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife; the grantee was Salem Audubon Society. The location is next to the Ankeny Hill Nature Center, on a hill overlooking much of the refuge. That line of sight means the tower and its sensor will have access to signals from tagged birds up to fifteen miles away.
Motus is a global network of receivers and an online data base used to study bird movement, range, feeding, and roosting behavior. There are over 1,300 Motus receivers already installed over five continents: North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The receivers are in more than 30 countries and over 31,000 birds have been tagged.
This system, and the many research projects using it, are based on radio telemetry. A tiny transmitter is attached to the bird, which is then released back into nature. Any time that bird comes within about ten miles of a receiver, its presence and exact movements are tracked and recorded.
The Motus receiver at AHNC is the first in the Willamette Valley, which is a major migration route and home to large numbers of wintering birds from further north or east of the Cascades.
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Photo by Eddy Pausch, Refuge Manager | |
Spotlight on the Fire Program
By Dianna Fisher, board member
Visitors to the refuge at certain times of the year can’t help but notice the burns that have been happening on the refuges. Why do these burns happen? Who chooses where they happen? I sat down for a short conversation with Jeremiah Maghan, the Fire Management Office for the Willamette Fire Zone to find out more!
Why is there burning on the refuge?
There are quite a few reasons why we burn on the refuge! Sometimes it’s to manage for fuels reduction (burn understory and brush that could lead to large and out of control fires without the removal), promoting the growth of Kinkade’s lupine to provide habitat for the Fender’s Blue Butterfly, to knock back or eradicate some invasive or non-native species and other reasons that might be determined working with the refuge biologist. Much of the fire/burning is done to maintain the prairie and oak savanna and other habitats on the refuges and to get other areas ready for restoration projects.
How is it controlled?
Many things happen in the background before any burning is done.
The first thing that happens is that a burn plan is written that includes items such as: risk management, fuel modeling, safety, Communications, etc. Each unit has specific protections in place for any values at risk. There is generally a 3-year rotation to the burning. Many people and agencies are involved. The refuge works in partnership with USFS, BLM, National Park Service, Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde, ODF, and other local fire departments. The amount of time it takes depends on who is there, and the number of acres being burned.
There is a 13-person minimum for burn day with at least 2 engines, water tender, and contingency back-up engines, but generally there are more than the minimum involved. The timeline is important. Burning doesn’t happen until after August 15, but it’s still hot and dry then so it’s important to have as close to perfect conditions as possible. It needs to be a good ventilation day, so it burns fast, and smoke blows out of the valley. There is constant checking of the spot forecast with the weather service and coordination with ODF smoke management to ensure conditions are right.
To ensure safety of visitors, there may be short term closures of the roads and trails. It all happens fast, and visitors can move along to enjoy their planned activities.
It’s amazing how fast green shoots start showing up after a burn!
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Volunteer Opportunities at AHNC | |
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Opportunities for members to get involved with Ankeny Hill Nature Center, either regularly or just occasionally, during Community Volunteer Days!
Reach out to Pat and Bobbie at volunteer_manager@ankenyhillnaturecenter.org
Upcoming Events:
Community Volunteer Day, November 26th, 10-12
Starting in 2023 this will be the third Saturday of the month, January-June
Other ongoing activities include: welcome and education table volunteer, stuffing acoustical panels, moving wood chips and removing invasive plant species
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Ways to Support the Friends and your Refuges | |
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