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Oregon Friends of National Wildlife Refuges are making names for themselves nationwide and with good reason. For the second year in a row and the third time in its 5-year history, an Oregon Friends group has received the National Wildlife Refuge Association’s annual O’Brien Prize. This prize recognizes the outstanding contributions of Refuge Friends groups whose projects foster deeper connections with their communities while enhancing the mission of the
National Wildlife Refuge System. As the NWRA Website notes, “The O’Brien Prize is a prestigious award named after Donal O’Brien III, a past Board Chair of the National Wildlife Refuge Association and a longtime enthusiast of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Donal O’Brien was a generous supporter of our work and was always impressed by the dedication and effectiveness of Refuge Friends
groups.” I had the honor of serving on the NWRA Board with Don. He was a great supporter of Friends and is sorely missed.
This year’s winner is, drum roll, please, Friends of Malheur NWR. Their prize-winning project is an innovative initiative to bring the lighting fixtures at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge up to DarkSky International standards, reducing light pollution and creating a more wildlife-friendly environment. Again, quoting from the NWRA website, “In March 2024, 2.5 million acres of Oregon’s Outback in Lake County were officially designated as a Dark Sky Sanctuary by DarkSky. This significant designation is the first phase of a broader effort to protect and
promote the largest contiguous stretch of Dark Skies in the lower 48 states.” Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge also plan to educate their neighbors about the importance of DarkSky compliance and encourage local businesses and facilities to adopt similar practices.
Friends of Willamette Valley NWRC won the prize in 2021 for their project to produce a series of 14 short trail videos in English and Spanish showcasing the plants, animals, and habitats found within the William L. Finley, Ankeny, and the Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuges. Last year, Friends of Haystack Rock received the award to create a kiosk in Cannon Beach explaining their commitment to preserving and safeguarding the intertidal life and avian
residents of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge at Haystack Rock.
Of course, Friends of Tualatin River are also busy making those community connections and encouraging everyone to recognize that there are small things we can do every day to protect nature and the environment as well as our National Wildlife Refuge. Please read the articles in this month’s Making Tracks Newsletter to find out about some of those activities and join us for Brew for the Birds at Langer’s Family Entertainment Center in Sherwood, August 2 and 3.
Stay cool and visit the refuge for your nature fix. It’s there for you from sunup to sundown every day.
-Cheryl
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