North Tract of Patuxent Research Refuge - Open Only on Sundays for Near Future

[Marcia Watson]

Today, the Patuxent Research Refuge issued a news release regarding public visitation hours at the Refuge’s North Tract in Anne Arundel County.  North Tract will be open to the public only on Sunday for the near future. This change is because of a lack of available staff.  I’ve copied the text of the announcement below my signature.

Marcia 

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Marcia Watson

Phoenix, MD

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Patuxent Research Refuge

National Wildlife Visitor Center

10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel, MD 20708-4027

301-497-5565 Fax: 301-497-5765 https://www.fws.gov/refuge/patuxent-research

 

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                ​Contact: 

October 20, 2023                                                                                            Jennifer Greiner: 301/497-5582

 

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Patuxent Research Refuge announces temporary hours reduction for North Tract unit

 

Laurel, Md. -- Patuxent Research Refuge is announcing changes to our public access hours for the North Tract effective October 23, 2023.

 

The Refuge’s Visitor Information Station on the North Tract, off Maryland Route 198, will be closed to all general visitation from Monday-Saturday but remain open on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Public access to the unit will be restricted while the Visitor Information Station is closed. Visitors will continue to be welcomed on Sundays to enjoy the unit’s 20 miles of trails and wildlife viewing opportunities.

 

The temporary closure is in response to decreased staff capacity and public safety considerations. The Refuge’s North Tract contains both active firing ranges and potential unexploded ordinances as the land was formerly a military training ground. On Sundays, there is no hunting and firing ranges are inactive.

 

Registered hunters possessing a valid permit issued through Meade Natural Heritage Association will be allowed to access the North Tract via the Hunt Control Station and persons identified in a current Special Use Permit will not be impacted.  

 

The change in hours will help the refuge maintain visitor  services and public access opportunities in our more frequently visited units while ensuring the safety of all visitors. It also will allow the refuge to assess budget and long-term staffing needs to inform future management of the area.

 

We welcome our community and visitors to continue to enjoy our environmental education, nature programs, exhibits, outdoor recreation trails and Friends of Patuxent Wildlife Images bookstore at the National Wildlife Visitor Center on the refuge’s South Tract. Descriptions of programs and opportunities are available at https://www.fws.gov/refuge/patuxent-research.

 

 

[Chas Argent]

Thank you for passing this along, Marsha. 

Going from seven days a week to one day is ridiculous. Hopefully, temporary means not very long.

Chas Argent 

Catonsville 

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[Rick Borchelt]

That's often how it starts.  I have to say that there are more examples where the "temporary" reductions become permanent than there are where they go back to status quo.   

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/CA%2Bua%2BTp-H5coN7cZ88dvA%3DcUz-Vo1r8a%2BnTdoRc%2B5MWNOPtKrw%40mail.gmail.com.

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Rick Borchelt
College Park, MD
preferred personal email:  rborchelt |AT| gmail |DOT| com

http://leplog.wordpress.com

[Marcia Watson]

Just to clarify: the grounds at South Tract of Patuxent Research Refuge, on the Prince George’s County side, remain open daily from sunrise the sunset. This includes the new Wisdom Trail and Chan Robbins Environmental Education Center that were dedicated last week. The National Wildlife Visitor Center, located on South Tract, is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 AM through 4:30 pm. 

Marcia 

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Marcia Watson

Phoenix, MD

On Oct 20, 2023, at 4:01 PM, Marcia Watson <marsh...@comcast.net> wrote:

Today, the Patuxent Research Refuge issued a news release regarding public visitation hours at the Refuge’s North Tract in Anne Arundel County.  North Tract will be open to the public only on Sunday for the near future. This change is because of a lack of available staff.  I’ve copied the text of the announcement below my signature.

[Lyn Hardy]

I was just there yesterday and ALL trails were closed.   Non-hunting visitors had to remain on the asphalt road because of hunting.  But at least we got in.

I find it ironic that a NWR that was opened originally for visitors to enjoy wildlife, is now closed to visitors, but has the staff to remain open for hunting. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/CAN0Du2vtASxLiH2pDF5%2BYW_Q1RdNG5Put685RtCDOcQcMiqTTQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Sarah Lister]

Hunting brings in revenue. Revenue (lack thereof) is one of the roots of the worker shortage. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/CAPp9QDcf1N4H%2B61CtM_%3D169mXSNxL%3D-znzsgX4BffZOn0t%2BNNQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[JAMES SPEICHER]

We can all help by purchasing yearly Duck Stamps. Funds are earmarked for land acquisition only, but likely also offset overall FWS/USGS budgets freeing up funds for other uses.

The 2023/24 stamp features a Tundra swan; cost is $25.

Jim Speicher 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/CANomUJsu%2Bm0iX_sJOxks41nQ%2BhTv%3DK_9KC5uVtaZXqiMwDS94g%40mail.gmail.com.

[JAMES SPEICHER]

Available at larger post offices...

[Marcia Watson]

From: Marcia Watson <marsh...@comcast.net>

Date: October 20, 2023 at 9:29:24 PM EDT
To: Lyn Hardy <lynj...@gmail.com>
Cc: Rick Borchelt <rbor...@gmail.com>, Chas Argent <chas....@gmail.com>, MDbirding <mdbi...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [MDBirding] North Tract of Patuxent Research Refuge - Open Only on Sundays for Near Future

We shouldn’t blame the hunters. Hunting at the Refuge is managed by a partner organization, the Meade Natural Heritage Association. The hunters pay a fee for their permit to hunt on the Refuge, in addition to the normal state hunting permit fees. The hunters will be entering at North Tract using a key code.  

By the way, my involvement with the Refuge is as a volunteer and former board member of the Friends of Patuxent. The Friends are always looking for more volunteers to assit with their fund-raising and other efforts on behalf of the Refuge.

 https://friendsofpatuxent.org/

Marcia 

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Marcia Watson

Phoenix, MD

[Marcia Watson]

As Sarah said, hunting brings in revenue and at Patuxent it’s a self-sustaining program.. Hunting at the Refuge is managed by a partner organization, the Meade Natural Heritage Association. The hunters pay a fee for their permit to hunt on the Refuge, in addition to the normal state hunting permit fees.  The Refuge permit fees are used by Meade to hire people to work at the hunter check-in station. Also the Meade folks do a lot of volunteer work on the Refuge.

By the way, my involvement with the Refuge is as a volunteer and former board member of the Friends of Patuxent. The Friends are always looking for more volunteers to assist with their fund-raising and other efforts on behalf of the Refuge.

 https://friendsofpatuxent.org/

Marcia 

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Marcia Watson

Phoenix, MD

On Oct 20, 2023, at 9:33 PM, Sarah Lister <samjli...@gmail.com> wrote:



[Marcia Watson]

I apologize for the duplicate messages. I had gotten an error message that they couldn’t be delivered. Then they were. 

Marcia 

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Marcia Watson

Phoenix, MD

On Oct 20, 2023, at 11:18 PM, Marcia Watson <marsh...@comcast.net> wrote:

As Sarah said, hunting brings in revenue and at Patuxent it’s a self-sustaining program.. Hunting at the Refuge is managed by a partner organization, the Meade Natural Heritage Association. The hunters pay a fee for their permit to hunt on the Refuge, in addition to the normal state hunting permit fees.  The Refuge permit fees are used by Meade to hire people to work at the hunter check-in station. Also the Meade folks do a lot of volunteer work on the Refuge.