Join us for Give More 24! September 20th! Support in any size can make a difference, here are some examples of what your dollars can do: $25 - about five 1-gal native plants for restoration planting at the Refuge $50 - supplies for two in-classroom visits for environmental and cultural education $100 - supplies for our weekly habitat restoration work parties $200 - wood for the BirdFest & Bluegrass Salmon Bake at the Plankhouse $500 - Transportation for approximately 100 students to visit the Refuge What can you do to help? Donate in real-time on September 20th, or help us by campaigning on our behalf! Help us spread the word, draw donors to our page, and donate yourself, during #GiveMore24! Check out our organization info here, and check back for updates- and on GiveMore24, September 20th! See you then! |
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BirdFest & Bluegrass 2018  2018 marks the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the most powerful and important bird-protection law ever passed. In honor of this milestone, National Geographic, the National Audubon Society, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and BirdLife International will join forces with more than 100 other organizations and millions of people around the world to celebrate 2018 as the “Year of the Bird.” Note- this year we will have a new schedule- all in town events will be Saturday only, with kick-off events Friday evening, and Refuge-centered events on the Carty Unit Sunday. (click flyer to view or download) See you in October! |
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2018 Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Photo Contest! Back, and better than ever!  Submit your favorite nature images taken within the boundaries of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge to the 12th Annual 2018 Photography Competition. This year we are switching things up! We are looking for categories of photos, and adults can only win 1st or 2nd place in each category. Youth prizes stay the same. We look forward to seeing your entries! Submit by: September 3, 2018. ADULT CATEGORY PRIZES: 1st Place & 2nd Place in each category: - Birds – Birds and waterfowl in their natural habitat
- Wildlife – Any wildlife other than birds – mammals, amphibians, fish, insects, reptiles, and invertebrates in their natural habitat
- Plant Life – Trees, grasses, flowers, fungi, mushrooms, and other flora in their natural habitat
- Landscape & Structures – The Refuge contains a mosaic of scenic views, including iconic structures such as the Cathlapotle Plankhouse
YOUTH PRIZES:
Gift Cards from Pro Photo Supply: 1st, 2nd, 3rd place Photo Credit: Raul Moreno 2nd Place 2017 Photo Contest Winner |
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Ridgefield Refuge Complex News & Events  Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Naturalist-led Hikes - Birding at Ridgefield NWR The following hikes are led by Ron Escano. They start at 8 am at the respective trailhead and last two to three hours. These hikes are free, however, you are required to pay the Refuge $3 daily entrance fee (free with Federal Lands Pass or Refuge Annual Pass). Please bring cash or applicable pass and allow yourself an extra 5 minutes to register at the self-service kiosk. Click here for more information Limited space is available. Sign up for any of the listed walks by calling the Ridgefield Office at (360) 887-4106 or emailing Mesha Wood, mesha...@fws.gov with number in your party and contact info. Oaks to Wetlands Trail on the Carty Unit: - Saturday September 8th
- Saturday September 22nd
- Saturday October 20th
Kiwa Trail on the River 'S' Unit
Federal Duck Stamp Benefits and More Did you know that your Federal Duck Stamp can be used as a pass at Wildlife Refuges where they collect fees, like Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge? The Federal Duck Stamp, formally known as the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, is an adhesive stamp issued by the US Government that must be purchased prior to hunting for migratory waterfowl such as ducks and geese. It is widely seen as a collectible and a means to raise funds for wetland conservation, with 98% of the proceeds of each sale going to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. So, not only does your Duck Stamp purchase let you onto fee-based wildlife refuges, it also supports that same wildlife the rest of the time too! Duck Stamp funds are used to purchase lands that are added to, or become wildlife refuges, and much much more. Use your stamp like a pass when you visit our Refuge by filling out the green card at our contact station or trailhead iron rangers. Buy the stamp here for yourself or as a gift, and give the peace of mind of protecting migratory birds, endangered species, local wildlife, and the places they call home.
Thank you for visiting the Refuge and supporting conservation. If you have any questions regarding activities and regulations on the Refuge, call the office Monday through Friday 7:30 am to 3:30 pm at |
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Cathlapotle Plankhouse  Second Sunday- Ancestors & Elders ~Grandparents Day September 9, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM 8:00 AM “Early” Bird Walk with Refuge Naturalist.
12:30 PM “Ancestors and Elders”
Join us as Sam Robinson, Vice-Chairman of the Chinook Indian Nation, and his granddaughter Destany share intragenerational experiences and connection to the Cathlapotle Plankhouse and the importance of having a living House as part of Contemporary Indigenous Culture
2:00 PM Refuge Naturalist led Geology Walk- Discover what’s hidden under our landscape and ties us to our past
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Plankhouse Tours and Activities
Explore hands-on displays inside the Plankhouse and family-friendly activities
Cathlapotle Plankhouse- Carty Unit, 28908 NW Main Ave, Ridgefield, WA 98642- Free with $3.00 per vehicle refuge admission
PSU iTEK Fellow Introduction Na’t gila’danka na’nook. Gew a shewshaw Savahna Jackson. Nu’tok wagidisha p’tsip de lok Moatak’ni tcheish Eushik’ni tcheish Hoopak’ni Maklak. It is good to meet you. My name is Savahna Jackson and I am Modoc, Klamath, and Hoopa descended and an enrolled member of The Klamath Tribes. I am the new Traditional Ecological Knowledge (iTEK) Fellow at Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge in partnership with Portland State University, where I am a graduate student in the School of Education. I am honored to be the first iTEK Fellow at Ridgefield and even more so to be able to walk and learn of this land, the people, and the history that is embedded in every rock and tree. I was first introduced to Ridgefield when I was part of OakQuest, a citizen science program that was mapping the native Oregon White Oaks, and was awed at the Grandmother Oak and the large, healthy stand of these magnificent trees. Beyond that, coming from People who have always regarded Oaks as relatives, I am humbled every day that I am privileged to come to work on the Refuge and be surrounded by Family. Sepk’ech’wa (thank you)
Preserve America is a national initiative in cooperation with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; the U.S. Departments of  Defense, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Education; the National Endowment for the Humanities; the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities; and the President's Council on Environmental Quality. |
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Habitat Restoration Updates & Events  Wetland #6, the little brown depression you've been watching all summer as you come out of the left turn you just made at the hunt gate on the Auto Tour Route, is changing yet again! It has undergone an arduous summer. In late May, the Youth Conservation Corps crew and myself pulled a thousand invaders (Schoenoplectus mucronatus) in a matter of perhaps 100 linear feet. By mid July, we've had the entire bed of a pickup truck stacked high with plants pulled from this one wetland in a single volunteer work party. We were looking at tens of thousands of plants. The decision was made that our decade old practice of hand pulling individuals may be insufficient. We decided to treat the whole thing chemically. Still, many of these plants are capable of producing thousands of seeds by the time we were able to kill them all. How then do we make a dent in the seed bank and, eventually, declare the wetland cleared of ricefield bulrush? Keep Reading...
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Hawk Watch  Join us in Government Camp at the Mount Hood Cultural Center and Museum on September 22nd for the 2018 Booney Butte Hawk Migration Festival! Join HawkWatch International, the USFS Mt Hood National Forest, and Portland Audubon as we celebrate International Hawk Migration Week during the 2nd annual Bonney Butte Hawk Migration Festival at the Mt Hood Cultural Center & Museum, Saturday, September 22 from 10 am - 4 pm. This is a free, family-friendly event with live raptors, vendor booths, and educational programs and activities. (click to view larger or download) Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Columbia Gorge Refuge Stewards Events (click to view larger or download) |
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Help the Friends and the Refuge When You Shop When you link your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to the Friends, you help us earn donations from Fred Meyer Community Rewards. It doesn't change your regular personal shopping and fuel rewards, but it does make a meaningful contribution to our work on the Refuge. It's easy to sign up. Just go to www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards. You can search for us by our name, Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, or by our non-profit number, PK822. Then, every time you shop and use your Rewards Card, you are helping the Friends earn a donation to support the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. If you do not have a Rewards Card, they are available at the Customer Service desk of any Fred Meyer store. Shop and Give Online at AmazonSmile.com  Log on to smile.amazon.com, shop as you usually would and .5% of your purchase will be donated directly to the Friends. Use the special link, smile.amazon.com, with your existing user name and password. To set up your AmazonSmile account, click this link: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-2018749. When prompted to select a charity, choose the Friends of Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge. Begin shopping as you normally would and the Friends will receive 0.5% of eligible purchases. Or Shop Online and Give through Giving Assistant  Giving Assistant makes it easy to donate to Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge! Simply shop online, earn cash back, and donate as much as 30% of your purchase price—Giving Assistant facilitates the whole process. Now, you can help change the world for free while saving money at over 3,000 popular online retailers like Home Depot, ULTA, and Macy’s! Start HERE! Thanks for being an EcoShopper and helping the Refuge! |
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Follow the Friends on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Want regular updates on Refuge events and happenings? Follow the Friends on your favorite social media by clicking the logos below to stay connected even when you are off the Refuge. |
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| Header Photo Credit: Gretchen Thompson 2010 Refuge Photo Contest Honorable Mention |
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| Benefits of Membership: Discounts at Local Businesses for New and Renewing Members: Would you like to enjoy a cup of coffee from Ridgefield's Seasons after a morning hike on the Refuge? Lunch at Vinnie's Pizza in-between the River 'S' and Carty Units? Dinner and drinks at the Historic Sportsman's Restaurant and Lounge after a busy day of wildlife viewing (5% off with member card!)? Or maybe you would like to get a discount on some supplies at Shorty's or Backyard Bird Shop? How about a night out at Ilani, or a beautiful yard courtesy of Shorty's Nursery? |
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Types of Volunteer Opportunities: Habitat Restoration Volunteers get to see the most beautiful places on the Refuge while helping to ensure that native wildlife have food and shelter. Summer work is focused on maintaining winter plantings and controlling invasive plants that threaten to take over habitat. Crews meet on most Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Refuge and Trail Greeters Over 120,000 visitors flock to the Refuge annually to enjoy nature through participation in wildlife observation, photography, environmental education, cultural interpretation, hunting, and fishing. Volunteers help to make their experiences meaningful. Share your enthusiasm for nature and make the Refuge a welcoming place for people walking our trails, stopping at the Visitor Contact Station and driving the Auto Tour. Cathlapotle Plankhouse The Cathlapotle Plankhouse draws thousands of visitors to the Refuge each year. Help share the legacy of the Indigenous people who have tended to this place since time immemorial as a Plankhouse Docent or Cultural Educator. Field trips take place during the weekdays. Docents staff the house on weekends from April - September. Education Help us inspire the next generation. Kids of all ages need hands-on learning and inspiration in the great outdoors as part of a well-rounded education. We need your help to make their visit to the Refuge fun and memorable. Field trips take place during the weekdays starting in April.
Don’t forget to glance at the Refuge calendar, your one-stop shop for fun activities and volunteer opportunities! |
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Calling all BirdFest Volunteers! Sign Up to help us, October 5th, 6th or 7th!  A group of volunteers has been making a difference for the Community of Ridgefield and its National Wildlife Refuge during BirdFest. This festival is renowned region-wide and welcomes Sandhill cranes and other migratory birds back to southwest Washington every year. Join the fun and help the community. Just 2-4 hours of volunteering at the event is an easy way to make a difference and still have time to enjoy all the activities of the weekend! |
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Meet Terry Shulte and watch the migration with her We are into the summer doldrums. It’s been hot. The number of visitors to the River S has dropped. Hot and dusty is not a favorite time to visit our refuge. Besides, there aren’t many animals to see some will say. Well, that isn’t necessarily so. (The hot part is; the lack of animals isn’t.) It just requires a lot more patience and some thought about why that might seem to be the case. June produced many baby animals running around. Sightings were abundant. The bird parents were busy bringing food to the nests or taking out their chicks to learn how to find food...Keep Reading... -Susan Setterberg, Volunteer & Board President |
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Ridgefield First Saturday: MultiCultural Festival Setpember 1st, 2018 9am - 6pm The First Annual Multicultural Festival will showcase Ridgefield’s traditional heritage and rich cultural diversity and also introduce visitors to cultures from around the world through live music, dance performances, storytelling, cooking demonstrations, sporting events, kids activities and a wide range of ethnic vendors. The Festival will include a variety of multi-cultural entertainment from Native American, Asian, Hispanic, Latin, Jazz and African performers. |
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Sandhill Crane Antigone canadensis It’s that time again! The Sandhill Cranes are back! Greater numbers seem to be arriving daily with sightings by volunteers, and residents in surrounding farms with newly cleared corn fields. The first clue of the return of these huge birds is their sound. The Sandhill Crane’s call is a loud, rolling, trumpeting sound whose unique tone is a product of anatomy..Keep Reading... Photo By: Gary Davenport 2014 Refuge Photo Contest 1st Place |
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Business Members
Granting Organizations & Partners
BirdFest & Bluegrass
In-Kind Support |
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