Friends Annual Fundraiser (click to view larger or download) Please save the date for our annual fundraiser, taking place the evening of July 20th at Lucy's Garden in Ridgefield. We hope you'll join us for a celebratory evening in support of the Friends, with a cocktail hour and delicious meal, a live and silent auction, and a short program about our work over the past year and our plans for the year(s) ahead! Tickets will go on sale in mid-June, with table sales available. If you are interested in volunteering to help plan the event, or if you have auction items you are interested in donating for the event, please contact Alix Danielsen here. Thank you for your support! |
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Friends and City Adopt-a-Highway On April 27th, Ridgefield City Council Members partnered with the Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge for the first Adopt-a-Highway clean up on I-5 from mile marker 13 to Exit 14. Councilor Sandra Day coordinated the effort and was joined by Mayor Don Stose, Councilor Ron Onslow, Friends of RNWR Executive Director Alix Danielsen, and Friends Board President Susan Setterberg. The crew filled 20 bags of garbage in the one mile stretch! What a fantastic group of volunteers for the environment and beautification! Thank you! |
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Rail On! You have probably heard the phrase “thin as a rail” and some would think of the laterally compressed body of Rallidae, the family of rails, as these birds turn between the reeds and disappear quickly and frustratingly. But, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, that phrase applies to a rod or a stick; not the bird as some of us would wish. However, the term “to rail” at someone, does seem to have its origins with our family of fresh water marsh birds. If you know the calls of our local Soras and Virginia Rails, you know they can sound loud and slightly maniacal. Keep Reading... -Susan Setterberg, Volunteer & Board President Photo Credit: Lyn Topinka |
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Ridgefield Refuge Complex News & Events  Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Elk Sighting! In the middle of May, we had a variety of strange visitors, two of which were some young Roosevelt Elk! Elk have a history of being present in this area, proven by evidence of bones and hides uncovered in the Cathlapotle Village Site, as well as historical records. The last recorded sighting by staff was by a maintenance worker in the Roth unit about ten plus years ago! The recent ones were identified as young bulls. Development throughout the county is assumed to be the reason for elk leaving the area. To see elk more reliably, check out the other refuges in our complex, specifically Pierce National Wildlife Refuge. Pierce NWR is a closed refuge, but it is viewable from Highway 14, near mile marker 36, one mile East of Beacon Rock.
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 7:30am to 3:30 pm at 360-887-4106. |
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Cathlapotle Plankhouse  Tremendous Thank You for an Eggs-ellent Donation Our Environmental & Cultural Education Program would like to thank Mary Lou Gillenwater and Vicki Marshall from the Pioneer Market for donating eight dozen eggs to our program. After seeing our Community & Cultural Education Director, Juliet McGraw, buying several dozen every morning for over a week they asked, “Why all the eggs?” The short answer is to make paint. Traditional Chinookan paint is made from salmon roe and ground mineral pigments, such as ochre or charcoal. For school groups we substitute chicken-egg yolks for salmon eggs and have students grind up charcoal for the paint coloring. This particular educational activity was more popular than anticipated with teachers and students, and we were buying over nine dozen eggs each week! We are ova the moon with eggs-citement because this donation will carry us through the remainder of the school group season. Archaeology Roadshow 2018  The Cathlapotle Plankhouse Program is thrilled to be representing the Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge once again at the Archeology Roadshow. As many of you know, the Refuge has a long history with Portland State University’s Anthropology Department, which conducted the archaeological investigations into the Cathlapotle Village Site in the 1990s. In addition to continuing our longtime participating at the PSU location, we are also excited to travel to Harney County for the second year of Archaeology Roadshow on the road! This year’s ARS theme is the Archaeology of Change and our exhibit will feature Cedar and seasonality. The Cathlapotle People were People of the Cedar like many other Pacific Northwest Tribes. Everything from their Plankhouses and Canoes, to their clothing and cookware, were made of this durable and renewable resource. Come and explore how Lower Columbia People used this ‘tree of life’ throughout the year through hands on cedar-based activities. June 9 – Harney County, Burns, OR Do you want to know more about the Cathlapotle people? Check out Robert Boyd’s Cathlapotle and Its Inhabitants 1792-1860, which provides a comprehensive overview of this critical period of change for Indigenous peoples in the Pacific Northwest. Cathlapotle Plankhouse Second Sunday Series Sunday, June 10, 2018 10:00-"Early” Bird Walk with Refuge Naturalist Terry Anderson 12:00–4:00-Cathlapotle Plankhouse Open – tours and family activities 1:00-Speaker 2:30-Ethnobotany Walk –Juliet McGraw Family Activities include: seasonality based crafts, including making paper ‘cedar’ gathering baskets, and more! (click flyer to view larger)
(click link to view the Plankhouse listing) 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 Come Join Us This June!  If I was to sum up the month of May on the Refuge in one word that word would be pleasant. Moderate temperatures and appropriate amounts of sun and clouds made it a good time to be outside volunteering. Of course, because a big part of our job is to plant and grow native trees, shrubs, forbs, and grasses I also must complain in my best farmer voice about the lack of rain. As a result we are now scheduling watering days for the 300 plants we added during the winter planting season. These are the kinds of activities that put our volunteer’s ATV/UTV training to good use. Volunteers that come regularly to the Habitat Program work party events often have opportunities for  additional trainings and projects including kayak surveys, assisting with the wildlife program, herbicide application certification, volunteering with other Refuge programs, and information on other volunteer opportunities in the region. For those who have helped in the past and those that are thinking about starting to volunteer on the Refuge, June kicks off our Ricefield Bulrush Removal season. Starting in June we will be running both Wednesday and Saturday work parties on the River S Unit. The project relies heavily on volunteers to hand remove an invasive  wetland plant accidently introduced to the refuge in the late 90’s. The plant is pretty easy to identify and comes out of the ground with just a little levering so it is an opportunity for a wide range of ages and outdoor aptitudes. Standing and bending, crossing uneven ground on occasion, and stinging insects are things to consider, but this is one of our more socially interactive projects and it’s great when we have lots of new faces and stories to share.
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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, 89824. 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: Javier Urquizu 2007 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 Wednesdayand 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 AutoTour. 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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Ridgefield FirstSaturday: Big Paddle and More! June 2nd, 2018 7am - 4:30pm Ridgefield is celebrating National Trails Day on June 2 with Big Paddle – with festivities at the waterfront and downtown and hay bale trailer rides shuttling in between. In downtown Ridgefield, enjoy Farmer’s Market, a Totally Awesome Scavenger Challenge, a follow-the-fish trail, live music and BIG GAMES! At the waterfront enjoy a canoe, kayak or paddleboard adventures in the morning and afternoon and other festivities like vendors at Paddler’s Village, live music, a wine and beer garden, and an obstacle course for all ages. |
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Northern Harrier Circus hudsonius Northern Harriers are the most owl-like of hawks (though they’re not related to owls). They rely on hearing as well as vision to capture prey. The disk-shaped face looks and functions much like an owl’s, with stiff facial feathers helping to direct sound to the ears. They are a medium-sized raptors that are distinctive from a long distance away... Keep Reading... Photo By: Kerry Wu, 2016 Photo Contest Honorable Mention |
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Thank You Vancouver Audubon! You may have noticed the gourds are now up to receive the Purple Martins for this year. At the end of April, Randy Hill led a team of birders from the Vancouver Audubon Society to set up gourds at four different locations around the Refuge. The easiest one to see is on the auto tour right next to the entry bridge. As soon as the gourds were put in place and the team retreated, several Purple Martens showed up. The Audubon members spend some time checking out the legs of the birds to look for bands. Several were spotted, one of which was on a bird that had been banded three years ago. Randy and his teams have been placing the gourds and banding birds since 2013. We are beginning to get a picture of the habits of our Purple Martins. The nests will now be monitored throughout the breeding season up until about July. Banders will be placing bands on this year's hatchlings.  Spotters will be monitoring for adult birds that are already banded. Watch for more news on our Purple Martins as the season progresses. Thank you to the Vancouver Audubon Society for volunteering their time. -Susan Setterberg- Board President |
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Last months answer was a Female Northern Harrier! (check out the species spotlight for more information)! See the answer from last month, and a closer photo for yourself here! |
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Business Members
Granting Organizations & Partners
BirdFest & Bluegrass
In-Kind Support |
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