2019 Refuge Photo Contest Calendars!  The Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Photo Contest Calendar is back for the 2019 calendar season! Check out the winners from the 2018 contest, learn about the subjects of the photos, and stay up-to-date on important events, volunteer opportunities, and more. Support volunteer programs like habitat restoration and educational programming, and host beautiful photos of wildlife and your refuge in your home the whole year through. Just $18.00 for the standard heavyweight gloss 8.5x11 (opens to 11x17) calendar, or $23.00 for the XL 11x14 (opens to 14x22) size! Choose your own preferred binding color- and keep a little piece of the Refuge right in your own home. |
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Friends seeking new Board Members The Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is a non-profit  dedicated to promoting educational and cultural programs of the Ridgefield NWR, and protecting and enhancing its wildlife habitat. We are currently seeking candidates to serve on our board of directors. We are recruiting candidates with diverse backgrounds and skills for several open board positions, in addition to candidates specifically interested in the board treasurer role. Please review the position description and submit your application by November 23rd. Thank you for your interest in the Friends and the Refuge! |
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BirdFest & Bluegrass 2018  The 19th Annual BirdFest & Bluegrass Celebration is in the books! Thank you to everyone who came down to join us on the River 'S' Unit, in Downtown Ridgefield, and on the Carty Unit to celebrate the return of the Sandhill Crane and our Refuge! Guests spent their sunny Saturday shopping, making 
crafts and listening to music all over town, spotting a variety of species of birds on the River 'S' Unit at the Spotting Scopes, watching Northern Harriers hunt as they drove the Auto Tour, and learning, hiking, painting or making crafts on the Carty Unit! Sunday was a little more grey with a little more rain, but those who came out enjoyed more species spotting and crafts, as well as delicious traditionally baked salmon and seafood stew, cooked for us by Greg Robinson (Chinook Indian Nation), and Greg Archuleta (Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde). We simply could not do it without the amazing Community Partners, Birders Marketplace and Saturday Market Vendors, volunteers, and sponsors who support this amazing event every year. We will see you next year on October 5th, 2019! Thank you! |
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All, As I am writing this, I'm leaving for Seattle in a little less than 2 weeks and for the past couple days I've been greeting incoming geese with warm goodbyes. I've been thanking Columbia white-tailed deer for making it acceptable for me to wear white after Labor Day. The Sandhill cranes and the White pelicans,  who have made it incredibly easy to live here during the shoulder seasons, have let me bid them adieu from afar. Our happy Garry oaks are showering me with yellow, red, and brown leaves as I tell them I'm going. I'm not anthropomorphizing them. I'm reflecting on all the work you and I accomplished. In a way, I've been saying goodbye to you without having to actually say goodbye. Well the time is nigh. Some of you joined me as we walked wetlands in search of weeds to pull  on 90° summer days. Some of you joined me on the rainiest of days where the promise of mediocre hot coffee and tea was the only thought keeping the damp chill at bay. Some of you joined me in the shoulder seasons to clear your mind while excising the Refuge of Himalayan blackberry under barking regiments of Sandhills. And some of you joined us in all seasons seemingly here as often as I am!  Thank you for your appreciation and commitment to the stewardship of our national public lands. Thank you for teaching me what a Wilson's snipe is and about that funky winnowing behavior they exhibit. Thank you for your feedback on how best to plant our bare rooted trees. Thank you for setting up and staking pop-up tents when the driving rains would otherwise make our 11 am breaks miserable. Thank you for getting here early, recruiting your friends, or bringing hilarious levity to our "work" parties. My job has some amazing opportunities and I've had an incredible time being introduced to genuinely cool professionals doing genuinely astounding, intriguing, groundbreaking, and thought-provoking things. I've been surrounded by science and education; my absolute favorites! And despite  all of the incredible brain food I have been afforded, I still get excited to see you all every single Wednesday. I am certain that Wednesday and Saturday work parties will be the same without me. They will continue making steady progress for the greater good of geese, deer, trees, and people. But this is one volunteer who, while absent, will never be the same again after having met and toiled with you all. I am forever changed. I will, from now on, look at back on this time as impactful, both for me and for our amazing wildlife refuge. I will look at humanity, going forward, as a species capable of empathy and stewardship (which might be quite valuable given our current time and space) thanks to you all. My last day and final work party in this role will be Wednesday, October 31st. For now, Keith Rutz will continue to be in regular touch with you all. No beats will be skipped. In Seattle, I'll be taking a certificate program in Wetland Science & Management. I'll also be back in town regularly to play basketball or tennis or volunteer with you or at other land stewardship outfits. Feel welcomed to reach out to say hello, ask for a professional reference/recommendation, or to share a story or some science with me. (email the Friends for my contact if you don't have it) Thank you for being amazing and goodbye, Sean DavisHabitat Restoration & Education Technician |
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Ridgefield Refuge Complex News & Events  Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Notice! Refuge Closure- November 7th The River ‘S’ Unit will be closed to all access on Wednesday, November  7th. Refuge staff will be performing road maintenance work. To provide a safe work environment for them as well as keep the public safe, the River ‘S’ will be closed during this work. We will open as soon as the work is done, but plan for it to be closed all day. The Carty Unit and Refuge Office remain open during this time. Please contact the Refuge Office at (360) 887-4106 during regular business hours (M-F, 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM) Check out the Hours & Directions tab for directions and more.
Poetry Appreciating our Refuge We are pleased to share a poem written by Ursula McCabe, one of our volunteers, inspired by her time exploring the Kiwa Trail this past August. Late August at the Wildlife Refuge A canopy of dead alder branches
extend over the trail.
Still covered in crispy lichen,
one touch begins their crumble.
Its summer's hot, dusty end,
no animals want to bask in this sun.
A dragonfly with bulbous eyes approaches,
up, down, all around, a wild child
with wings of embroidered silver.
He's never still enough for a photograph.
Perhaps a trophy is not needed--
but more practice folding the memories,
keeping their corners sharp,
skillfully creating stacks of warmth--
kindling for the heart.
The tree swallows glide in figure eights,
insects attempt escape but the petite birds
swim the skies, mouths agape.
Grasshoppers jump right onto the trail --
"notice us", they seem to say.
Today I am daughter to the meadow barley,
cousin with the golden sedge,
brother to the arrow shaped wapato.
I join their humble late season dance--
we serve ourselves up to the light.
A quiet day with no surprises,
just small creatures with jaunty features.
Simplicity has set the stage--
I am utterly alive. Ursula McCabe
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 Native American Heritage and Culture Month Celebrations In November, we have a unique opportunity in celebrating Native American Heritage and Culture Month as part of a larger Clark County-wide celebration. The Clark County Historical Museum, Water Resources Education Center, the Ridgefield branch of Meaningful Movies, the Friends of RNWR, and Clark College have worked together this year to help co-plan and co-promote our events. It has been over a year’s work in the making and there are many events this month in which to learn about the Native Heritage of the area and how indigenous populations are thriving and contributing today. Please see below for all of the extraordinary offerings from our partners this November: Thursday, Nov. 1st 7:00 PM Clark County Historical Museum Friday, Nov. 2nd 5:00 PM Clark College Educating for the 7th Generation: Clark College Powwow Sunday, Nov. 11th 12:00 - 4:00 PM Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Colonial Mythologies of the Oregon Indian Wars with Dr. David G Lewis Please see below. Wednesday, Nov. 28th 7:00 PM Ridgefield Meaningful Movies Saturday, Nov. 17th 1:00-3:00 PM Water Resources Education Center
Cathlapotle Plankhouse Second Series For the first time ever we are co-hosting an event with the Clark County Historical Museum. It is being held in Vancouver, WA in the Museum. Sunday, November 11, 2018 - Veterans Day 1:00: Colonial Mythologies of the Oregon Indian Wars with Dr. David G Lewis The Pacific Northwest has a history of “Indian Wars” but the majority of the wars were actually created by Euro-American colonists seeking to remove people from the land in a variety of ways. Histories of Native peoples in the colonization era will be discussed, including campaigns to drive invaders from their lands. The falsehoods, as written into northwest histories, will be addressed as well as the experiences of the Native Peoples as they sought to survive colonization of their homelands. 3:00: City Inspired Naturalist Walk Join a RNWR Naturalist for a stroll around the block directly around the Clark County Historical Museum as we explore what Urban Landscapes have to offer for birdwatching and quiet places among the bustle. Please come prepared for the weather. Walk will be approximately 1 hour and will stay mainly on city sidewalks and streets. 12:00 – 4:00: Clark County Historical Museum open
Museum entrance fee is waived for this event. Free Event, free CCHM Admission. 1511 Main St, Vancouver, WA 98660 (click flyer to view or download)
PSU iTEK Fellowship PSU iTEK Fellow, Savanha Jackson, and Friends’ Community & Cultural Education Director, Juliet McGraw, have begun mapping the culturally significant native plant species on the ethnobotany branch of the Oaks to Wetlands Trail at the Carty Unit. They are currently focused on a patch of oak understory on eastern side of the ethnobotany trail. Our regular hikers may have noticed some brush clearing done in and around the beaked hazel wood stand. This is the result of some excellent work by NARA Youth Programs, as their youth have stepped up to tend this Plant Relative on the landscape. The area the we are working on has been designated as a place to rehabilitate oak understory to encourage Columbia White-tailed deer and invertebrate pollinators to move in to the space. The Friends have been working with Alex Chmielewski, ,USFWS Ridgefield National Wildlife Complex Biologist, to identify suites of plants to bring into the space once we have finished clearing out the invasive Himalayan blackberry and tall non-native grasses. We look forward to the results of our work in the coming spring.
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  October on the Refuge brings with it the ruckus of returning cranes, geese, and three days a week the discharging of firearms. For many of us the return of over-wintering waterfowl is the payoff for weeks and months of field work and the reason we graze cattle, mow fields, maintain dikes, and manage water. We were also busy this fall managing our planting sites so the Refuge deer populations...Keep Reading...
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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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GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season. Get started by clicking here to join or donate today or on November 27th! One of the best ways to get involved is in your own community. Donate to or Join the Friends on Tuesday, November 27th, 2018- or any day after- to ensure you get that end-of-the-year tax deduction and support an amazing cause while you're at it! |
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BirdFest Sightings at the Scoping Station It is always fun to have a new view of the Ridgefield NWR. For BirdFest, we had our scoping station set up inside the Hunt Gate along the River 'S' unit. This spot affords us a great view of the hunt zone, looking west toward Bachelor Island. Vancouver Audubon has been a long-time supporter of BirdFest. Besides leading bird walks and, this year, helping with the Photography Workshops, they have always helped with a scoping station. So, a big heartfelt thank you for all the Vancouver Audubon members who staffed the station to help our visitors use the scopes and see the birds. They answered many questions about birds, birding and optics... Keep Reading... -Susan Setterberg, Volunteer & Board President |
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Ridgefield First Saturday: Wine and Chocolate Gratitude Festival November 3rd, 2018 11am - 4pm Wine, Chocolate, food and activities for 21-and over all under a big tent at Overlook Park — with heaters and live music! Sip delicious local wines paired with decadent chocolates or foods prepared with chocolate. Hand painted wine glasses prepared just for this event, chocolate fountains, apple press for making apple cider, live music and candy jar guessing game. For the younger crowd, visit the Chickadee Art Festival sponsored by the Ridgefield Art Association at the Community Center. Non-alcoholic tasting opportunities for those under-21, art, and interactive activities! |
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Bufflehead Bucephala albeola Around here, these ducks are known for the distinct coloring of their large-headed breeding plumage, something that scores of people wait excitedly to witness every year along with the arrival of the swans, geese and Sandhill Cranes. Males of this species can be identified by their black and white heads. Up close, and especially during the mating season, you can see brilliant glossy green and purple setting off the white patch on the back of their head. Females are a much more subdued brown with a smaller white mark on their cheek. Buffleheads will use nest boxes if they are installed, but will also use old woodpecker holes, especially Northern Flicker holes...keep reading... Photo By: Lyn Topinka |
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Business Members
Granting Organizations & Partners
BirdFest & Bluegrass
In-Kind Support |
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