National Wildlife Refuge Association

08/18/2026

The National Wildlife Refuge Association is pleased to see that the courts have vacated the land exchange at Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. The exchange would have transferred refuge and designated wilderness lands to facilitate construction of a road through one of the most ecologically significant places in the National Wildlife Refuge System. We have worked for decades to protect Izembek from this threat, and today’s decision is an important victory for this extraordinary landscape.

🌿 Located near the tip of the Alaska Peninsula, Izembek National Wildlife Refuge protects 310,000 acres stretching from coastal lagoons and tundra to glaciers and volcanoes. Izembek Lagoon was the first U.S. site designated a Wetland of International Importance and provides critical habitat for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds, including virtually the entire population of Pacific Black Brant during fall migration. The refuge is also home to salmon, Caribou, Brown Bears, wolves and other wildlife. Nearly 97 percent of Izembek is federally designated wilderness.

Protecting Izembek is also about protecting the integrity of the entire National Wildlife Refuge System. National wildlife refuges and designated wilderness are conservation commitments made for future generations, and today’s decision helps ensure those protections mean something.

⚖️ Read today’s decision ⬇️
https://www.refugeassociation.org/s/izembek-land-swap-decision.pdf

📷 Pacific Black Brant in flight at Izembek Lagoon in Izembek NWR, AK | Lisa Hupp/USFWS

📷 Eelgrass in Izembek Lagoon in Izembek NWR, AK | Mary Frische & Tom Collopy/USFWS

08/18/2026

This is what the refuge staffing crisis looks like on the ground.

At Vierra Wetlands in San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge, a vital stop along the Pacific Flyway, seasonal wetlands were nearly dry last winter. Not because of drought, but because the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did not have enough staff to open the levees and flood the habitat at the right time.

The consequences extend far beyond one wetland. Chronic understaffing means lost habitat, missed wildlife surveys, fewer educational programs, delayed permits and fewer people caring for the places wildlife and communities depend on. From 2010 to 2025, the National Wildlife Refuge System lost 30% of its staff, and more than half of national wildlife refuges now have no staff stationed on site.

“For an agency that already cut the fat … it’s not even at the bone now,” National Wildlife Refuge Association President & CEO Desirée Sorenson-Groves told CalMatters. “It’s just lopping off limbs.”

This powerful reporting from CalMatters shows what happens when national wildlife refuges are continually asked to do more with less:

A long decline in the number of people managing wildlife refuges in California accelerated after the Trump administration's DOGE staffing cuts.

08/17/2026

🦆 UPDATE: More than 200,000 people spoke up for Prairie Pothole wetlands, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says that, at this time, no further action is planned while it reviews the information received.

This is welcome news for the voluntary wetland easements that protect some of North America’s most important waterfowl habitat. The existing rule provides a clear, science-based process for calculating drain tile setbacks, protecting conserved wetlands while providing certainty for landowners.

Thank you to everyone who submitted comments and urged USFWS to uphold the integrity of these longstanding conservation agreements. The response made clear that people across the country expect these investments to continue delivering lasting benefits for wildlife, landowners, communities, and future generations.

The Refuge Association will continue following this issue closely and advocating for strong, lasting protections for the wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region.

08/17/2026

Isn't she a beaut'?😍

The spring-loving centaury (Zeltnera namophila) thrives during the hottest summer months. This small plant features spiral anthers and delicate pink flowers that bloom mainly from July-September, though flowers can appear as early as May and continue into November. This species is found primarily at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, and can be found in alkali soil near springs, marshes, and seeps, as their name suggests.

Due to its limited range and rare habitat, this species is listed as Threatened on the Endangered Species Act. To help protect this unique species, visitors and leashed pets should stay on boardwalks and designated pathways.

Photo of Spring-Loving Centaury: R. Colvin/USFWS

08/14/2026

08/13/2026

Much fuss is made about the warbler migration (they're coming in a few weeks!), but some warblers have been here all summer. The Common Yellowthroat is frequently found in wetlands and meadows, and they behave more like a meadow bird than one might expect of a warbler; they flit about, curiously monitoring their territory, scolding those who come too close. This one's posture is reminscent of a wren cocking its tail. But a warbler it is! The wonderfully colorful plumage is the key. Female Common Yellowthroats are naturally more inclined to mate with males who exhibit a larger black facial mask.

Common Yellowthroat, photo by Michael Schramm/USFWS

08/10/2026

Botanizing Beyond Belief!
🌾After 20 straight days of vegetation survey on the Kugarak River, our crew brought back loads of data and lots of pictures of this beautiful place.
🍃Here are a few images for you to enjoy!

Photos by D.Undlin/USFWS
🌿 Upper left: Field team surveys lichen mats
⛺ Upper right: Aerial view of one of the team's camp sites on the upper Kugarak
🦉 Lower left: Great Horned Owl fledgling sitting on branch
🌲 Lower right: Field team checks on recording units for birds

08/07/2026

Big congratulations to Friends of Heinz Refuge at Tinicum, our 2026 O’Brien Prize for Refuge Friends winner! 🎉🏹🌿

At John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge At Tinicum, the National Wildlife Refuge Association was thrilled to present Friends President Mary Batt with a ceremonial $7,500 check before the refuge’s Try Archery event.

The award will launch the Field to Fork Community Conservation Series, building on the refuge’s successful mentored archery deer hunting program. In partnership with the Pennsylvania Game Commission and National Deer Association, the Friends will offer workshops, community archery events, venison tastings and volunteer mentor training that welcome more Philadelphia-area residents into conservation and outdoor recreation.

As National Wildlife Refuge Association President and CEO Desirée Sorenson-Groves shared, the project “reaches new audiences, strengthens community partnerships, expands conservation education and creates long-lasting connections between people and their national wildlife refuge.”

We cannot wait to see how Friends of Heinz Refuge brings this vision to life. Congratulations to the Friends, Refuge staff, partners, mentors and everyone helping connect more people with conservation! 🦌💚

Read the full announcement and see more from the celebration ⬇️ https://www.refugeassociation.org/press-releases/2026/8/7/friends-of-heinz-refuge-named-2026-obrien-prize-for-refuge-friends-winner

The National Wildlife Refuge Association has named Friends of Heinz Refuge the recipient of the 2 026 O'Brien Prize for Refuge Friends . The $7,500 award will support the Friends' new Field to Fork Community Conservation Series , creating welcoming, hands-on opportunities for Philadelph

08/04/2026