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| | Image credit: Karen Stuwe, 2023, 1st Place, Landscape Category, Pro Photo Supply Refuge Photo Contest | | |
The Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
The latest updates & news | March 2026
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The Ridgefield NWR Admin Office is open weekdays, as staff availability allows: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Office phone number: 360-887-4106
Refuge Operation Notice:
NOTE: Impacts like down trees or other unplanned occurrences may not be announced on the websites immediately. Website updates are subject to staff availability on site.
Learn More: Official Refuge Website
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From the Friends
2025 End-of-Year Impact Report
Our 2025 Year-End Impact Report is here! Thanks to your incredible support, we raised over $16,000 through our giving campaigns, launched a new online store featuring fun designs like the "Dancing Queen" Sandhill Crane, and were honored as Ridgefield Main Street’s "Supporter of the Year". We also made significant progress on the Community Nature Center’s Nature Exploration Area thanks to our Brick Fundraiser. Click the link below to see how your contributions are protecting and celebrating the Refuge we love!
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March Member Wellness Event
Join us for our very first Member Wellness event!
Friends members who have joined us at the $60 level and above are invited to explore Plas Newydd Farm with hosts Abby Braithwaite and David Morgan, Friday, March 13, at 10 AM.
Check out beautiful areas adjacent to the refuge, observe wildlife, and connect with nature while you engage with other Friends Members who share your love of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.
Please sign up in advance on the Plas Newydd Farm website!
Not a member yet? Get Started Today!
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Save the Date!
Friends Annual Membership & Volunteer Appreciation Meeting
Save the Date to join the Friends for their Annual Membership & Volunteer Appreciation Meeting, Saturday, May 30, 1 PM, at the new Community Nature Center at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge!
Join us for our Annual Report, Spirit of the Wild Award, and a special treat. Those who attend will get a chance to vote on the 2026 Birdfest & Bluegrass Bird of the Year! Stay tuned for more details.
All are invited!
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Speaking of BirdFest & Bluegrass...Partner with Us!
Our premier annual celebration is back, and supporting it is now easier than ever with our new online sponsorship form! A huge thank you to our very first 2026 sponsor, GS-JJ, for leading the way. Join our award-winning festival to help us connect the community with conservation through the power of music and nature!
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From the Friends & the Refuge
Dive Back into Learning with a Free Workshop Series!
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Join us for a FREE Community Workshop Series at the Carty Unit!
✍️ Writer’s Workshop | April 4, 10–11:30 AM
Explore nature, poetry, and reflective writing with Abby Braithwaite. All levels welcome!
🦊 Adapting to Change | May 6, 6:30–7:30 PM
Learn how SW WA wildlife navigates climate and land-use changes with David Zonana, PhD.
Space is limited! Register today on the Refuge website, scan the QR codes on the flyer, or click the links below!
These events are provided by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in collaboration with the Friends of Ridgefield NWR. Space is limited, so be sure to scan the QR codes on our flyer, visit the website, or click the links below, to sign up today!
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From the Contact Station
What Winter Brings for Us
Winter bonus foraging: If you were fortunate enough to come out after the really cold weather for the few days that we had beautiful sunshine at the beginning of February, you might have found an unusual treat. A walk around the contact station revealed ground that was wiggling. The Red-spotted (Common) Garter Snakes had come out to warm up in the sunshine. It seemed like everywhere...keep reading...
-Susan Setterberg, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Contact Station Volunteer
Image of Red-spotted Garter Snake Sunning by Susan Setterberg
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Check out what bird species are being seen on the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge - both past and current archives - on our website, here. | |  | |
A Bee Story:
The Little Blue Orchard Helper Awakens!
If early spring had a mascot, it might be a small, metallic bluish-black bee with a pollen-dusted belly. Meet Osmia lignaria — our truly native Blue Orchard Mason Bee (BOB) here in Clark County —is one of the quiet champions of spring bloom....keep reading...
-Anne Bulger, Friends of Ridgefield NWR Board Member, & OSU Master Melittology Lead Instructor for the RNWR
Image of Blue Orchard Mason Bee. Credit: mererivin/iNaturalist
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Ridgefield First Saturday
Arts Month Kickoff & Color Run
March 7, 2026
Head to Overlook Park on Saturday, March 7, 2026, for Color Run festivities from 9 AM to 11:30 AM. The Ridge Association is partnering with the City of Ridgefield for Youth Arts Month to support Sunset Ridge Intermediate and View Ridge Middle Schools. The Ridgefield Color Run is open to the community and open to all ages!
Concessions and other run items will be available to purchase.
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Join the Friends - Become a Member
Our new membership program means that all members will receive a digital member card, a free optional tote bag, a sticker, and more!
Members over $60 also gain access to the Soar into Wellness Program, & Members giving over $1000 are also included in a special website highlight!
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Friends Online Merch
The Flock Just Got Cuter!
Ready to match your favorite little duckling? By popular demand, our "Dancing Queen" and "Bird Butt" collections have expanded into Youth and Toddler sizes!
To top it off, we’ve added fresh beanies and trucker caps to keep those heads warm during winter birding. Get the whole family geared up and support Refuge conservation with every purchase.
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Jigsaw Puzzles
If you're looking for gorgeous nature and wildlife photography on jigsaw puzzles, we have you covered!
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Friends Amazon Wishlist- You can directly support our work and the Refuge's initiatives! Whether it's habitat restoration or BirdFest & Bluegrass, we'll feature items essential to our many efforts toward achieving conservation and community outreach goals. Purchase from our list, and Amazon takes care of the rest! Get started, HERE.
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When you link your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to the Friends, you help us earn donations from Fred Meyer Community Rewards. It's easy to sign up. Just click here. Or search, Friends of Ridgefield NWR #PK822
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Join the Friends of Ridgefield NWR Board for their monthly meeting. Meetings start at 5:00 PM every second Monday of the month and will be either virtual or in-person with a virtual option. Please contact us to find out how to join in!
Board Meeting Dates 2026:
March 9, 2026
April 13
May 11
June 8
July 13
August 10
September 14
*October 19
November 9
December 14
*moved due to a federal holiday or Board decision
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Become a Business Alliance Member
As a member of the Friends of the RNWR Business Alliance, you invest in one of our urban metropolitan area’s most unique and diverse natural and cultural resources. Find out more.
| | | Business Alliance Members: | | | Granting Organizations & Partners: | |
Want regular updates on Refuge events & happenings? Follow the Friends on social media by clicking the logos below to stay connected even when you are off the Refuge.
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