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BirdFest & Bluegrass Planning Committee Seeks New Members and Chair!
BirdFest & Bluegrass Planning Committee Seeks New Members and Chair!
Do you love attending our annual BirdFest celebration? Do you want to see it be successful in 2016? If so, than we need YOU to get involved in planning next years event. Commitment is one two hour meeting a month, March - September, and volunteering BirdFest Weekend (October 1st & 2nd).
We are looking for help in the following areas:
- Committee Chair (Work with current committee chair to schedule/host monthly meetings, and handle big picture event logistics)
- Organizing Kids activities in Davis Park
- Coordinating the vendors in the Birders Marketplace at the Community Center
- Coordinate special walks or talks
- Just sit in and brainstorm new and exciting BirdFest activities!
Want to Make BirdFest a success?
Contact Sarah at: sarah_hill@fws.gov (360) 887-4106
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Refuge Project Progress
Over the 50 year existence of the RNWR there have been many proposals for planning and building a place where employees can work and interact with visitors to the Refuge. A place where refuge visitors can learn more about the RNWR and community partners can provide education opportunities. 2016 is the year to plan and prepare for the "Center" (Still deciding on a name).
The Friends of the RNWR Board has voted to support this project and place it at the top of the list to accomplish. At this time there is no timeline for this project to be completed. The Region 1 of the US Fish and Wildlife System, based in Portland, has identified the planning and construction of the Office/Center as number one on their project list. Some preparation was done a few years ago by completing soil tests and environmental test at the proposed building site.
I could easily get into telling you, as I did during the Friends membership meeting, how important the RNWR is to the Portland/Vancouver metro area and the importance to the Pacific flyway that extends from Alaska to Mexico and beyond. The importance of having an Office/Center can’t be overstated, the population in Southwest Washing is growing and will grow more over the next 20 years. Visitors need a place to learn more about the history, culture and wildlife of the Refuge.
The RNWR has been designated nationally as a priority Urban Refuge for the Refuge System and will see more visitors that are looking for that nature experience that can’t be found in a city environment. Research supports the need for humans to connect to nature in order to be healthy and well adjusted. Providing for those visitors needs to be planned and built.
There are trails that have been, or are being built all over the refuge, within the City of Ridgefield, and in Clark County that will provide access to the Refuge. When the new Main Avenue bridge over G-Creek in Ridgefield is constructed, there will be a sidewalk that will lead to a trail on the Refuge that will, for the first time, provide safe access along Main Avenue. The Port of Ridgefield will soon build an auto bridge that will provide access from Pioneer St. to the Port and to the trails that will extend from the Port to the Carty Unit of the RNWR. A new auto bridge over the railroad tracks to the River- S Unit has been planned and will be completed over the next few years. There are projects planned for the River-S Unit that will improve the visitor experience by allowing Refuge employees, volunteers and visitors to have a place to interact.
While I can't report any progress at this time, it will come. Members of the Friends will be asked to participate in the planning the Office/Center.
-Russ Roseberry
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New and Familiar Faces Around the Refuge
The Friends of Ridgefield NWR have been making a lot of changes lately, including voting in some new/old board members, and hiring a new Habitat Coordinator, and they would love to introduce themselves to you!
Our new Habitat Restoration Coordinator Keith Rutz:
I can still remember my first conservation moment at the age of five when, as I rode my tricycle over ants on the sidewalk, my older sister asked me how I would feel if I was the ant and someone intentionally ran me over. At that moment I came to realize that even as a kid I had control over how I interacted with my world, and with that interaction came responsibility. At the age of nine, I saw my first federally listed endangered species- my 4th grade class was let out to walk down to the lake to view the whooping cranes that were migrating through. The Crane’s story was one of habitat loss and the unintended effects of pollution and I became then, and remain, a supporter of the FWS, the ESA, and the conservation and protection of the environment.
After high-school and a few years working in the trades, I came across an opportunity to work for a conservation group. This position eventually gave me the reason to travel to Eugene for what was to be a three-month stint, that turned into seven years, that turned into a career in conservation. I worked to restore wolves to the mountains of the Southwest with the FWS, recovered foxes on islands off the California coast with the NPS, and worked on projects to assist with lynx reintroductions, prairie chicken conservation, and numerous other species as I took on one project after another. In Kentucky, I worked for the Nature Preserves Commission and the University of Kentucky restoring and protecting forest and prairie habitat, when not in graduate school.
Becoming the Habitat Restoration Coordinator at Ridgefield NWR seems like my natural next step. It doesn’t take long working with endangered species to understand the importance of habitat and a functioning ecosystem for maintaining a diversity of species. Ridgefield is an important component of the Pacific Flyway and the lower Columbia River system. It faces continual threats of encroachment and introduction of invasive species by the river and by visitors, winged or otherwise. Working on the frontlines of habitat protection and restoration is indeed my “dream job.” I look forward, with community involvement and support, to the challenges and rewards offered by this position.
-Keith Rutz
Our new Board Member Susan Setterberg:
My goal when I retired from the US Food and Drug Administration, after 31 years of service, was to find a place to live where I could be a volunteer at a National Wildlife Refuge. Even though I spent 25+ years on the east coast in various management positions and offices, I wanted to return to the West Coast where I felt most at home. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area but have some roots in Washington as I was a graduate student at UW, and therefore a Husky. Coming to Ridgefield almost three years ago was a good fit for me. My passion is birdwatching. It's a wonderful way to experience nature around us. I started in 1975 with an ornithology class, and haven't stopped. My job and vacations have taken me to many states and I always travel with binoculars, looking for a refuge or park to visit. I have also managed some foreign travel with birding tour groups. It's been a wonderful experience. But it is also very satisfying to get to know the birds of my local refuge. Watching the changes in the seasons and thus the changes in the avifauna has its own rewards. Most satisfying, as a volunteer at Ridgefield NWR, is staffing the contact station at River 'S' unit on Sundays and getting to share my knowledge of birds. I often learn as much, or more, from the visitors. I am an advocate for Citizen Science projects. I participate in Breeding Bird Surveys, Christmas Counts, Cornell's Feeder Watch Program, the World Series of Birding and now goose and waterfowl counts on the refuge. By doing so, I sharpen my birding skills, always learn more about birds, and contribute information to science. I graduated with a Masters in Zoology from University of Washington and a Masters in Public Administration from University of San Francisco. My education, my birding, and my management experience in government, I hope, will bring knowledge and skills useful to the Board of the Friends of Ridgefield NWR. I am eager to start my term as a new way to contribute to the outstanding refuge system we have in this country and in particular Ridgefield NWR.
-Susan Setterberg
Our returning Board Member (Past President) Jim Maul:
Jim was, at one point, the President of the Friends Board, and is back to help out some more! With a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Western Washington University and being "the President/Principal Hydrogeologist for Maul Foster Alongi, Jim directs projects for industrial and municipal clients. He has over 25 years of experience providing consulting services. He has managed projects in various stages of remedial action, from design of groundwater- and soil-cleanup programs to their implementation, and projects under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, as well as state cleanup programs. Mr. Maul’s technical and regulatory expertise is acquired from both direct involvement in and management of projects." We are lucky and thankful to have him back!
Source: http://www.maulfoster.com/staff/james-j-maul/
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Junior Duck Stamp Contest
On March 25th, 2015, the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge hosted the 2015 Federal Junior Duck  Stamp Design Contest for the state of Washington. The Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest is the culmination of the Junior Duck Stamp educational program. After studying waterfowl anatomy and habitat, students may articulate their new-found knowledge by drawing, painting or sketching a picture of an eligible North American waterfowl species.
Last year’s contest for Washington, held at the Refuge, received 125 entries from across the state. The high quality artwork from all the young artists made for a very competitive contest. The judging panel consisted of five judges: Robyn Thorson (Regional Director, US Fish & Wildlife Service Northwest Region), Nate Pamplin (Assistant Director, WA Department of Fish & Wildlife), Shelley Carr (local artist), Dale Thompson (retired Chief Naturalist at Mt. Rainier National Park and local wildlife artist) and Ryan Perry (local wildlife artist and former two-time WA Junior Duck Stamp Best of Show winner).
Judges selected three 1st place, three 2nd place, three 3rd place, and up to sixteen Honorable Mention winners from four groups based on grade level (K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12th grade). Out of all the 1st place winners in from each group, a Best of Show has been selected to represent Washington at the national competition held April 19 at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. This year’s 1st place winners were Katie Beuhl, Vincent Li, Ryan Wang, Emma Carag, Hannah Ferdows, Jean Lin, Donna Ferdows, Ayaka Hicks, Sophie Tsai, Maria Schaljo, Kris Ahn, and Alina Bogachuk. The Best of Show winner selected from among these artists depicted a Wood Duck and was painted by Maria Schaljo, 16 years old, of Vancouver. In the national contest, her painting went on to rank in the top ten, which is an achievement to be very proud of! Congratulations to Maria and all the winners in this year’s Washington Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest!
The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest would not be possible without the efforts of volunteers, who assist both with the contest itself and with all the year-round program publicity and outreach throughout the state. A huge debt of gratitude is also owed to the Friends of Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge for their generous financial support.
The exhibit of this year’s winners is now on display in the Visitor Center at Nisqually NWR. A traveling exhibit will travel throughout Washington State to colleges, libraries, and education centers, art galleries/museums, festivals, and fairs.
For the Official Website, click: HERE
If interested, contact Byrn Watson at (360)736-1082.
Photo by:
2015 JDS Best of Show winner Maria Schaljo, 16, of Vancouver, WA
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Ridgefield Refuge Complex
News & Events
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Christmas Bird Count History
Prior to the turn of the 20th century, some hunters joined a competitive holiday tradition, known as the Christmas ‘Side Hunt,’ to bag the most animals during a day. On Christmas Day 1900, ornithologist Frank Chapman, proposed an alternate holiday tradition – a ‘Christmas Bird Census’ that would count birds during the holidays rather than hunt them. Today, thousands of Citizen Scientists brave the elements around the holidays, contributing to a 116-year old nationwide wildlife census.
What is the Christmas Bird Count?
A group of volunteers that count all birds encountered on a set day within a set area. The date selected occurs between Dec. 14th and Jan 5th of each year. Volunteers document all birds encountered within a 15-mile diameter circle on the selected day. There are many Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs) conducted annually within North America. Regionally, over 100 CBCs were conducted this year within Oregon and Washington. The CBC gives a clear indication of the abundance of bird species in an area. But the longevity of the data set also helps researchers understand larger conservation issues like population trends and species distribution.
Sauvie Island’s Christmas Bird Count
For decades a CBC has been conducted with the survey area centered at Sauvie Island. The survey circle reaches from the Lewis River to Vancouver Lake and from Dollars Corner to Scappoose. This area includes all of Sauvie Island, the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, the Shillapoo Wildlife Area, Frenchman’s Bar Park, and Vancouver Lake Park. Annually, birdwatchers from both sides of the Columbia River unite to count this vast area that is renowned for its wildlife abundance.
2015 Results
A total of 30,000 birds were observed and identified to 120 species.
The most abundant species was Cackling Geese with 12,616 observed.
Other items of interest follow in the format of Species (number counted):
White-Fronted Goose (4)
Snow Goose (1)
Trumpeter Swan (87)
Tundra Swan (817)
Eurasian Wigeon (3)
Cinnamon Teal (2)
Sandhill Crane (1,073)
Northern Shrike (2)
Tree Swallow (3)
Swamp Sparrow (1)
White-throated Sparrow (4)
Interested in CBC 2016?
Contact the Refuge Office. They can put you in contact with the local CBC coordinator.
Photos provided by: https://www.audubon.org/bird-guide
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
Update & Events
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Upcoming Events and Exhibitions:
Portland State University Presents:
Tamánwit: A Symposium of Columbia River
Art & Sovereignty
Feb. 4, 2016
Join the College of Arts, the History Department, and the Native American Student & Community Center for a day of discussions and celebrations of Indigenous Columbia River Plateau art.
Symposim: 2pm - 4pm @ Lincoln Hall Studio Theater (LH115)
- presentations, film, panel discussion
- featured speakers: Lillian Pitt, Deanna Dartt, Pat Courtney Gold, and Judy Bluehorse Skelton
Reception: 4pm - 5pm @ Lincoln Hall Broadway Gallery
- view the MasterWorks of the Columbia Plateau art exhibit
Keynote: 7pm - 8:30pm @ Native American Student & Community Center
- featuring Roberta Conner, Director, Tamástslikt Cultural Institute
For More Info Click HERE
The Clark County Historical Museum Presents:
Feb 13, 2016 - 4:00 pm
Descendants of the Sand Creek Massacre of November 29, 1864 have created an exhibit of artwork depicting the day of the massacre. More than 150 Cheyenne and Arapaho people were viciously massacred at Sand Creek, CO. The work of Cheyenne and Arapaho artists Brent Learned and George Levi focuses on the remembrance, honor and strength of their ancestors and leaders.
CCHM is hosting the exhibition One November Morning with an opening event at 4:00pm on Saturday, February 13, 2016. Brent Learned and George Levi, will conduct gallery talks and demonstrations.
CCHM will be the first venue on the West Coast. One November Morning has shown in galleries at Denver University and Northwestern University.
For More Info Click HERE
Portland Art Museum Presents:
Contemporary Native Photographers and
the Edward Curtis Legacy
Zig Jackson, Wendy Red Star, Will Wilson
FEB 6 – MAY 8, 2016
This major exhibition will feature contemporary photographs by Native American photographers Zig Jackson, Wendy Red Star, and Will Wilson in dialogue with photographs from Edward Sheriff Curtis’ renowned body of work The North American Indian. This timely exhibition and associated educational programming will ask visitors to consider Curtis’ continuing influence on the interpretation of Native American culture while highlighting contemporary reactions to his complex role within the history of representation of indigenous peoples.
For a schedule of events, to buy tickets, and learn more click HERE
Here is a whole list of events that are happening in Lake Oswego all throughout the month. Some of these look really spectacular!
Woven: The Art of Contemporary Native Basketry
March 1 - April 23, 2016
Opening Reception: Saturday, April 2, 4-7pm
Workshops and artist talks Sunday April 3rd
in Foster Auditorium (Clark Community College)
Location: Archer Gallery, Clark Community College
1933 Vancouver Way, Vancouver, WA
The exhibition features the work of 12 incredibly talented contemporary indigenous artists: Joe Feddersen, Gail Tremblay, Dawn Nichols Walden,
Pat Courtney Gold, Shan Goshorn, and Bernice Akamine.
The Woven exhibit examines selected works of twelve contemporary Native artists, each with their own unique and modern approach to the age-old craft of weaving. The works in this exhibit will explore themes ranging from the basket as a beautiful vehicle to confront difficult issues to the use of traditional techniques and materials to express 21st century ideas and influences.
Upon entering the main gallery it becomes vividly clear that this exhibition’s focus is not on historic baskets. Each of the artists in this exhibit has researched, practiced and even mastered their traditional forms of basket weaving. Some use their art to tackle political and often uncomfortable social issues; others combine their traditional weaving skills with contemporary materials and imagery to create works that pay respect to tradition but also are clearly the work of a 21st century artist.
For Details and More Info Click HERE
Questions? Contact Sarah at Sarah_Hill@fws.gov
or call (360) 887-4106
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Habitat Restoration
Updates & Events
Habitat Restoration hit its stride in the month of January. Fifty-five volunteers participated in three plantings events, giving 224 hours of their time and planting 965 trees in often rainy conditions. Our current total is 3,615 trees and shrubs planted during this season. Overall, we’ve planted about 6 acres with forage and shelter plant species for the Columbian White-tailed Deer, which continue to grow and thrive on the Refuge since their reintroduction.
Planting season is quickly winding to a close, though, with only six tree/shrub plantings remaining! The last plantings are on February 3rd, 6th, 10th, 20th, 24th, and March 5th, and will be at sites all over the Refuge. We are starting to look forward towards invasive species removal and the Ricefield Bulrush program as well! If you’d like to get involved with habitat restoration on the Refuge, email Aiden_Forsi@fws.gov for more information. See you out on the Refuge!
Contact Aiden_Forsi@fws.gov for more details!
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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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Help the Friends and the Refuge When You Shop Online
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.
You Can Also 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.
Thanks for being an EcoShopper and helping the Refuge!
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Header Photo Credit: Marguerite Hills
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