February 2020 Newsletter

Member Brunch recap, ramping up into spring, and more!

Friends of RNWR - February E-News

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The Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

The latest updates | February, 2020

January Member & Volunteer Appreciation Brunch

The Friends met for brunch on Saturday, January 25th, 2020 to appreciate our members and volunteers. We issued the Spirit of the Wild Award, and talked about the year ahead. This annual event was celebrated this year in the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex (RORC) Community Room, where we enjoyed delicious build-your-own burritos and fresh fruit brought to us by Killa Bites Catering, mimosas, coffee and more.

The membership voted on our newest Board Member to join the Friends, Katie Clark. Katie is originally from the Southwest, and moved to the Pacific Northwest over thirteen years ago when an opportunity to further her career in the banking industry presented itself. Prior to her current role, Clark worked for a credit union trade association where she spent her time training NW credit unions on various compliance matters, advocating at the state and federal level for credit unions, and supporting an annual auction that raised funds for the Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

The Spirit of the Wild Award was awarded to Russell Roseberry this year, for his many years of service and dedication to the Friends, the Refuge, and the community of Ridgefield.

If you want to join us next year, sign up to volunteer, join or renew at any time, here.

From the Refuge

February Feels and Future Volunteer Fun

February always feels to me like a slow goodbye to the beloved winter stillness and an incoming rush of excitement for the upcoming spring warmth and growth. It is a perfect time to think about how to get back outside and start making an impact in our larger community. For staff, partners and volunteers associated with your local Refuges, we are asking ourselves a few important questions.

How are we an asset to the communities that surround us?
What needs do they have that we can uniquely offer?
How are we connecting people to the benefits of healthy habitat and wildlife?

Whether through a need for service hours, job experience, a connection to others, or an opportunity for positive contribution to the local wildlife, people are asking daily for more ways to get involved. We hear and appreciate your requests and have been working toward making a better, more vibrant and multi-faceted volunteer program.

This year you will see the following small but impactful steps as we work to meet this need:

The addition of short “orientation” sessions for new volunteers throughout the year, giving someone the opportunity to get training quickly even if they do not start with us in the spring. The first one will be on April 11^th (location and time TBA)
Volunteer training and enrichment events spread throughout the year that encourage those from different programs to come together to learn with, and from each other.
A new part-time Friends Volunteer Coordinator will help strengthen the program in many ways including streamlined communication, support to staff leads so they can have more time to enhance programs, and a better understanding of the community and barriers to volunteerism.

Revising and improving a program takes a lot of time and thought but we are all in this for the long-term benefit of the communities we serve. We hope that you celebrate small improvements with us and participate in the growth and collective impact on the natural resources that support us. Stay tuned.

- Josie Finley, Visitor Services Manager, Ridgefield NWR

Ridgefield Refuge Complex News & Events

River 'S' and Trail Closures

Stay up-to-date on all the projects going on this year

at the official Refuge 20/20 website, where all the projects at Ridgefield and Steigerwald Lake NWRs are explained.

More info added all the time - check back for updates and more!

Currently:

-- **UPDATE:** The River 'S' Unit and Auto Tour Route (1071 S Hillhurst Rd.) will be closed to ALL PUBLIC ACCESS Monday – Friday, through February 2019 in order to complete this constuction project. A crane will be used to remove the old bridge, which will need to sit on the new bridge to complete the work. Once the old bridge is removed, final cleanup can begin and we will return to normal visiting hours- a whole 5 months ahead of schedule.

-- The Main Street Extension project is done! There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony in February for the sidewalk and trail extension, and once the seasonal trails open in May, you can make a complete loop from the Refuge, to the Port, to downtown, and back to the Refuge.

-- The Oaks-to-Wetlands Trail (28908 NW Main Ave.) starting at the end of the paved section is now open! Keep in mind this is a primative trail that is not complete or permanent yet.

Please contact the Refuge Office at (360) 887-4106 during regular business hours (M-F, 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM) for more information. (click flyer to view larger or download)

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 360-887-4106.

From the Contact Station

Meet Robert and Audubon Christmas Count Results

Many of you who continue to visit the Refuge during the bridge construction have undoubtedly met our new volunteer, Robert Vanderkamp. He has been alternating Saturday mornings with Terri at the contact station. Robert is a long-time visitor to the Refuge, though he moved here only a short time ago from Michigan to be closer to family. In Michigan, he worked as a property manager in the City of Holland, on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. For seventeen years...Keep Reading...

- Susan Setterberg, Contact Station Volunteer

- Photo: Susan Setterberg

Cathlapotle Plankhouse Updates & Events

Cathlapotle Plankhouse 15th Birthday Celebration and more!

The Cathlapotle Plankhouse is turning 15 this year! Join us on March 29th, 2020, to celebrate 15 years of Plankhouse education, community, and more, during regular Plankhouse hours. More details coming soon, stay tuned!

Greg Robinson was the Project Foreman for the building of the Cathlapotle Plankhouse, and this year while we celebrate 15 years of the House being open, we are featuring Greg Robinson’s art on items in the Friends Merch Shop.

Stop by the Friends merch shop here and grab a tshirt or sweatshirt, mug or tote bag, all featuring Greg Robinson's Chinookan Stellers Jay art.

Save the Date for 2020's Second Sunday Events! Indigenous Leadership and Scholarship is the theme for the 2020 Second Sunday Series. Every Second Sunday event will feature talks and panels focused on the theme, as well as kids crafts and activities, docent and self-led Plankhouse tours, and more. As always, our series will highlight issues most closely related to the work we do here at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.

2020 SEASON I 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

May 2-3 - Opening Weekend
May 10 - Indigenous Leadership and Research
June 14 - Indigenizing Curatorial Practices
July 12 - Native Cosmologies, TEK, and Climate Change
August 9 - Traditional Technologies
Sept. 13 - Elders, Children, and Land Stewardship
Oct. 3-4 - BirdFest / Closing Weekend

The Plankhouse is also open every Saturday & Sunday, May 2nd- October 4th, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Stay tuned for more specific information about each date, including the speaker, and more, coming throughout the year!

Cathlapotle Plankhouse, 28908 NW Main Ave, Ridgefield, WA 98642

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.

Habitat Restoration Updates & Events

February Maintenance and More

As the winter rains continue to fall and the wetlands fill with the runoff, habitat volunteers stay busy pulling old fencing, beating back blackberries, and performing maintenance on old and new planting sites across the refuge.

We’ll be continuing this work on Wednesdays through February as the construction of the new River 'S' Bridge comes to a close and the new trail system is built in the Oak restoration area.

We are also close to finishing the construction on the new High Tunnel and will be looking for volunteers to collect cuttings in the spring and seeds throughout the summer for propagation. We’ll be posting a collection timetable with more details in the April newsletter if you are interested in helping us grow…

Find the new flyer and the upcoming volunteer dates, including the new Second Saturdays, head to our website here.

-Keith Rutz, Habitat Restoration Corrdinator

-Contact elena_tinoco@fws.gov for more info and to sign up to volunteer.

Species Spotlight

Sora

Porzana Carolina

Have you ever heard of a Sora? (If you read our newsletter the answer might be yes!)

This rail is hard to spot. In fact, it is listed as uncommon on the Refuge, even though it is known to nest here. The fact that they are so hard to see is even more impressive when you learn that the Sora is the most abundant rail in North America. You may have heard some other names for them... Keep Reading...

-Samantha Zeiner, Administrative Coordinator

Photo: Dave Menke USFWS

Seeking Business Alliance Members

As a member of the Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Business Alliance, you invest in one of our urban metropolitan area’s most unique and diverse natural and cultural resources. Click here to find out more

Board Seeking New Board Members

Or, Join a Committee

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 interested in serving on a committee (board membership not required).

Find out more about the Friends, and contact us here

Calling All Volunteers!

Volunteer Opportunities:

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.

Volunteer naturalists needed to walk trails and

teach people about what they can see and enjoy

at the Refuge this summer!

If you are interested email RidgefieldVolunteer@fws.gov to be put on the

update list.

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.

Support the Friends
Help us inspire people to support the Refuge! Whether you help us out during BirdFest & Bluegrass in October by giving directions or helping set up, or by providing outreach for what the Friends do, or joining the board or a committee, every little bit helps.

Now you can sign up to volunteer easily on our website!
Check it out by clicking here

Learn more about volunteering at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge here

Birding Enthusiasts

Check out what species are being seen on the Refuge here.

Ridgefield First Saturday:

Bason, Baseball & Bingo!

February 1, 2020

Bring the kiddos and your appetites to the Ridgefield Administrative and Civic Center for a fun filled breakfast with Spudders Baseball and the Ridgefield Raptors! Play Bingo and other games and win prizes.

Full Schedule Here

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 a meal 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? Find out more, become a Friend, or renew your membership today and receive a member card with great discounts at these wonderful local businesses! Feel free to contact us for any questions or inquiries.

The Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge promote the enjoyment, understanding, and protection of native and endangered birds, other wildlife, and their habitats. We focus on our local community and the Pacific Northwest. Visit us on the web at www.ridgefieldfriends.org

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.

Support While 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 click here. You can search for us by our name, Friends of Ridgefield NWR, or by our non-profit number, PK822. Then, every time you shop and use your Rewards Card, you are helping earn a donation to support the Friends and Ridgefield NWR. If you do not have a Rewards Card, ask at the Customer Service desk of any FM store.

Log on to smile.amazon.com and shop as you usually would - .5% of your purchase will be donated directly to the Friends! Use the link with your existing user name and password. When prompted to select a charity, choose the Friends of Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge.

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!