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Join us for Give More 24! September 20th!
Support in any size can make a difference, here are some examples of what your dollars can do:
$25 - about five 1-gal native plants for restoration planting at the Refuge
$50 - supplies for two in-classroom visits for environmental and cultural education
$100 - supplies for our weekly habitat restoration work parties
$200 - wood for the BirdFest & Bluegrass Salmon Bake at the Plankhouse
$500 - Transportation for approximately 100 students to visit the Refuge
What can you do to help? Donate in real-time on September 20th, or help us by campaigning on our behalf! Help us spread the word, draw donors to our page, and donate yourself, during #GiveMore24! Check out our organization info here, and check back for updates- and on GiveMore24, September 20th! See you then!
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BirdFest & Bluegrass 2018
 2018 marks the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the most powerful and important bird-protection law ever passed. In honor of this milestone, National Geographic, the National Audubon Society, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and BirdLife International will join forces with more than 100 other organizations and millions of people around the world to celebrate 2018 as the “Year of the Bird.”
Note- this year we will have a new schedule- all in town events will be Saturday only, with kick-off events Friday evening, and Refuge-centered events on the Carty Unit Sunday. (click flyer to view or download)
See you in October!
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2018 Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Photo Contest! Back, and better than ever!
 Submit your favorite nature images taken within the boundaries of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge to the 12th Annual 2018 Photography Competition. This year we are switching things up! We are looking for categories of photos, and adults can only win 1st or 2nd place in each category. Youth prizes stay the same. We look forward to seeing your entries! Submit by: September 3, 2018.
ADULT CATEGORY PRIZES:
1st Place & 2nd Place in each category:
- Birds – Birds and waterfowl in their natural habitat
- Wildlife – Any wildlife other than birds – mammals, amphibians, fish, insects, reptiles, and invertebrates in their natural habitat
- Plant Life – Trees, grasses, flowers, fungi, mushrooms, and other flora in their natural habitat
- Landscape & Structures – The Refuge contains a mosaic of scenic views, including iconic structures such as the Cathlapotle Plankhouse
YOUTH PRIZES:
Gift Cards from Pro Photo Supply: 1st, 2nd, 3rd place
Photo Credit: Raul Moreno 2nd Place 2017 Photo Contest Winner
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Ridgefield Refuge Complex
News & Events
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Naturalist-led Hikes - Birding at Ridgefield NWR
Federal Duck Stamp Benefits and More
Did you know that your Federal Duck Stamp can be used as a pass at Wildlife Refuges where they collect fees, like Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge? The Federal Duck Stamp, formally known as the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, is an adhesive stamp issued by the US Government that must be purchased prior to hunting for migratory waterfowl such as ducks and geese. It is widely seen as a collectible and a means to raise funds for wetland conservation, with 98% of the proceeds of each sale going to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund.
So, not only does your Duck Stamp purchase let you onto fee-based wildlife refuges, it also supports that same wildlife the rest of the time too! Duck Stamp funds are used to purchase lands that are added to, or become wildlife refuges, and much much more. Use your stamp like a pass when you visit our Refuge by filling out the green card at our contact station or trailhead iron rangers.
Buy the stamp here for yourself or as a gift, and give the peace of mind of protecting migratory birds, endangered species, local wildlife, and the places they call home.
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
Second Sunday- Ancestors & Elders ~Grandparents Day
September 9, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
8:00 AM “Early” Bird Walk with Refuge Naturalist.
12:30 PM “Ancestors and Elders”
Join us as Sam Robinson, Vice-Chairman of the Chinook Indian Nation, and his granddaughter Destany share intragenerational experiences and connection to the Cathlapotle Plankhouse and the importance of having a living House as part of Contemporary Indigenous Culture
2:00 PM Refuge Naturalist led Geology Walk- Discover what’s hidden under our landscape and ties us to our past
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Plankhouse Tours and Activities
Explore hands-on displays inside the Plankhouse and family-friendly activities
Cathlapotle Plankhouse- Carty Unit, 28908 NW Main Ave, Ridgefield, WA 98642- Free with $3.00 per vehicle refuge admission
PSU iTEK Fellow Introduction
Na’t gila’danka na’nook. Gew a shewshaw Savahna Jackson. Nu’tok wagidisha p’tsip de lok Moatak’ni tcheish Eushik’ni tcheish Hoopak’ni Maklak.
It is good to meet you. My name is Savahna Jackson and I am Modoc, Klamath, and Hoopa descended and an enrolled member of The Klamath Tribes. I am the new Traditional Ecological Knowledge (iTEK) Fellow at Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge in partnership with Portland State University, where I am a graduate student in the School of Education.
I am honored to be the first iTEK Fellow at Ridgefield and even more so to be able to walk and learn of this land, the people, and the history that is embedded in every rock and tree. I was first introduced to Ridgefield when I was part of OakQuest, a citizen science program that was mapping the native Oregon White Oaks, and was awed at the Grandmother Oak and the large, healthy stand of these magnificent trees. Beyond that, coming from People who have always regarded Oaks as relatives, I am humbled every day that I am privileged to come to work on the Refuge and be surrounded by Family.
Sepk’ech’wa (thank you)
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
 Wetland #6, the little brown depression you've been watching all summer as you come out of the left turn you just made at the hunt gate on the Auto Tour Route, is changing yet again! It has undergone an arduous summer. In late May, the Youth Conservation Corps crew and myself pulled a thousand invaders (Schoenoplectus mucronatus) in a matter of perhaps 100 linear feet. By mid July, we've had the entire bed of a pickup truck stacked high with plants pulled from this one wetland in a single volunteer work party. We were looking at tens of thousands of plants. The decision was made that our decade old practice of hand pulling individuals may be insufficient. We decided to treat the whole thing chemically. Still, many of these plants are capable of producing thousands of seeds by the time we were able to kill them all. How then do we make a dent in the seed bank and, eventually, declare the wetland cleared of ricefield bulrush? Keep Reading...
General Habitat Questions? Contact Keith_Rutz@fws.gov for more information |
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Hawk Watch
 Join us in Government Camp at the Mount Hood Cultural Center and Museum on September 22nd for the 2018 Booney Butte Hawk Migration Festival! Join HawkWatch International, the USFS Mt Hood National Forest, and Portland Audubon as we celebrate International Hawk Migration Week during the 2nd annual Bonney Butte Hawk Migration Festival at the Mt Hood Cultural Center & Museum, Saturday, September 22 from 10 am - 4 pm. This is a free, family-friendly event with live raptors, vendor booths, and educational programs and activities.
(click to view larger or download)
Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge,
Columbia Gorge Refuge Stewards Events
(click to view larger or download) |
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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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