Celebrate Your National Wildlife Refuges

Hiking Dennis Creek Trail, seeing otter playing on the Nature Drive, snapping pictures of soaring eagles, or just walking in the woods, thousands of Americans will be making a special connection with nature during National Wildlife Refuge Week, October 14-20, 2012. The Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges will celebrate with an Openhouse on Seahorse Key, Saturday and Sunday, October 20 and 21, from 9:00 - 4:00, in conjunction with the Cedar Key Seafood Festival.

The National Wildlife Refuge System, with over 600 national wildlife refuges nationwide, protects approximately 100 million acres of fish and wildlife habitat. Scores of national wildlife refuges are offering special programs to help celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week across the country. The Lower Suwannee NWR will begin with celebrating the Grand Opening of its Nature Classroom with birds of prey and kids with cameras.

Later, all are invited to see period-dressed reenactors add color to the celebration at the lighthouse. Sailors from the USS Ft Henry will set-up an encampment on Saturday with weapons and period music. Local historian Toni Collins, with the Cedar Key and Chiefland Historical Societies, will sell and stamp lighthouse passports and speak about the lighthouse keepers of the past. Don`t forget your camera!

"Once people know about the great recreation opportunities and free youth programs we provide, they flock to national wildlife refuges, whether as visitors or volunteers," says Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge Manager Andrew Gude. "We welcome them during National Wildlife Refuge Week and throughout the year."

This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act, which provides guidance to the Secretary of the Interior for the overall management of the Refuge System. The Act includes a "strong and singular" wildlife conservation mission for the Refuge System and recognizes that six wildlife-dependent recreational uses, of the Nation` Wildlife Refuges.

To learn more about your local national wildlife refuges and their programs for the public, call 352/493-0238 or:
http://fws.gov/lowersuwannee.