Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges logo, designed by Friends member Carla Stanley.

Friends at the first annual meeting in Soldotna, at Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.

The Alaska refuges have Friends!  Ten refuge supporters met this month in Soldotna to form a new non-profit organization, Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges.  The group is the first of its kind related to the Fish and Wildlife Service; one Friends group will represent all of Alaska’s sixteen national wildlife refuges.  The goals of the group include educating the public and decision makers about Alaska’s refuges, implementing a communication network for those interested in Refuge news, and raising money for refuge projects. The first face-to-face meeting of the Friends was supported by the National Wildlife Refuge Association, the Alaska Natural History Association, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The founding members of the board include 17 people from all over Alaska, and one member from Colorado who is a past volunteer of Kodiak Refuge.  The board currently represents members from Wiseman, Bethel, Fairbanks, Unalaska, King Salmon, Anchorage, Soldotna, Homer, and Colorado – and is seeking representatives from more rural locations.  These representatives will help bring their local refuge needs and issues to the attention of the board.  The group will work closely with the long-standing Friends of Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, and will facilitate the start up of other local Friends groups across the state.   The group meets monthly by teleconference and will hold one annual face-to-face meeting.

During their first year the Friends plan to apply for 501(c)3 non-profit status, start a general membership, develop a web page and newsletter, and participate in a state wide invasive plant pull.  If you are interested in the Friends or would like more information you may email them at akrefugefriends@gmail.com or contact them at 2440 E. Tudor Road, PMB 283, Anchorage, AK, 99507-1185.