Passengers from the ferry enjoy a Refuge tour.

The community center is the perfect place for Refuge staff to share information with visitors and locals.

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Through the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Challenge Cost Share Grant Program, Izembek National Wildlife Refuge outfitted the Cold Bay Community Center with state-of-the-art audio visual equipment and exterior signage.  The project strengthens the partnership between the Refuge and the City of Cold Bay and furthers the mission of the Service by greatly expanding Refuge outreach and educational opportunities. Located adjacent to Refuge headquarters, the Community Center acts as an extension of the Refuge visitor center and has recently become an alternative destination for ferry passengers of the M/V Tustumena during its brief stop between Homer and Dutch Harbor.

Refuge staff continue to offer the popular bus tour of the Refuge to those ferry passengers lucky enough to win the on-board lottery. Now, working in concert with a naturalist from the Alaska Maritime Refuge traveling on the ferry, programs are presented at the Community Center on a variety of topics relating to local wildlife. The community is also invited to attend. The audio visual equipment has been instrumental in making these presentations a success.

To further strengthen ties between the small community of Cold Bay  and the Refuge, future plans include a presentation on flora of the region by a local authority and improvement of a map for a  self-guided walking tour which would incorporate both Refuge and city highlights.