Employees and volunteers plant native grasses at Colusa NWR (USFWS Photo by J. Stockton)

A visitor enjoys the new wildlife observation platform at Colusa NWR. (USFWS Photo by  J. Stockton)

Kevin Foerster, Sacramaneto NWRC 
Employees from four U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offices came together on Earth Day 2008, to work on a native grassland restoration project at the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge.  Representatives from the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex (NWRC), Red Bluff Fish and Wildlife Office, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, and the Region 8 Regional Office in Sacramento got “down and dirty” by hand planting over 6,000 native grass and sedge plugs at the new visitor contact station.  In addition, four student volunteers from California State University, Chico participated in the planting efforts.

The native grassland planting was the final touch on a partially funded Federal Highway Administration project that included a new wildlife observation deck, trail improvements, parking lot, bridge widening, public bathrooms, and interpretive kiosk. A barbeque lunch followed by a tour of recent habitat work at Colusa NWR rounded out the day. 

A grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new visitor contact station is planned for Saturday, May 10, 2008 in celebration of the International Migratory Bird Day.