The public is encouraged to ‘Discover the Nature of America’ at national wildlife refuges, where nature comes first.

The public is encouraged to prevent 'Nature Deficit Disorder' by visiting a national wildlife refuge, where nature comes first.

Long weeks of seasonal darkness, sub-freezing temperatures, and near-record snowfall have given chills to many Coulee Region families who are coping with late-winter symptoms of cabin fever.  To help cure this annually recurring malady, the La Crosse National Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (NFWCO) participated for the fourth consecutive year in the Winter Family Sports Show, a community event held February 20-21 at Coulee Region Christian Schools in nearby West Salem, Wisconsin.  Posters encouraging families to “Discover the Nature of America” and “Prevent Nature-Deficit Disorder” were prominently displayed at the NFWCO-sponsored information booth near the entrance to the show.  Brochures describing recreational opportunities (e.g., fishing, hunting, camping, canoeing, hiking, photography, wildlife observation, foraging) available at nearby refuges (Horicon, Necedah, Trempealeau, Upper Mississippi River), as well as practices that encourage ethical outdoor behavior and environmental stewardship, were also distributed to encourage more than 700 people who attended this event to visit and experience a national wildlife refuge, where nature comes first.