Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) could use your help! Volunteers are needed to assist with a variety of programs, including staffing the Visitor Center front desk, maintaining the beneficial insect and butterfly garden, leading interpretive and educational programs, biological monitoring, and much more.
Volunteers play a critical role in helping the refuge fulfill its mission. Over 180,000 visitors from all over the world visit Blackwater NWR each year to photograph wildlife, hike trails, paddle waterways, and enjoy the scenic landscapes. Established in 1933 as a refuge for migratory birds, the refuge has one of the highest concentrations of nesting bald eagles on the Atlantic coast, and the largest protected population of endangered Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrels. With over 28,000 acres of rich tidal marsh, mixed hardwood and pine forest, managed freshwater wetlands and several hundred acres of cropland, Blackwater NWR’s varied habitats support a diversity of wildlife. If you love wildlife and wild places, consider volunteering at Blackwater NWR!
A volunteer workshop will be held on Saturday, August 15th from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. to update new and seasoned volunteers on current refuge projects. Come learn what has been happening on the refuge, with updates from refuge staff on the biological program, including recent bat surveys and Hurricane Sandy resiliency projects, as well as the latest information on the nutria program and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park. This training session is open to current volunteers as well as any member of the public interested in becoming a Refuge volunteer.
To learn more about the volunteer program at Blackwater NWR or to register for this volunteer workshop, please contact Michele Whitbeck at 410-901-6124 ext. 23 or [email protected]. The Blackwater NWR Visitor Center is located just south of Cambridge, MD on Key Wallace Drive. Come help make the refuge a better place for wildlife and people alike!
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.
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