Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges

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Impacts of the Shutdown

1/28/2019

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The "blue goose" icon of the National Wildlife Refuges.
Friends members are delighted that Refuge staff members are back!

Headquarters is open again, having been shuttered since before Christmas.

What difference did it make to our community to have our Refuge staff on furlough for 35 days?

Here are some of the ways it mattered for us.

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During the shutdown, many Friends groups at other refuges took to using this logo.

Forests

No one could follow through on the Tree Planting contract. Tree planters will have to be rescheduled, around their other projects.

Invasive Species Mitigation

Friends volunteers could not work on the Refuges or use Refuge equipment  as they usually do.


Fire

Opportunities for prescribed burns were lost. Staff could not attend the Southern Area Fire Academy, which is the only opportunity this year for multi-agency training across the SE and for staff to obtain advanced qualifications. Our Vic Doig is usually a lead instructor. Several local fire training tests were cancelled, as was the coastal wetlands fire symposium and the annual incident management team meeting.

Roads and Trails

Repair and grading of roads,  needed after fall storms, was halted. In recent years, the mowing of road shoulders and trails has been carefully managed to promote wildflower enhancement for butterflies and other animals. This opportunity was lost.

Birds

Installation and replacement of signage to protect the Snake Key rookery, the birds and nests, was delayed in a critical month. The Refuge could not provide an airboat as it usually does for the Cedar Key Christmas Bird Count.

Wounded Warriors

Operation Outdoor Freedom's Wounded Warrior 4-day hunt was held on the Refuge in January, however our staff members could not officially attend or represent the Refuge as they have in the past.

Outreach and Interpretive Programs

Each staff member had been scheduled to represent the Refuge at one or more festivals, community events, or public presentations. All their presentations and participation had to be cancelled.

Visitors

Friends were not able to open the Welcome Desk for a month.

Shell Mound

The boardwalk section of the trail, where Friends members walked last March after the Annual Meeting, remains uncleared and work on the boardwalk itself could not begin.

Public Health, Water Quality

At both Shell Mound and Shired Island, public toilets were closed for 35 days. These facilities are important to protect public health, and water quality for the commercial shell fisheries. If another shutdown occurs, the Refuge will seek an exemption to keep them open. It was a saving grace that the region had weekly rain and the the grounds were already supersaturated.

Atsena Otie

An Eagle Scout and his 20-person crew held a maintenance and cleanup project. Refuge staff were prohibited from helping. During a shutdown, furloughed staff may not "volunteer" on any Refuge property.

Vandalism
Illegal Hunting

Staff could not patrol or monitor. The lack of a federal wildlife law enforcement officer for the Refuge exacerbated this problem.

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Pepper Busting  Presentation

1/28/2019

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Friends Board member Roger McDaniels has been leading the Friends efforts to help Refuge staff slow the expansion of Brazilian Pepper plants on the Refuges. On Monday January 28, he gave a presentation about the project at the Cedar Keys Audubon Meet and Greet.
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Annual Meeting 2019

1/27/2019

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Welcome Back!!! Refuge Staff at the Flatwoods Fire and Nature Festival on Saturday.

1/26/2019

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Refuge Fire Expert Vic Doig talks with a colleague at the Flatwoods Fire and Nature Festival.
Hurray! The Refuge staff members are back on the job.  We are going to post a piece about what had to be left undone while the shutdown rolled on for 35 days.

But first wanted to report that the Flatwoods Fire and Nature Festival on Saturday January 26 was a huge success. As we have mentioned in Friends News Briefs in the fall, Refuge staff fire expert, Vic Doig was on the planning committee.

Thanks to Vic and all the committee for pulling together a marvelous community event. Vic was able to be there officially on Saturday, since the shutdown endedFriday afternoon. He was unable to arrange to have Refuge fire equipment there, as planned, but other agencies brought equipment and visitors had lots to see and learn.

Photos of the event by the Gainesville Sun are available, as is an excellent article by journalist Cindy Swirko.

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Friends Help Repair Refuge Vandalism

1/23/2019

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On their way to the board meeting last week, Friends members noted vandalism to the Nature Drive sign on Route 347. A dedicated crew set about making repairs a few days later.
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Joe Hand and John McPherson examine the vandalized sign
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Tom Simpson and John Thalacker work on repairing the sign.
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Stormy Winter Solstice

12/21/2018

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The solstice brought a big storm to Cedar Key and the Lower Suwannee. It did not keep about 25 Friends members and friends from their Winter Solstice gathering.  The temperatures weren't bad . . . about 55 degrees. The wind, on the other hand, was about 30mph and pretty hard to deal with on the fishing pier as we watched for the sun to set over the end of the parabolic dune and into the underworld.

The group walked the Shell Mound Trail, avoiding the plaza area which was under water from the storm. The new interpretive panels were in place, except for the last one on the fishing pier. After the walk, as the clouds rolled in, folks gathered in the only wind-sheltered spot . . . the entrance to the outhouse . . . for hot tea and cookies before going out on the windy pier and hoping, unsuccessfully, for the clouds to part.

Next year will be even better.
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See more photos of the event by Libby Cagle and by Roger McDaniels on the Friends Facebook page.
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Refuge Cooperators Event

12/7/2018

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The Refuge staff work regularly with other wildlife and naturalist professionals to maximize the impact of all agencies' smaller staffs and lesser resources. Annually, Friends of the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys Refuges supports a get together to celebrate this crucial professional cooperation. Friday, Dec 7. was the day. Thanks to Bob Lewis for the photos.
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Invasive Control Work Days Have Resumed

12/6/2018

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Every Thursday at 9 a.m. a group of Friends volunteers will work on the Refuges and in the area to control Brazilian Pepper plants. Last Thursday was the first work day. Seven volunteers and Vic Doig, their Refuge coordinator met at the West entrance to the Lukens Tract. The morning started out in the low 40's but the sun was out so things warmed up nicely for work out in the bush. The tide was also way out this morning. The crew could almost walk out to the surrounding islands.

Volunteers are needed every week. Call Roger at 352-543-5232 for information.
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Conservation Easement Protects Jobs and the Lower Suwannee Environment

12/5/2018

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The State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced the purchase of a conservation easement over approximately 19,225 acres in Dixie County within the Lower Suwannee River and Gulf Watershed Florida Forever project. Read More...
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The Refuge Headquarters Closed on Wednesday

12/4/2018

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Government offices, including Refuge headquarters, are closed on Wednesday December 5 honoring former President George H. W. Bush.
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December at the Welcome Desk

12/3/2018

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Friends volunteers will be welcoming visitors at the Refuge Headquarters in December. Here is the schedule. If you could come in and help, it would be appreciated. Contact friends@friendsofrefuges.org
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Friends Winter Solstice Event Coming Soon

11/29/2018

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The new interpretive panels are in place on the Shell Mound trail. In celebration, the Friends will have a Winter Solstice Gathering on Friday December 21. All are welcome. At 4 p.m., we will meet at the parking area near the fishing pier. We will walk the trail, then go to the fishing pier to watch the sunset.

Last year, it was a cold and foggy Winter Solstice at Shell Mound. It was, nevertheless, rather mystical being there. We will hope for better weather this year, and even if we don't get it, we will celebrate the place, its heritage, and the joy of having a Refuge to protect it for us  and for the future.
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Almost at sunset, we approached the fishing pier.
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Friends member join Dr Sassaman and several current and former students for 2017 winter Solstice
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Hogg Island was barely visible
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The fog lifted and gave hope that we would see the sunset
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The fog returned just as the sun was setting
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Work Day at Shell Mound

11/28/2018

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On November 28, a group of Friends members, archaeology doctoral students, and Refuge staff members gathered at Shell Mound to install the new interpretive panels on the Shell Mound Trail. Thanks to Roger McDaniels for the photos.


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Click on the map to see and download the full brochure about Shell Mound.
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Work Day at the River Walk

11/21/2018

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The weather was perfect (as it usually is this time of year) when eight Friends members and one newcomer to the area did a major “clean, trim and repair” of the River Trail at the Refuge.
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Bill, Roger, John, Linda, Bob, Jay, Boyd
Members Linda and Boyd Kimble and Jay Bushnell did a total cleaning of the kiosk at the trail head; member Roger McDaniels relocated a couple of sign posts for annual plants that had  “moved”; President Bill Dummitt polished up the vegetation signs that had acquired a mossy green over the years and added a few signs where the old ones had disappeared; Ed DeHaan used a blower to rid the hand rails and boardwalk of cypress and maple leaves; and Refuge manager  Andrew Gude, newcomer Bob Ryan, and John Thalacker reconstructed 20’ of railing on the boardwalk.  Please thank these folks for their work when you have a chance.
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What a team!! All was accomplished in 3 hours and in parting, “Happy Thanksgiving” was common refrain along with comments that it was an enjoyable way to contribute to the Refuge. We were thankful for the chance. Come and share the beauty!
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Thanks to Board member Ed DeHaan for the photos.
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Flatwoods Fire and Nature Festival - Save the Date

11/19/2018

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Vic Doig, Refuge fire specialist, is a member of the steering committee organizing this event. Should be fun. Mark you calendars!
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November Welcome Desk Hours

11/1/2018

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The Welcome Desk at the refuge office will be staffed by Friends volunteers on the following days. If no volunteer is present, Refuge staff will be happy to answer questions if they are in the office, rather than out in the field working on habitat for the wildlife and us.
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Rare Eastern Black Rail Occurs on the Lower Suwannee Refuge

10/11/2018

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The Eastern Black Rail is a small, secretive marsh bird that is in steep decline. Some populations along the Atlantic coast have dropped by as much as 90 percent. With a relatively small total population remaining across the eastern United States, the Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to list the subspecies as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. We have this bird on the Lower Suwannee Refuge. Read more here.
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Happening on the Refuges

10/10/2018

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photo by Jill Lingard
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photo by Cedar Key News
  • The Refuges and Friends have participated in various events related to the Smithsonian Crossroads Program in Cedar Key, including the City Key: A City at the End of the Road which premiered a video by the same name.
  • The Refuge is preparing for a research project on the Florida Salt Marsh Vole.
  • Larry Woodward has been dealing with law enforcement issues related to trespassing, unauthorized motor vehicle use, use of the Refuge during hours when it is not open, alligator poaching, and illegal hunting.
  • A ghost gillnet was found and removed by Refuge staff from the waters near Seahorse Key. Many species of fish had gotten entangled and died in the net.
  • Work continues to restore the forest of the Lower Suwannee Refuge. Current efforts focus particularly on the Dixie County side of the river.
  • Refuge staff provided support for the Hidden Coast Paddling Festival in Cedar Key from October 4 to 7. The Festival highlighted Shell Mound and the Cedar Keys Refuge islands.
  • The Seahorse Key Lightstation restoration project continues. the floors, walls, and staircase are completed.
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Lower Suwannee Refuge Hunt Season

10/10/2018

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If you have been curious about hunting on the Lower Suwannee Refuge, here are the data on hunting days during the 2018-2019 season. The Lower Suwannee Refuge hosts more hunting days than most refuges in the Southeast Region of the Refuge System, which includes the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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A State of Florida hunting license is required to hunt on the Lower Suwannee Refuge, as well as a Refuge permit. You get both the license and the permit through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The Refuge permit code is 7800.
You can read or download a copy of the 2018-2019 Lower Suwannee Hunt Brochure here.
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Along the Nature Drive

10/8/2018

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Friends Board member Libby Cagle took these photos on the Nature Drive on the Levy county side of the river.
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Scouts at Dennis Creek

10/7/2018

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On Saturday October 6, Friends President Bill Dummitt helped lead a Nature Walk for a group of scouts from Alachua on the Dennis Creek Trail.

If you are going out to walk this picturesque trail, you can download a free copy of the Friends trail guide from this website.

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The Number of Refuge Law Enforcement Officers to be Decreased by 20%

10/3/2018

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The Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys Refuges will soon lose our only law enforcement officer, with little hope of getting a replacement. The whole National Wildlife Refuge System will lose one-fifth of its law enforcement officers at the end of the year.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service announced on September 21 that all “dual-function” law enforcement officers will be stripped of their badges. Our own Deputy Manager Larry Woodward is a dual-function officer, which means he has law enforcement authority as well as being a manager. Kenny McCain started as dual-function and then became full-time law enforcement. They are the models of dual-function officers.
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Since National Wildlife Refuges were founded 115 years ago, Refuge law enforcement has been in the hands dual-function officers. They are a force of introspective, sharp, woods and water savvy, wildlife and user-group-astute, highly-effective, multi-skilled, local enforcement officers. They have understood, modeled, believed-in, and lived their professional life for the resources, the users, and the Refuge System mission. They are part of the Refuge culture that creates compliance through engagement and shared appreciation for the resources. They set the tone for enforcement on our refuges.
As Friends of the Refuges, we are very concerned about being without a law enforcement officer. We are equally concerned that, without dual-function officers like Larry, the culture of enforcement on remote, rural refuges like ours will change. The change will move the Refuge and its community away from shared concern for the natural resources that drive our economy and way of life. This change in law enforcement structure is bad for the Refuges, our communities, and all the people who spend time on these public lands
Read more here and here.
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Contact Information for Officials

10/2/2018

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It would be useful to voice your concerns and suggestions about Refuge law enforcement with those in the chain of responsibility for safety on these public lands. In addition to your federal representatives, you can let Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, Fish and Wildlife Service Director Jim Kurth,  Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System Cynthia Martinez, and Regional Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System David Viker know your thoughts. You may remember meeting David Viker and his family when they came to Friends 2016 Annual Meeting. David grew up in Bronson. His first experience on a refuge was as a volunteer at the Lower Suwannee. 

UPDATE: Two members who wrote to Secretary Zinke at the email address we provide report that it bounced. We are looking for one that does not and will update again soon.
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revised address = exsec@ios.doi.gov
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cynthia_martinez@fws.gov
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jim_kurth@fws.gov
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david_viker@fws.gov
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Welcome Desk Schedule for October

9/29/2018

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As of October 8, we have three days not covered--
  • Wednesday, October 10
  • Tuesday, October 23
  • Wednesday, October 31
If you could volunteer one of those days, email friends@friendsofrefuges.org
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Friends Staff the Visitor Welcome Desk

9/14/2018

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In June, July, August, and September, Friends staffed the Welcome Desk at the Refuge headquarters building each Monday and Tuesday. In October, volunteers for be at the desk at least from 10 to 1 each day that the headquarters building is open. If you could come out and volunteer for a few hours one or two days in October, email friends@friendsofrefuges.org.
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    The Refuge is open daily from dawn to dusk.

    Visitors are welcome to walk or bicycle around yellow Refuge gates.
    Lower Suwannee NWR
    Hunt Brochure
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Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
P. O. Box 532
Cedar Key, FL 32625
friends@friendsofrefuges.org

We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.


Photo used under Creative Commons from csath07