We are the Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges, a nonprofit organization.
The mission of the Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge is to provide active advocacy and physical support for the successful stewardship of the Refuges.
The mission of the Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge is to provide active advocacy and physical support for the successful stewardship of the Refuges.
Wanna Catch or Count Some Fireflies?
Join the survey
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Richard Joyce is a firefly conservation biologist with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and he coordinates the Firefly Atlas project. The focal species for the surveys are the Florida intertidal firefly (Micronaspis floridana) and the keel-necked firefly (Pyractomena angulata),
In April he will be conducting surveys of firefly species in Lower Suwannee NWR and Big Bend WMA, with a focus on imperiled salt marsh species. He has invited our members to join him in the field to learn how to survey for lightning bugs. Fortunately Refuge Manager Andrew Gude is in favor of our support. |
Schedule
Monday, 21 April 2025 Cedar Key Shell Mound Lower Suwannee NWR Tuesday, 22 April 2025 Fishbone Creek boat launch Lower Suwannee NWR The sun will be setting around 8 PM, so surveys will likely last from 8 PM - 10 PM . Bonus: There will also be a meteor shower those nights! Photos courtesy of Firefly Atlas |
Refuge News
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Shell Mound Pier after 2024 Repair - Will look like this again soon!
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New Information about Big Pine Island
Big Pine Island, just south of Shired Island in Dixie County, has been legally determined to be private land. It is not real property the U.S. Government owns or claims and is not part of the Lower Suwannee NWR. Please respect this private ownership and do not trespass on this area.
Any questions, call/text Andrew at 352.899.2516.
Big Pine Island, just south of Shired Island in Dixie County, has been legally determined to be private land. It is not real property the U.S. Government owns or claims and is not part of the Lower Suwannee NWR. Please respect this private ownership and do not trespass on this area.
Any questions, call/text Andrew at 352.899.2516.
Status of the Refuge Roads and Trails
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On the Levy County side:
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Downed trees block the roads and trails after the storms. This one is along the Tram Ridge Trail.
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On the Dixie County side:
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Dixie Mainline road surface after a hurricane.
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Seahorse Key Open House Schedule
2024-2025
Canceled due to extensive damage to the facilities at Seahorse Key during Hurricane Helene.
The Lighthouse is OK.
The Lighthouse is OK.
Connect with Us |
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About Hunting
Permit quotas are in effect this year.
There was a Youth Turkey Hunt on March 8 and 9.
Spring Turkey Season is open March 15 to April 6.
There was a Youth Turkey Hunt on March 8 and 9.
Spring Turkey Season is open March 15 to April 6.
Visit Both of our Refuges
The Lower Suwannee Refuge is open daily from dawn to dusk for appropriate recreational uses including boating, hiking, fishing, biking, and birding. FWS Lower Suwannee Information Brochure.
The Cedar Keys Refuge is made up of 13 small islands offshore from the City of Cedar Key. Atsena Otie Island and the sandy beaches of the other islands are open to visitors. They must be accessed by personal boat. All interior and/or vegetated areas of the islands, other than Atsena Otie, are closed to visitors in order to protect the resident and transient birds nesting on them. Also, the waters and beaches around Snake Key (~100m) are closed to all entry March through June, since Snake Key is a major nesting area. Entry to closed areas on any of the islands is by permit only. FWS Cedar Keys Information Brochure.
The Cedar Keys Refuge is made up of 13 small islands offshore from the City of Cedar Key. Atsena Otie Island and the sandy beaches of the other islands are open to visitors. They must be accessed by personal boat. All interior and/or vegetated areas of the islands, other than Atsena Otie, are closed to visitors in order to protect the resident and transient birds nesting on them. Also, the waters and beaches around Snake Key (~100m) are closed to all entry March through June, since Snake Key is a major nesting area. Entry to closed areas on any of the islands is by permit only. FWS Cedar Keys Information Brochure.
Seahorse Key
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The Shell Mound pier
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Suwannee River seen from the River Trail
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Tram Ridge Trail
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Vista property
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Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
P. O. Box 532 Cedar Key, FL 32625 [email protected] We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. |
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