We are the Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges, a nonprofit organization.
Our mission is to support the work of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys Refuges protecting wildlife and the habitat needed for the wild to thrive.
Our mission is to support the work of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys Refuges protecting wildlife and the habitat needed for the wild to thrive.
Upcoming Activities
Audience at Barbara at Woodmansee's previous Library Butterfly Talk
Refuge-related Library Talks
Please Note: The date for this talk is March 30.
It has changed since it was announced in the March News Brief.
Thurs. March 30 at 5 p.m. -- Friends board member Barbara Woodmansee, Butterflies of North Florida
Please Note: The date for this talk is March 30.
It has changed since it was announced in the March News Brief.
Thurs. March 30 at 5 p.m. -- Friends board member Barbara Woodmansee, Butterflies of North Florida
Participants enjoying the October 2022 Butterfly Walk
Butterfly Walk
Thurs. April 6 at 9:00 a.m. -- Mark your calendars for another expert-guided butterfly walk led by Friends member Barbara Woodmansee. The walk will be along Barnett Creek Road on the Lower Suwannee Refuge. According to Barbara, there will be no bushwhacking involved, just strolling along the limestone road in the serenity of the woods and marsh. Barbara will help us spot and identify butterflies, which hopefully will be out and about enjoying the spring in early April. For more information, click here.
Thurs. April 6 at 9:00 a.m. -- Mark your calendars for another expert-guided butterfly walk led by Friends member Barbara Woodmansee. The walk will be along Barnett Creek Road on the Lower Suwannee Refuge. According to Barbara, there will be no bushwhacking involved, just strolling along the limestone road in the serenity of the woods and marsh. Barbara will help us spot and identify butterflies, which hopefully will be out and about enjoying the spring in early April. For more information, click here.
Beach on far side of Seahorse Key
The Refuge has one more Open House scheduled at Seahorse Key in March:
Wednesday, March 29 (rain date March 30 or 31)
Click Here for More Information
A note from Refuge Manager Andrew Gude:
The waterfront at Seahorse Key is currently being rebuilt by a Refuge-hired contractor. It is much too big a project for our small staff. The dock will be available for only one vessel at a time, for pick up and drop off only. There will be no space for visitors to tie up personal vessels. Please plan accordingly.
The pavilion will probably be closed.
Wednesday, March 29 (rain date March 30 or 31)
Click Here for More Information
A note from Refuge Manager Andrew Gude:
The waterfront at Seahorse Key is currently being rebuilt by a Refuge-hired contractor. It is much too big a project for our small staff. The dock will be available for only one vessel at a time, for pick up and drop off only. There will be no space for visitors to tie up personal vessels. Please plan accordingly.
The pavilion will probably be closed.
Annual Cedar Key art festival
Old Florida Celebration of the Arts
Cedar Key art festival is April 1 and 2, 2o23. Over 100 artists, local seafood, music and more. Be sure to visit the Friends booth at the park.
Cedar Key art festival is April 1 and 2, 2o23. Over 100 artists, local seafood, music and more. Be sure to visit the Friends booth at the park.
Hunt News Spring Turkey hunting is March 18 to April 9. To sign up for the latest hunting news and updates click here.
The area around Refuge headquarters, including the Bat House, River Trail, and Tram Ridge trail is always a no-hunt area. 
Multi-generational hunting experience
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Nature Drive Update
Good News!
The contractor has completed the repairs. A few potholes remain, but it is after all a Nature Drive. Go slowly and enjoy. The Nature Drive has been periodically be closed for maintenance in March. Note from Friends of Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys NWRs: This may seem like inconvenient timing, however, with our limited Refuge staffing, contractors are necessary and the Refuge is dependent on their schedules. Seahorse Key Open Houses are similarly being impacted by the use of contractors. |
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Friends Receives a Grant for Vista Work 
The State of Florida, Division of Historical Resources has made its second grant to Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges for work on the Vista property. Read more HERE. |
A Gallery of Refuge Photos
Common Checkered Skipper
Photo by Barbara Woodmansee
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Salt Marsh on the Lower Suwannee Refuge Photo by Debbie Jordan
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Butterflies of the Lower Suwannee Refuge
If you are interested in butterflies, we have an abundance of information and activities for you.
- A Life List of all the butterflies on the Refuge, including a challenge to help find a few butterflies that likely are on the Refuge but have yet to be definitively documented here.
- An illustrated Guidebook to the Butterflies of the Lower Suwannee Refuge.
- A butterfly brochure
- Butterfly tee shirts
- Butterfly of the Month
- Butterfly FAQs
- Butterfly surveys and walks. The next walk will be in April 6. Watch this space for details.
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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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River Trail
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Tram Ridge Trail
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Suwannee River seen from the River Trail
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Vista property
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Shell Mound
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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. |
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