Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
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Welcome

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.

How to Connect with Us

Join Friends

Read our Blog,
About what we do.


Read our email
News Brief


Subscribe to our email
News Brief
 ​ 

​Visit our Online Store 
​for shirts, books, hats, earrings, and
Spring Sale Items

Proceeds from sales support the many projects that benefit the Refuges including trail improvements, producing and printing brochures and signage, using grant-matching funds for the Vista Camp restoration, and more.

Junior Ranger Workbook

Click to download a copy.
Picture
Picture of Refuge Forester Daniel Barrand working with new Junior Rangers
Refuge Forester Daniel Barrand working with new Junior Rangers

Visit Both of our Refuges

Biting Arthropod Season has Begun
Cartoon drawing of a biting insects, teeth exposed, flying aggressively
The biting insect season is upon us! Visiting the Refuges at this time of year presents an additional wildlife experience. Friends board member Dan Kline is a mosquito and fly research entomologist. His April article on our Science page, will give you the skinny on
no-see-ums, Culicoides mississippiensis.
​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.
shore birds roosting at Seahorse Key
Seahorse Key
board walk leading to Suwannee River
River Trail
Long leaf pines along Tram Ridge Trail
Tram Ridge Trail
Suwannee river seen from end of River Trail
Suwannee River seen from the River Trail
Friends members visiting the private Vista property on a field trip during the 2020 Annual Meeting
Vista property
View of Guld of Mexico from Shell Mound trail
Shell Mound
Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge official government website
Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge official government website

Butterflies of the Lower Suwannee

If you are interested in butterflies, we have an abundance of information and activities for you. The most recent ones were a walk out at the Refuge, and a talk at the Cedar Key Library, both by Friends Board Member Barbara Woodmansee. If you're curious about the multitude of species of butterflies and moths you may happen across at the Refuge, you can watch her entire presentation on the YouTube link here. And, shop at our online store ​to purchase Barbara's beautiful and informative guidebook before you venture out to the Refuge for some butterfly hunting. Other materials produced by Friends for butterfly lovers include:​
  • 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. Stay tuned for more scheduled walks.
Picture of the cover of the spiral bound guidebook
Picture of a blue butterfly tee shirt on a model
Words life and list with the  first letters formed by overlapping photos of butterflies

A Gatorama of Refuge Photos

Picture of tan alligaotr lounging in the scrub with a turtle resting next to its head
Gator and turtle friend. Photo by Larry Woodward.
Visit the Wildlife page for more of the Gatorama.
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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.


  • Home
    • Current News
  • About
    • About Friends >
      • Who We Are
      • What We Do
      • Current News
      • Contact Us
    • About the Refuges >
      • Our Refuges
      • Places of Interest
      • Hunting Brochure
  • Join
    • Donate
  • Maps
    • Paddling Guides
    • Refuge Maps
    • Trail Brochures
    • Places of Interest
  • Wildlife
    • Science
  • Hunt & Fish
    • FWS Hunting Brochure
    • Hunter SignUp
    • Fishing
  • Search
  • Store
    • Shirts
    • Hats
    • Books
    • Earrings
    • Gift Donation
    • On Sale