At the July 2021 board meeting, the board reviewed the changes that had been made to the Partnership Agreement that the Fish and Wildlife Service now requires Friends groups to sign in order for their refuges to continue their relationship with Friends.

A motion to sign the revised partnership agreement was approved. The agreement has now been signed by all parties.

Through the combined efforts of the 200+ Friends groups around the nation, the revisions to the original agreement were adequate to address our primary reservations. In summary:

1. The initial requirement to deposit funds received by Friends on the refuge property into a government account, rather than our own Friends account was modified. Unrestricted funds and membership dues will continue to stay in Friends account. Also, the Refuge will have to report to Friends on how it uses any funds Friends does deposit in their government account.
2. The initial requirement that Friends mission be exclusively to support a refuge was modified to say that Friends mission must include supporting a refuge.
3. The initial requirements to report to the refuge quarterly and in detail about Friends revenues and expenditures so the refuge could monitor them was modified both as to what will be reported and the purpose of the reporting. Friends could lose its nonprofit status if it allowed an outside agency to direct or influence its uses of member dues and contributions,
4. The initial requirement that all assets would be turned over to the Fish and Wildlife Service if the Friends dissolved or if the partnership agreement were terminated by either party was modified to say only funds that were designated by donors to be used by the refuge would be turned over. Although our Friends group does not have an endowment, other Friends do and the original wording would have given those funds to the government, which could have violated state laws.
5. The initial requirement to turn over, on request, the names of members and donors was eliminated.

We are happy to report that there were no significant glitches in our operations during the brief dissolution of our formal relationship with our refuge.

​We are equally happy to have been part of the solution to this knotty problem that several of us saw as government overreach into the operations of nonprofit Friends groups. 

This beautiful video of the Milky Way was taken at Shell Mound by Kathleen Finnerty. Refuge Manager Andrew Gude was able to provide a Special Use Permit to allow access at night to do the filming. She granted permission for us to share the video with you. Click the photo to view it.

Someone stole a unique sign from Seahorse Key. The Refuge Manager and Law Enforcement Officer would greatly appreciate any information you can provide to help apprehend the thieves.
 
As you see in the photo, the sign was affixed on three telephone poles and well embedded into the dune.  

It has survived tropical systems since 2015. Refuge Manager Andrew Gude  noticed it was missing on 27 Aug 2021 at 10 am. 
 
The cost of ordering, sign production, shipping, and replacing will be upwards of $5000. It is a custom produced sign that identified Seahorse Key, Cedar Key NWR, and the partnership with UF and Sante Fe College.

The National Park Service received the 2021 Silver Telly award in Public Service & Activism for a series of videos on climate change that it made in conjunction with the graphic illustrator who recorded our 2021 Friends Annual Meeting in February. You can access these videos by clicking the photos below, all drawn by Karina Branson, of ConverSketch . 

Dr. Jay Bushnell, a former president of Friends, has written reviews of two conservation books. You can access them here.

On several summer Saturdays, Friends members volunteered to staff a Refuge Welcome Desk on the porch of the Cedar Key Chamber's Visitor Center. Summer visitors to the area often are unfamiliar with the refuge and looking for additional side trips to enjoy in the area. The Welcome Desk is a great opportunity to help people learn about the value of the refuge to them as visitors and to the overall quality of life in our region.

Bob and Barbara Hudson reported that the first Saturday in August had started off slow. Then the sun came out and so did the people. They ended up having 65-70 visitors between 10 am and 2 pm. The sunny weather definitely made the difference. About 40% were couples with children of all ages. They loved the brochure that overviews the refuge and the ones on bats and butterflies. Friends membership dollars are at work making those available! 

Like the Hudsons, the others of us who have already volunteered are eager to do it again. If you would like to give it a try, email [email protected]. Let's work out a Saturday for you to work with one of us who has done it before or on  your own.

As in previous years, this summer has brought flooding rains to roads throughout the Lower Suwannee Refuge on both sides of the river. For safety reasons, as well as to prevent significant erosion and other damage to the roadways, several have had to be closed. When possible, they are reopened. When flooded again, they are re-closed. The situation changes quite often. Before heading out for a refuge visit, you can call Refuge Manager Andrew Gude on his cell phone to learn the latest on road openings and closures. His number is 703.622.3896.