Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
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Refuge Update from Andrew Gude

11/12/2021

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​Seahorse Key Marine Laboratory and Cedar Key Light Station Open House during the Cedar Key Seafood Festival:  236 visitors on a beautiful day. This was the first open house in 2 years.  We look forward to working with the Chamber of Commerce to schedule more of these.
Lower Suwannee NWR Hunt Season is in full swing. Archery/Crossbow and Muzzleloader have passed and now we are into three General Gun Hunts:
  1. Refuge General Gun 1:  November 6 - 14, 2021 = 9 days 
  2. Thanksgiving Family/Senior Hunt/Disabled Veterans:  November 19 - 21, 2021 = 3 days     
  3. Refuge General Gun 2 Happy Thanksgiving Hunt:  November 22 to November 28, 2021 = 7 days 
The Refuge works hard to accommodate this use and it shows due to its popularity.  For those non-hunters who are concerned about accessing the Refuge during a hunt, you should feel free to do so.  Simply follow these basic guidelines: 
  1. If you see a vehicle parked at a gate, it's best not to walk down that road
  2. When hiking off the public driving roads, it is best to wear bright colors, like safety orange or fluorescent yellow
Jason is mowing the roads again after the wildflowers have bloomed.  Balancing the need to have the roads mowed whilst providing flowers for butterflies and bees is always a quandry.

George and Jason are doing a Special Project, rehabbing and improving Fishbone Creek, Dixie County access road, parking area, boat launch, and a ground-level fishing platform.  We do not yet have the funds to replace the observation deck.  Also, George finished the trenching for the new fire radio tower's electrical system and has been coordinating contractors doing the work.

Friends board members John McPherson, Debbie Meeks, Peg Hall, and John Thalacker are working with the Refuge to prepare for the eventual transfer of the Suwannee River's Vista Estate to the Refuge.  Meetings are on-going to make plans on how to raise funds to repair, maintain, and promote this historic location for public access and interpretation. Meanwhile the Refuge is working with the USFWS on the administrative side of this transfer.
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​November is Native American Heritage Month!

11/12/2021

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Picture of two people walking the Shell Mound Trail
Observe the month by taking a crisp fall hike along the Shell Mound trail and read about the gatherings hosted by Native communities that took place centuries ago.

​There are other ways to celebrate like learning more about the Indigenous history of Florida or supporting Native writers and artists. Both the Timucua and the Seminole have deep ties to North Central Florida, read more about their history here.

For book recommendations, you can check out the University of Florida’s American Indian and Indigenous Studies Library Guide; browse both fiction and non-fiction titles of interest. You must be UF faculty or staff to check out titles, but many titles are available online or via your local library.
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Online Store - Holiday Sale

11/11/2021

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Avoid all those supply chain headaches!  Do your holiday shopping online and support the Friends of the Refuges. 

Shop early for the best selection of custom-designed t-shirts and hats and -NEW- earrings and Blue Goose National Wildlife Refuge Passport books. 
Picture of a butterfly shirt with a silver background
butterfly shirt with a silver background
Picture of book for collecting a stamp from every National Wildlife Refuge
Collect a stamp from every National Wildlife Refuge
Picture of Made in America earrings of a Florida panther
Made in America earrings of a Florida panther
​Our volunteers will have your order mailed out within a few days.  The pandemic has been the mother of invention for many things, including our store. It's been a great success and we want to thank all who bought t-shirts and hats over this last year, and the Friends Board volunteers who have made it happen.
NOTE -- If you want us to ship to an address other than your billing address, you MUST enter the shipping address where it is requested, not your billing address! Postage is calculated automatically and charged to Friends when you submit the order and it is based on the shipping address you include. After the order is submitted, we cannot change the address without having to pay the postage a second time. Ahhh, the joys of automation :)
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Cool Happenings in the Universe of Friends Groups

11/1/2021

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Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates is a national organization that connects Friends groups across the country with each other to share ideas and to pool our thinking and power on issues that affect us all. Friends of Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys NWRs worked closely with CORFA last year during the review of the Partnership Agreement that the Fish and Wildlife Service requires all Friends groups to sign.
 
This fall CORFA highlights Friends of Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys NWRs in its national newsletter. It also highlights Friends of St Mark’s NWR, our nearby refuge on the Big Bend of Florida, which is being honored as the Friends Group of the Year for 2022. And, CORFA showcases an idea from the Friends of Balcones Canyonlands that looks like something we would love to implement for our Friends!
Picture of mobile visitor center, window closed
Picture of mobile visitor center, window open
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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
    • Wildlife Gallery
  • Hunt & Fish
    • FWS Hunting Brochure
    • Hunter SignUp
    • Fishing
  • Search
  • Store
    • Shirts
    • Hats
    • Books
    • Earrings
    • Gift Donation
    • On Sale