Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge and the Friends of Sherburne invite you to celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week, as well as their own 49th Anniversary Saturday (Oct. 4) from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The public is invited to enjoy a variety of FREE family-oriented activities designed to share information about their wildlife resources and educational opportunities.
The Friends of Sherburne will be kicking the day off by sponsoring the first 5K Run/Walk as part of the festival’s activities, which starts at 9 a.m. Information and registration details can be found on the Friends’ website at www.exploresherburne.org .
In addition, naturalist and author Stan Tekiela will be the featured speaker. “Uncommon Facts About Common Birds” will be Tekiela’s presentation topic at 11 a.m. At 1 p.m., the author will talk about “Intriguing Owls.” He will sign books following both talks at the Friends of Sherburne Nature Store, located on the festival grounds. In addition to the featured speaker, you can enjoy a horse-drawn hay ride, live music, scavenger hunt, bonfire, hands-on archery, air-rifle, face painting, nature arts and crafts, and exhibits on Minnesota raptors, wildflower seeds, furs, reptiles, and the Turn in Poachers (TIP) “Wall of Shame.”
News Release U.S. Fish & Wildlife. Service Several refuge service roads will be open to vehicle traffic from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to provide visitors an opportunity to see areas of the refuge not normally open to vehicle travel.
Friends of Sherburne will have a brat and hot dog lunch for purchase from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Refuge birthday cake will be served at 1 p.m. The Friends will hold a Silent Auction with bidding open until 2:00 p.m. Proceeds go toward environmental education and other refuge projects.
All events will be held at the new Environmental Education Classroom building site located southwest of the Headquarters on Sherburne Co Rd 9 look for event signs. For more information contact Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge at (763) 389-3323.
The National Wildlife Refuge System began in 1903 when President Theodore Roosevelt set aside Pelican Island Refuge, a tiny island off the east coast of Florida, for the protection of pelicans and other birds from market hunters.Today there are more than 560 wildlife refuges and thousands of waterfowl production areas encompassing over 150 million acres. During National Wildlife Refuge Week, the second week in October, many refuges in the national system hold special events and activities so that Americans will learn where they can go to hunt, fish, enjoy wildlife, and learn about their natural heritage.
National Wildlife Refuges are places where native habitat is restored, protected, and managed for America’s wildlife. Wildlife refuges are home to more than 700 species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 reptiles and amphibian species, and more than 200 species of fish. The National Refuge System is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. For further information about programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our website at http://midwest.fws.gov.
