The Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge is this Sunday, offering birding and foraging walks, paddling and presentations on the lake, pollinators, and history of the nearly 7,000-acre refuge.
The event, organized by the nonprofit Friends of the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, is part of a nationwide campaign to raise money and awareness for the country鈥檚 National Wildlife Refuge System, which has faced .
鈥淭he National Wildlife Refuge System is really the only federal organization that's dedicated to protecting habitat and species,鈥� said Julie Filiberti of Fairfax, a board member of the friends group. 鈥淎nd it's in serious trouble because of funding.鈥�
The refuge in Swanton currently has four full-time staff members, down from six a few years ago. They no longer do waterfowl banding to monitor bird populations, and when a park ranger retired in 2018, his position was never filled.
Now, when school groups contact the refuge, there鈥檚 no one available to provide programming.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have that capacity anymore,鈥� said Ken Sturm, the refuge manager. "We鈥檙e saying no to a lot of things we would like to do, but can鈥檛."
Filiberti says she hopes to one day raise enough money to hire a part-time educator at the refuge through the friends group. Staff hope by hosting events, like this weekend's free fair, more people will learn about the refuge.
Currently, the refuge often relies on volunteers to staff the visitor center, or the job falls to Sturm, the refuge manager.
鈥淚n fact, someone is ringing the front desk right now and there鈥檚 nobody here to answer,鈥� he said, before hanging up from a phone call Thursday morning. 鈥淚 probably should answer that.鈥�
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