Welcome Friends...

Friends of the Savannah Coastal Wildlife Refuges, Inc., is an organization of volunteers from coastal Georgia and South Carolina dedicated to preserving and protecting the seven National Wildlife Refuges in our area.  These refuges, managed and protected by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (US F&WS), are oases of wildness in our midst.  They are truly "America's Best Kept Secret". 

In return, we must respect the needs of the native plants and animals that inhabit the refuges, and protect them from habitat destruction, pollution, and other threats to their survival.

Join us as we organize educational activities and tours, help with maintenance and upkeep, and staff the Visitor Center at Savannah NWR.

You work to make a living, you volunteer to make a difference!

Join us at The Gator Hole for two Saturday events!

On Saturday, December 10th, your Friends group is offering 20% off all merchandise in our book and nature store at the Savannah NWR Visitor Center.  That's right, it's our Second Annual Holiday Sale!  Come by and find gifts for everyone on your list.  We are stocked and ready! 

The next Saturday, December 17th, Friends group member and local author Diana Churchill will be on hand to give a talk about local birds and to sign her brand-new book, Birder's Eye View.  Come by to get your autographed copy.  Can't make it?  Her book will be stocked in The Gator Hole.

Our Refuge System is under Attack!

Proposed budget cuts in the House of Representatives will force drastic cuts to the National Wildlife Refuge System.  The proposed cut would gut some of our nation's most important wildlife conservation laws and programs, including:

• The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) - slashed by 80% to the lowest level in its 45-year history with only $11 million for the Refuge System; barely enough to finish projects started this fiscal year;
• The Endangered Species Act - the FWS would be prevented from listing any new species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the American people would be prohibited to challenge delisting decisions in court;
• The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) - which funds wetland restoration on refuges, would be reduced to only $20 million, a $17 million cut;
• The State Wildlife Grants Program - which helps states keep species from becoming endangered would be reduced to just $22 million, a $40 million cut;
• Refuge System Law Enforcement - slashed by $6 million (17%), resulting in the loss of 40 officers, leaving only 173 to patrol 150 million acres when they need 845;
• The Neo-Tropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund would be eliminated entirely;
• The FWS' Construction budget - which includes both Refuges and Fisheries and funds large scale restoration projects - would be reduced to just under $12 million;
• The National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer program - that coordinates the activities of local volunteers, nonprofit organizations, state or local agencies- would be reduced to $1.7 million, a 15% cut.

Check out a CNN Money video about the cuts featuring Evan Hirsche from the National Wildlife Refuge Association.

Refuge Week Events

Our Refuge Week activities in October were resounding successes!  We partnered with the Coastal Discovery Museum for a performance by famed Teddy Roosevelt re-enactor Joe Wiegand on a Friday evening in the museum's beautiful facility on Hilton Head.  The next day, the Savannah NWR was alive with more than 200 guests, volunteers and F&WS staff for a day full of  kid's activities, tours, hikes and more "TR" presentations.

The grand finale of the celebration was a three-hour cruise up the Savannah River aboard the replica stern-wheeler Georgia Queen, (operated by the Savannah Steamship Company) on a rainy Sunday afternoon.  Once again TR regaled the more than 160 passengers about his love of the outdoors and his efforts as president that resulted in the establishment of the first National Wildlife Refuge at Pelican Island, FL and the preservation of more than 230 million acres of public lands in the form of National Parks, refuges, and monuments.
 

A heartfelt thanks and a resounding "Bully!" (you had to be there)  to all those who made this weekend possible:

• Joe Wiegand, in person and as "TR", was a treat to have as our guest and made a lasting impression on all who saw his performances. We will miss his grace, wit, and easy smile and hope to have him back in the area sometime soon.
• Jane Griess, Project Leader of the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex, and her staff gave up two days of their three-day holiday weekend (Columbus Day) and many more hours of preparation to make these events so successful.  Special thanks to Monica Harris, Amy Ochoa, Peter Range,  Olivia Williams, Russ Webb, Sarah Brown and Zak Gohsman.
• Our dedicated and able volunteers: Pat Metz, retired F&WS and current Board Member for her work arranging the cruise,  Dot Bambach (Board Secretary) who tirelessly takes on and accomplishes whatever we ask of her, Dave Chafin (Board Member), Sharon Lindsay, Twila Gray, Tim Kilty (Board Secretary), Cindy Oprita, Debbie and Joe Vess,  Carroll Richard, Sandy Beasley, Tom Gates, Matt Ryan, Rob Wood, Wayne Harris, Allyn Schneider (Board Member), Rachel Pearson, and Hal Suggs for all their help.  (Please chime in if anyone's been left off the list).
• All those Friends group members who attended activities or supported in other ways.  Without your continued participation and financial contributions we could not hope to share our love for the refuges with a wider audience and build a community base of support.

Now our big dilemma...how to we top this next year?

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The Refuge is Open!!!

The Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive and the dike system north of SC-170 are once again open!

All the work is done, the Corps has signed off and the contractors have left.  The fresh-water supply has been restored and working well.  The Corps has produced a short video about the project which can be seen HERE.

So no excuses, get out and enjoy your refuge!  Fall is a great time for hiking, biking, and birding on the refuges.  Stop by the Visitor Center on US-17 to get a map of suggested hikes, and be sure to check out the new trails around Kingfisher Pond.

Calling All Volunteers!

have you ever thought about becoming a volunteer with the Friends group?  Have you volunteered in the past but are no longer active?

We are looking to recruit new volunteers to help with Refuge Week activities and with staffing the Savannah NWR Visitor Center.  If you are interested, contact us at webmaster@coastalrefuges.org.  No previous experience is necessary, and you will have the satisfaction of helping to support your refuges in a very concrete way.

How Can You Get Involved?

There are many ways you can participate in the Friends group to show your support for our local refuges.  You don’t need to drive a tractor, pick up trash, or run a mower…but it helps!  

• Join Friends of the Savannah Coastal Wildlife Refuges, Inc.  (FSCWR).  Membership is $15 per year for an individual and $25 for a family.  The larger our membership, the more impact we have when we speak with legislators or regulators regarding issues that impact the refuges.

• make a tax-deductible donation

• Become a volunteer at your local refuge, dig in and get dirty.

• Encourage your friends and colleagues to join FSCWR. 

• Talk to your employer about becoming a Corporate Sponsor. 

• Check the web site regularly for upcoming events. 

• Shop at "The Gator Hole", our nature store located in the new visitor center.  All proceeds will be used to fund projects on the refuges.

• Speak out at local hearings in support of your refuge.

• Subscribe to our electronic newsletter (see below).

Join Our Mailing List Enter your e-mail:

FSCWR is a 501 (c) 3 charitable organization under the Internal Revenue Code.  Contributions to FSCWR are tax deductible.