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HOME » About us » Mission statement & history
About Friends of the Potomac River Refuges
Founded in 2002 as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, the Friends of the Potomac River Refuges promote conservation, awareness, and appreciation of the wildlife and habitats of the Potomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex and to provide assistance to refuge programs. The complex is comprised of three important sanctuaries along the Potomac River, just south of our Nation's capitol: Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck NWR, Occoquan Bay NWR, and Featherstone NWR.
What does the Friends of the Potomac River Refuges do?
- Assist refuge staff with organizing & staffing refuge events
Past refuge events include the Youth Fishing Events, various Clean-Up Days (partnering with ExxonMobil and other community organizations), Annual Fall Festival (at Occoquan Bay NWR), the Eagle Festival (at Mason Neck State Park),
and many more.
- Advocate for the Potomac River Refuges and the National Wildlife Refuge System &
Provide written testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee
In April of 2007, Friends of Potomac River Refuges submitted written testimony for the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies concerning funding for the National Wildlife Refuge System for fiscal year 2008. The testimony communicated the needs of the Potomac River Refuges (and the entire system) to the representatives responsible for authorizing federal funds. FOPRR shared some of the impacts budget reductions are having on programs, habitat and wildlife. The testimony also expressed the need for construction funds for an administrative/visitor contact station for the Potomac refuges, how it will help protect our natural resources and enhance educational and interpretive programs. Written testimony is one means of expressing our concerns to our elected officials whose decisions directing impact our natural legacy.
Read the testimony submitted to the House Appropriations Subcommitte (24K).
- Assist with financial obligations of the Refuge
- Assist with Refuge community awareness and outreach
As a member, you can:
- volunteer to help during Refuge events
- support the Refuges in times of shrinking federal budgets
- volunteer to help on Friends' committees
And, as a member, your membership benefits include:
- electronic subscription to our quarterly newsletter
- invitations to special events and programs
- opportunities to take action in preserving the wildlife in our community
All contributes are invaluable and tax-deductible - join us as a member today!
Come and visit us. We know you will be amazed at the sheer beauty and
the incredible diversity of plants and wildlife that abound right in our backyard.
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