W. VA — Jane Hoffman, Executive Director for the Kilauea Point Natural History Association, joined 23 other ‘Friends’ from national wildlife refuges all across the U.S. for Friends Academy 5, sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife
W. VA — Jane Hoffman, Executive Director for the Kilauea Point Natural History Association, joined 23 other ‘Friends’ from national wildlife refuges all across the U.S. for Friends Academy 5, sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System.
The Academy was held from July 23 – 27 at the Service’s National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, W. Va. Friends gained skills and knowledge in refuge planning and land acquisition, communicating with their local communities, building a diverse group of volunteers and Friends and much more.
KPNHA is a nonprofit organization established in 1983 which supports the mission of the Kaua‘i National Wildlife Refuge Complex with refuges at Kilauea, Hanalei and Hulei‘a by providing funding for programs and projects. During the previous fiscal year, some of the projects and programs funded were:
• Kilauea Lighthouse Restoration Phase I: KPNHA disbursed over $270,000 during the past fiscal year for restoration work performed on the Kilauea Lighthouse. Phase I of the restoration work included repairing or replacing all of the metal work (roof, drip line, catwalk, vents, and railings).
• Refuge and Environmental Programs: Over $8,000 was provided for programs, including: Koloa Duck Tracking and Research, Volunteer Training, National Wildlife Refuge Week Sponsorship, and funding for two refuge interns.
• Education: School bus transportation funding of $2,400 was provided to Kaua‘i school teachers for fieldtrips to the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge and other locations with similar goals and objectives. Also awarded were two $2,000 Daniel Moriarty Memorial Scholarships and two student grants totaling $1,500 to students studying in environmental fields.
I had the opportunity to meet other Friends group members and refuge managers to discuss not only the challenges that face us all, but the inherent rewards. There are more than 220 Friends organizations supporting national wildlife refuges in the U.S.. Refuge Friends organizations now boast more than 50,000 members nationwide, supporting the world’s most extensive network of public lands devoted to wildlife habitat and wildlife conservation. For more information about the National Wildlife Refuge System, including Friends groups nationally, visit www.fws.gov/refuges.
