The National Wildlife Refuge Association fully supports the critical goals of the National Wildlife Refuge System vision, Conserving the Future, which includes a connected conservation constituency, expanding community partnerships, and nurturing active and vibrant Friends partnerships. Friends are critical to the success of the Refuge System and are valued ambassadors in their communities. The Refuge Association recognizes the importance of building on these successful citizen partnerships to continue advocating for the Refuge System.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association also contributed to the workshop by hosting two concurrent sessions. National Wildlife Refuge Association – Who We Are and What We Do! was the title of the first session, led by Marco Aguilar, Chief Operating Officer at the National Wildlife Refuge Association. Attendees in this session learned about the National Wildlife Refuge Association’s focus on protecting, promoting, and enhancing the world’s largest network of lands and waters set aside for wildlife conservation, the 850-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System. The session covered how the National Wildlife Refuge Association addresses Refuge System funding, management, and strategic growth while promoting programs that maximize the Refuge System’s conservation impact.
