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Friends of Blackwater
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Climate.gov published an article about the efforts to save Blackwater NWR from the rising Chesapeake Bay

The Friends of Blackwater are excited to announce that we have three eggs in our Eagle Cam nest, which is located high in a loblolly pine tree at Blackwater NWR. This is our 11th year broadcasting from this nest and this is the earliest that we've seen eggs. Be sure to follow the hatching action on our Eagle Cam web page.

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge will hold a public meeting at the Refuge Visitor Center on Thursday, January 22, at 6:30 p.m. on the Prescribed Fire Management Program. The meeting will explain how prescribed fire is used as a habitat management tool on the Refuge, the science behind the decisions, and the guidelines the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is required to follow when using fire as a management tool. The presentation will cover how the Refuge works with adjoining private landowners to meet mutual goals. It will also include discussion of the challenges the Refuge faces in dealing with wildfire occurrences and how these types of fires are handled.  Refuge Manager Suzanne Baird encourages all interested individuals to join the discussion on January 22. 

The Blackwater NWR staff announced recently that they've closed the popular Marsh Edge Trail at the Refuge because eagles that have nested near the trail in previous years have returned for another season. In order to avoid disturbing the birds, the trail has been closed until the summer, when any eaglets will have fledged.

Please consider joining the Friends of Blackwater. The Friends count on members for support, which enables us to assist with many wonderful projects at Blackwater Refuge, such as the raptor cams, the Visitor Center gift shop, the land and water trails, and the environmental education programs. And if you received a reminder to renew your membership, please renew so we can continue to support one of the best national wildlife refuges in America.