On April 11, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge will hold its annual Earth Day Litter Pick-Up. Volunteer to come out to the Refuge and work with staff, Friends of Blackwater members, and other volunteers as we clean up Refuge roads to promote the health of the forest and wetlands, and to make the roadsides safe for wildlife. Snacks and drinks will be supplied by the Friends of Blackwater for everyone who comes. In addition, the Friends of Blackwater will give away a special gift to the first 30 people who register for this event! If you'd like to bring your family, we have safe areas where children can help out.

Visit our Earth Day Litter Pick-Up page for more details about the event and registering.

Come to the Blackwater NWR Visitor Center on April 4, 5, or 6 for a free 30-minute talk on Great blue herons. No registration required. Visit our website for more details.

On May 16 and 17, the Friends of Blackwater are holding our annual Wild Goose Chase bike ride in and around Blackwater NWR, which helps raise funds for the Refuge. We are in need of volunteers, and the tasks are pretty varied, such as working registration and raffle tables, to baking cookies and preparing sandwiches for the riders. If you're interested in helping out during this fun event, please contact Maggie Briggs at
maggiebriggs@msn.com for more information.

If you've received a renewal reminder from the Friends of Blackwater recently, we ask that you take a few moments to send in your renewal. 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 program. Please continue to support the Friends as we support one of the best national wildlife refuges in America.