Gulf Restoration: A Win for Wildlife and the Economy

November 16 – The 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion sent more than 200 million gallons of oil and large quantities of hydrocarbon gas into an ecosystem already weakened by years of wetlands degradation. More than two years later, hundreds of miles of coastline from the Florida panhandle to the Mississippi River Delta still have visible oil and it may be decades before the spill’s full impacts are understood.

The U.S. Justice Department has reportedly reached a $4.5 billion criminal settlement with BP over the 2010 Gulf oil disaster. Under the Clean Water Act, BP could owe as much as $21 billion for its role in the disaster. (BP also violated a host of additional federal laws; the company’s total federal liability will likely be far higher.)

BP Criminal Settlement a Good Down Payment, Not the End of the Line

November 15 – The U.S. Justice Department has reportedly reached a $4.5 billion criminal settlement with BP over the 2010 Gulf oil disaster. The Deepwater Horizon rig explosion killed 11 workers and sent more than 200 million gallons of oil and other hydrocarbons into the Gulf of Mexico, with hundreds of dolphins and sea turtles and thousands of birds being found dead in the disaster zone.

Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, said today:

“This is a good down payment on the massive restoration needed for the Gulf’s ecosystems and the people and communities that depend on them. There’s still a lot of work to be done when it comes to penalizing the parties responsible for the Gulf oil disaster through the civil provisions of the Oil Pollution Act and the Clean Water Act, but this criminal settlement marks important progress and devotes much-needed resources toward restoration.

Ranger Rick Celebrates 50 Years with Debut of New Ranger Rick Jr. Magazine and “Ranger Rick Jr. Appventures”

November 15 - National Wildlife Federation, publisher of Ranger Rick, one of the longest-running, most successful children’s magazines of all time, announces that the Ranger Rick brand will include print and digital fun for younger children, too! For the first time in Ranger Rick’s 50-year history, beginning readers can receive a Ranger Rick-branded magazine specially designed for their interests and reading skills. Ranger Rick Jr. is a new, colorful print magazine packed with intriguing facts and world-class animal photography. But that’s not all.“Ranger Rick Jr. Appventures – Lions!” is a cutting-edge storybook app for the iPad designed for kids to explore, create, and play their way through incredible animal adventures.

“If your child loves animals, he or she will love Ranger Rick Jr. magazine,” said Lori Collins, Editor of Ranger Rick Jr. “The magazine’s dazzling wildlife photos and simple, easy-to-follow text make it the perfect first magazine for any young animal lover.”

As Budget Talks Heat Up, Great Lakes Advocates Urge Public Officials to Hold the Line against Cuts to Restoration Programs

November 14 – A week after the re-election of President Barack Obama and amidst federal budget negotiations to stave off across-the-board reductions to government programs, Great Lakes advocates are urging the nation’s leaders to hold the line against cuts to successful programs that are restoring the Lakes, the source of drinking water for 30 million people.

“President Obama’s support for Great Lakes programs has been invaluable, and we challenge him to maintain his commitment to the Lakes,” said Jeff Skelding, campaign director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition.

New Poll: Sandy Fuels Widespread Concern on Climate Change

November 14 – Superstorm Sandy is fueling concerns about climate change and how it’s inflating the costs and risks of extreme weather, according to a new post-election poll from Zogby Analytics. The poll shows key voting groups in the 2012 election – Hispanics, women, young voters – are among those most concerned with confronting climate change now and protecting America’s air, water, wildlife and other natural resources.

“These results show the dramatic impact 2012′s extreme weather has had across party lines, with half of Republicans, 73 percent of independents and 82 percent of Democrats saying they’re worried about the growing cost and risks of extreme weather disasters fueled by climate change,” said Pollster John Zogby.

American College Campuses Getting Even Greener

November 13 – Colleges and universities around the country are making a substantial investment in the sustainability of their campuses according to new information from the National Wildlife Federation. These innovative efforts, from renewable energy systems to campus organic farms, can now be seen in a single online resource from NWF.

National Wildlife Federation’s campus sustainability case study database, the only resource of its kind, is available online now at www.nwf.org/2012campuscasestudies thanks in part to the support of The Kendeda Fund. More than one hundred new case studies highlight efforts to dramatically reduce pollution, waste, and costs, including recycling, energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy installations and green jobs training programs.

And here are highlights from NWF in the News:

• The Washington Post: National Wildlife Federation’s Ranger Rick turns 50; raccoon character relaunches
• Entertainment Weekly: NWF’s Ranger Rick Celebrates 50th birthday and gets a new pal and a new app-EXCLUSIVE VIDEO
• Los Angeles Times: ’BP lied to me’ and the nation about the oil spill, lawmaker says
• Forbes: After Sandy, Poll Shows GOP Faces Growing Environmental Divide with Voters
• The Chronicle: Environmental group sues NY over ballast rules
• Propublica: Pipelines Explained: How Safe are America’s 2.5 Million Miles of Pipelines?

For more, visit www.nwf.org/News

National Wildlife Federation Partnership Wins Prestigious Department of Interior Award

September 22 – A National Wildlife Federation partnership was honored with the Department of Interior’s Partners in Conservation Award for its guidebook, Scanning the Conservation Horizon: A Guide to Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment.

The award is the highest distinction granted by the Secretary of Interior and recognizes innovative collaborations on natural resource goals. The U.S. Geological Survey, one of the partners for the guide, nominated the collaborative effort for the award.

“This Isn’t a Partisan Issue”: Sen. Udall, Rep. Kind Make the Case for Healthy Kids Outdoors

September 22 – At a congressional briefing today on the benefits of reconnecting Americans with the outdoors, Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) and Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) announced their intention to introduce Senate and House versions of the Healthy Kids Outdoors Act (HKOA) sometime in the near future.

The bill would support state, local and federal strategies to connect America’s youth with the outdoors through natural play; outdoor recreation like camping, hiking, hunting and fishing; public health plans; outdoor learning environments; service learning and other initiatives.

Pointing to a rise in childhood obesity rates and other health problems related to sedentary (and mostly indoor) lifestyles, Sen. Udall, chairman of the Senate’s Subcommittee on National Parks and co-chairman of the bipartisan Senate Outdoor Recreation Caucus, served notice that the work of getting kids out into nature need not be an occasion for factional squabbling.

NWF Partners with New Movie About Amazing Dolphin

September 22 – National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has teamed up with the Warner Bros. Pictures and Alcon Entertainment film Dolphin Tale to inspire kids and families to learn about dolphins and protect ocean habitat. Dolphin Tale opens nationwide on September 23, with NWF serving as the production’s environmental education partner.

The film is inspired by the amazing true story of a brave dolphin and the people who worked together to save her life. After being caught in a crab trap, the bottlenose dolphin, later named Winter, is rescued but loses her tail. A dedicated marine biologist, a brilliant doctor and a devoted young boy bring about a miracle: a prosthetic tail to help Winter swim again.

Gulf Groups Praise Senate Committee for Approving Gulf Restoration Bill

September 21 -A coalition of six groups supporting Gulf restoration praised the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee for approving legislation today, the RESTORE the Gulf Coast States Act, with a strong showing of bipartisan support. The bill passed by voice vote with only three requested no’s recorded.

The legislation would ensure that penalties paid by BP and others responsible for last year’s Gulf oil disaster are used to restore the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, barrier islands, dunes, coastal wetlands, and economy of the Gulf Coast; and the economies of communities and the region that were impacted by the spill.

And here are highlights from NWF in the News:

• Star-Tribune: Status of some sea turtles changes from threatened to endangered
• Houston Chronicle: TCEQ rules exacerbate drought’s impact on Galveston Bay (oped)
• KOTA Radio: Pipeline Controversy 

For more, visit www.nwf.org/News

Caernarvon Delta, August 2011 (NWF staff photo)

By Maura Wood, National Wildlife Federation Coastal Louisiana Senior Outreach Coordinator

Our boat left the canal, rounded a small spit of land, and emerged into the outfall area of the Caernarvon freshwater diversion, known as Big Mar – Big Sea. Situated in the last big bend of the Mississippi River about a half an hour drive south of New Orleans, this failed agricultural enterprise of the past shows up on satellite photos as a big square lake. Recent imagery had suggested that perhaps some mud shoals had developed as a result of the diversion.

But today, I wasn’t looking at mud shoals. I was looking at acres of bushy, green, growing, happy vegetation. This couldn’t be Big Mar.  This was “Big Mar-sh”!

Caernarvon is the diversion everybody loves to hate.  “It doesn’t work,” they say.  “It hasn’t built land. What good is it?”

I always sigh when I hear that. Diversions should be a way of reconnecting the water and sediment of the Mississippi River, constrained within levees, with the nearby marshes which, pre-levee, were built and sustained by annual flooding of the river. Caernarvon is not that kind of sediment diversion, it is a freshwater diversion only, designed to lower salinities in an area where saltwater had intruded. Although the water of the Mississippi River contains lots of mud and sand, this diversion project didn’t focus on land-building, and was built instead to provide fresh water to a basin being inundated with salt.

But sitting in the boat, in an area that could no longer be referred to as a sea but rather a sea of plants, we were stunned at what the river had wrought. “This is more than I ever expected,” said John Lopez, a seasoned wetland scientist and executive director of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation. “This is phenomenal.”

David Muth, the National Wildlife Federation’s Louisiana state director, reached into the shallow water and grabbed a handful from the bottom. “It is mixed sand and silt. Once these plants become established, this marsh will not be washing away in the next hurricane, the way nearby organic soils did in Katrina. This is solid ground.”

So even though the design and intention of this particular diversion hadn’t encouraged it to, the Mississippi River had done what it does – build land. Caernarvon was opened in 1990 and over the years, it’s transported and deposited sand and mud into Big Mar, a little at a time, year after year.

Small areas of land began emerging after Hurricane Katrina. Big flood years on the river in spring 2008 and 2010 provided extra amounts of sediment, and the extended opening of the diversion during the oil spill a year ago might have contributed additional sediment as well, so that when the water receded, more land emerged. And in south Louisiana, it doesn’t take long for plants to take root, grow, and enhance land-building by trapping and holding even more sediment. The spring and summer of 2011 did the trick, and what looked promising a year ago looked spectacular today.

Our boat captains and Chris Macaluso of the Louisiana Wildlife Federation, NWF’s state affiliate, pointed to seed heads on the marshy plants that will feed flocks of ducks in the near future. A few blue-winged teal and mottled ducks served as tantalizing harbingers of the hundreds to follow.

On some of the higher areas, small trees demonstrated the progression of vegetation and habitats that can be expected as land continues to build and emerge from the water. David Muth probed the muddy bottom with a measuring pole to determine water depths – 6 inches, 12 inches, 6 inches – in an area originally several feet deep. It won’t be many more years before we can expect those shallow areas to fill and even more land to emerge. Check out comparison photos in this Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation report (PDF).

The National Wildlife Federation is committed to restoring a sustainable coast in Louisiana, and the capacity of the Mississippi River to transport sand and build land is a powerful tool. Our trip to Caernarvon provided a first-hand re-affirmation, once again, of this power.  At Caernarvon, we didn’t particularly help the River, and it took a long time, but it is doing what the river does – transporting and depositing sand, and building land.

Imagine what a diversion can do that is built to enhance this capacity? We are now capable of marsh-building diversions, that focus on capturing high concentrations of sediment.

So enough about “Caernarvon doesn’t work.” Caernarvon is showing us that the Mississippi River builds land. It always has, and it always will.

Take Action

It’s been over a year since the Gulf oil spill disaster began – and Congress has yet to require that BP fines from the horrific spill actually go back toward restoring the Gulf of Mexico. Please take a moment to ask your members of Congress to make a national commitment to Mississippi River Delta restoration.

Keystone XL Meetings Should Focus on Toxics Disclosure, NWF Says

July 22 – The State Department has announced their next steps on the review process for the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. The announcement detailed where public meetings would occur, gave an approximate time of mid-August for issuance of the controversial final environmental impact statement, and other procedural details. For the first time, the agency emphasized that its review process takes precedent over an artificial deadline.

Gulf Senators Praised for Cosponsoring Bill to Restore Gulf

July 21 – A coalition of organizations supporting Gulf restoration celebrated news today that a bipartisan coalition of Gulf senators is cosponsoring the RESTORE Gulf Coast States Act. The legislation seeks to ensure that penalties paid by BP and others responsible for last year’s Gulf oil disaster are used to help restore the region’s communities, economies and environments instead of going to unrelated federal spending.

Coalition Opposes Funding Bill that Guts Great Lakes Programs

July 20 – The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition today announced its strong opposition to a House spending bill that guts programs to restore the Great Lakes and prevent sewage contamination. The bill also contains a laundry list of harmful policy riders that undermine the nation’s efforts to restore the Great Lakes and all our nation’s great waters, protect water quality, and prevent the introduction of aquatic invasive species.

More Than 600,000 Americans Support Strong Mercury Pollution Safeguards

July 19 – The National Wildlife Federation joined with a coalition of public health, faith, and conservation groups today to deliver more than 617,000 letters from Americans supporting strong mercury safeguards to the Environmental Protection Agency Region One office in Boston. These comments, collected from every state in the nation, support the EPA in their efforts to curb dangerous mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants. A coalition of more than 200 health, environmental and social justice organizations worked together to make this impressive show of support possible.

And here are highlights from NWF in the News:

• The Missoulian: Judge Stops Transport of Giant Oilfield Equipment Through Western Montana
• The Colorado Independent: Energy boom hurting deer, antelope herds

For more, visit www.nwf.org/News

Click here to view the embedded video.

Built a Quarter Mile of Oyster Reef in Mobile, Alabama

Kicking off the first event with chilly, overcast conditions on January 22^nd and 23^rd, over 500 volunteers from Alabama and across the country came together in Mobile bay to foster the beginnings of oyster reefs. 16,000 bags of oyster shells were carefully dispersed along the shore with the goal of building 100 new miles of oyster reefs and 1000 miles of replanted marshlands along the Gulf in Alabama to make Alabama’s coastal areas more resilient to impacts from hurricanes, oil spill accidents, and climate change. The work was the result of a collaboration of more than 20 public and private partners including National Wildlife Federation, Nature Conservancy and NOAA.

Restored Native Ground Cover at Bald Point State Park

Next, volunteers gathered at Bald Point State Park on Florida’s Gulf Coast.  Park Ranger Kevin Patton introduced us to our work site for the next two days and we successfully worked in teams and planted 5,000 wiregrass plugs and disperse a dozen bags of seed. Bald Eagles and other migrating raptors, along with monarch butterflies use this area to rest before continuing south for the winter.  It is imperative to keep these lands healthy. Additionally, the Florida Wildlife Federation gathered signatures to petition for a constitutional amendment to prohibit oil and gas drilling in Florida’s near-shore waters.

Restored Dunes to Protect Nesting Wildlife at Perdido Key State Park

Next up, dune restoration in Perdido Key, Florida!  Joined by over 75 volunteers including the US Navy and Air Force at Pensacola, combed the beach to protect the critical habitat of residential and migratory nesting wildlife such as turtles and birds!  As the oil washed up on miles of beaches along the Gulf Coast, Perdido Key, home of the endangered Beach Mouse felt heavy impacts. Volunteers worked as temperatures reached the high 80s to rebuild and protect an important dune boundary to help native grasses and habitat for nesting shore birds, turtles, and the native beach mouse.

Conserved Acres of Beach and Recreation Trails

On March 25^th our next event was about 2 hours East of Perdido Key at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. University of California at Berkley students dedicated their spring break time away from examinations and study sessions to engage in hands on restoration work on some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Joined by South Walton Community locals, we were able to accomplish clearing and marking 6 hiking trails, installing signs and effectively roping off over 3 miles of beach to protect the dunes and wildlife who nest there, and remove invasive exotic plant species to allow for native pitcher plant growth.

Restored the Marshes of Mississippi

Over 30 volunteers worked in Ansley Marsh which borders the Gulf and is a haven for migratory birds and many alligators.  Volunteers toiled in the sun with many insect friends to remove debris from Hurricane Katrina, plant marsh grasses and work on the removal of the very invasive Chinese tallow tree (popcorn tree).  The marsh is part of the gateway system protecting the open waters of the gulf from the shoreline homes of MS coastal communities.

Rebuilt Marsh in Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge

Last stop – West to Louisiana!  Tasked with planting over 20,000 grasses over two events (four days), National Wildlife Federation partnered with US Fish and Wildlife Service and  the Louisiana Wildlife Federation to make this goal a reality.  Just outside of New Orleans, Volunteers traveled to Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge to plant marsh grasses to restore lost habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife species.  This event almost fell exactly on the one year mark of the Gulf oil disaster. Ben Weber, NWF’s Oil Spill Response Coordinator for the Western Gulf said “Heightened public awareness, volunteer enthusiasm and support from NWF members is making a big impact.” On April 15^th and 16^th and over Memorial Day weekend, volunteers worked in high water levels on uneven muck and mud to space plants across the water five feet apart.  Mary Swantek who traveled with a group of 15 volunteers weighed in on her experience, “Working in the marsh just outside of New Orleans was a once in a life time experience.  We not only took an air boat ride to get to the work site but were surrounded by all kinds of wildlife, it was absolutely beautiful.  Crawling in 4 to 6 inches of water and planting marsh grasses was a bit intimidating at first but with adrenaline running high we were all there for one reason… to protect these lands and protect wildlife!” Margaret Mead once said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.   Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” Having had the opportunity to organize and travel to work hands on at several of these events, this quote takes on a new meaning for me.  The level of commitment, enthusiasm, and dedication to wildlife and wild spaces from volunteers who traveled near and far to work with National Wildlife Federation is astounding.  It is indisputable that our hard work from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, to Florida made a difference to local habitat and wildlife.

UPDATE: On June 25, 50 volunteers planted 1,600 black mangroves in Grand Isle, LA as part of the the Gulf Coast recovery effort.

Click here to view the embedded video.

On April 20^th, 2010, as many American’s watched their TV sets in utter disbelief as oil poured into the Gulf of Mexico, a group of college students were planning their trip to come help!  As we reach the one year anniversary of the oil spill, the University of California at Berkley students joined National Wildlife Federation and dedicated their spring break time away from examinations and study sessions to engage in restoration events in Florida.

On March 25th, a dozen students traveled more than 2,000 miles to volunteer at local state parks in Florida. Their high energy, hard work, and determination was certainly felt by all at National Wildlife Federation’s Gulf Restoration Event at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park.  The importance of restoration and maintaining Florida’s Gulf coast also resonated with locals who call the Gulf home.  South Walton Community members joined us and together, we were able to accomplish properly marking 6 trails, installing signs and effectively roping off over 3 miles of beach to protect the dunes and wildlife, and removing invasive exotic plant species to allow for native pitcher plant growth.

The volunteer events in Florida (Bald Point State Park, Perdido Key State Park, and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park) have all been a true testament that hard work, dedication, team work, and some suntan lotion and bug spray, can lead to tremendous improvements for wildlife who call these parks home. 

As our restoration events are now moving west we need your help now more than ever!  Tasked with planting 23,000 grasses over two, two day events, our National Wildlife Federation team is partnering with the Louisiana Wildlife Federation to make this goal a reality.  Our next event will take place at Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, just outside New Orleans.  Planting marsh grasses will restore lost habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife species and we need your help!

Join us April 15^th and 16^th and or May 27^th and 28^th – Together we can meet our goal to plant 23,000 plant species!

Sign up today!  See you in Louisiana!

Perdido Key Beach Mouse photo by Nicholas R. Holler, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

National Wildlife Federation’s Eliza Russell just emailed from Florida’s Perdido Key, where tomorrow, she and a group of volunteers will be preparing the dunes for nesting season.

This event is part of our Gulf Coast volunteer restoration effort to help wildlife and habitat impacted by the Gulf oil disaster.

What’s on the schedule for tomorrow’s volunteers?

“We are moving the dune boundary out about 5 to 8 feet to help the native grasses and habitat for nesting shore birds, turtles and a special species–the Perdido Key beach mouse,” she said.

In walking the area with the park host, Eliza heard about their need for help regaining more habitat.

Photo taken March 10, 2011 on Perdido Key, near NWF's dune restoration project.

“They are very grateful to be able to accomplish the re-posting and re-protecting of the dunes in a day,” she said. “The project usually takes them many weeks with their limited staff. This is really important, especially with nesting season just around the corner.”

Eliza also snapped a photo of a BP cleanup station (see right), still at work dredging and removing oil from the beach.

“We’re all very excited to help Perdido Key,” Eliza said. “This park and its neighbor parks needs our help. As do the wildlife.”

Read more about “The Nature of Perdido Key Beach Dune Habitat” >>

Saturday Update – 2:30 p.m.

From Eliza: “Forty-five volunteers–including 30 from Pensacola’s Naval Air Station–have rolled up their sleeves today to extend and rope off sand dunes along Perdido Key. More than 1 mile of posting was done by lunch. By 2 p.m., the next mile was almost done. The rangers are shocked be everyone’s dedication. Our long distance winners are a mother and daughter from Orlando (7 hours away). The dunes are almost ready for the incoming wave of shore birds and turtles. Lots of smiling faces doing hard work. That is what NWF does best!”

Find out how to volunteer with National Wildlife Federation’s Gulf Coast Restoration Effort >>

Volunteers traveled from as far as Cape Coral – 400 miles away – to roll up their sleeves and get to work!  Florida Wildlife Federation also joined us from Tallahassee to engage in the days activities and also had available a petition to sign for a constitutional amendment to prohibit oil and gas drilling in Florida’s near-shore waters.

NWF volunteers raking the soil and planting wiregrass seed

Engulfed in a faint familiar campfire aroma, Park Ranger Kevin Patton welcomed us to Bald Point State Park and introduced us to its complex ecosystems. Known as the “lightning capital of the world,” Florida frequently has natural wildfires.  Subsequently, Florida is home to many fire adapted and dependent species, and Kevin thoroughly explained the importance of prescribed burns at the park, informing us that, “wiregrass will only produce viable seed if you burn it through lightning season — May through July.”

Halfway through the day, we gathered for every volunteers’ favorite pastime – lunch!  We took the opportunity to cool down, fuel up and get to know one another on a personal level. During this time, we discovered amongst us a professor, a PhD student, a cave diver and a full time mom—and perhaps most remarkably, a couple married for over 48 years!

Hardworking couple Phil and Cecilia

Their tip for a long, healthy marriage?  Volunteer together as often as possible! Cecilia enlightened us, “Marriage is all about working towards a common goal. That’s the same attitude we have towards the volunteer work we do together. Why stay home and get old when we get out and make a difference?”

Park Ranger Kevin Patton with a box of wiregrass plugs ready to be planted

After lunch, our volunteers plowed full steam ahead, finishing the planting of more than 5,000 wiregrass plugs, exceeding the Park rangers’ expectation for the entire weekend!

While rain is seldom seen as a positive in the world of volunteerism, the overnight thunderstorms couldn’t have been better timed; watering our recently planted grass plugs, leaving us with the perfect conditions to lay down raw seeds. ‘No-see-ums’ (tiny biting bugs that can quickly become the bane of a volunteer’s existence) were out in full force, but that didn’t stop our hard working volunteers from showing up enthusiastic and ready to work on day two.

Marshland nearby kept us all alert as alligators and black bears call this land home.  Much time was spent discussing the hypothetical “what if’s?” and as the weekend was winding down, we were thrilled and relieved that our only encounter was with little spring peeper frogs. After the last grass plugs were planted, the last seed scattered and the last tuft of wiregrass trimmed, we spent time reflecting on the past two days.

Photo taken by volunteer Walter Pickel

As the sun set on our last day, we all left the park with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and a greater knowledge of the local forest ecology.  In the end, we all had a better understanding of how our work fit into the larger restoration picture, and left with a well deserved (and gratifying) feeling of fatigue, which made our bug bites itch a bit less and the soreness in our legs a lot more tolerable.

Read this news article for additional details about our experience at Bald Point State Park!

Join NWF at our next event at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park or at a event later this spring! Learn more on the NWF website.

Oyster Reef Restoration Volunteer Event Jan. 2011

While most Americans were glued to their TV sets watching in horror as oil spewed into the Gulf, NWF was taking aggressive measures to raise awareness, demand sound science, and protect human health, wildlife, and fragile habitat.  As we approach the one year anniversary of the BP oil disaster, NWF is still working hard to ensure the health and growth of vital habitat.  

Our commitment to the Gulf continues through partnerships with various state parks along Florida’s coastline.  One week from today, our first event kicks off just south of Tallahassee in Bald Point State Park.

Photo courtesy of volunteer Eric Richards

Can’t dust off the Georgia boots in time?  We need volunteers throughout the month of March to assist with habitat restoration located in: 

• Bald Point State Park (Alligator Point, FL)

• Perdido Key State Park (Pensacola, FL)

• Topsail Hill Preserve State Park (Santa Rosa Beach, FL)

Keep checking back for more opportunities to volunteer this spring!   

So come join me and volunteers from near and far, in rolling up our sleeves to make a difference for nature and wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico.