2 0  2  3    M  I  D  -  S  U  M  M  E  R     N  E  W  S  L  E  T  T  E  R

Things continue to move forward for the Green River National Wildlife Refuge and the Friends of Green River National Wildlife Refuge, group.  The Friends held another successful art auction event at the Farmer and Frenchman Winery on September 29, 2022.  A great tip of the hat and great thanks goes to Jule McClellan for acting as the Arts Chair for this event for the Friends group; as well as the National Art Exhibit held at the Sullivan Center at Henderson Community College, later in the month.  The art works on display at both events were outstanding!  We will not be holding an in person Art Auction in the fall of 2023; but, we are working on developing an online Art Auction Event for later in the fall or early winter.

Looking into the future; the USFWS has acquired some more lands as you will see in Michael Johnson’s report, (below); and, they are actively working with other willing sellers on other acquisitions to expand the footprint of the Refuge.  

The Friends began working with a new technical person David E. Meyers, (a former Henderson resident) on our website and hope to improve its content, expand its access and become a better communication tool to the public, in the future. 

That website is:    friendsgreenrivernwr.org

We held our first “on the ground habitat event” this spring with the reforestation of a small plot and also cost shared the input cost of planting a “pollinator plot” of native wildflowers and grasses.   We want to thank the Henderson County High School FFA Class for their assistance in planting few thousand tree seedlings for a future forest cover on the plot near the Headquarters building. 

We need the community to be involved in this refuge and to tell us what activities that they would like to see the Friends group participate in?  In that regard, please tell you neighbors, friends and relatives about our group.  The word of mouth is the best communication method to increase our public involvement.  You will find a membership application is on the last page of this newsletter; please feel free to share this newsletter and the membership application with anyone that you think would be interested in the Refuge and it becoming an important part of the community.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has a frequently updated map on their website to keep the public aware of acquisitions, information and activities.

The website is:  https://www.fws.gov/refuge/green-river

As President, I want to formally thank the Officers and Board Members for their time, input, active participation and guidance of the Friends group.   They understand the future value of this project to the community.  If you have an interest in becoming more involved please feel free to contact me or Mike Morton, (his contact information is in the Secretary’s Report below).

Be thankful for the freedoms we enjoy and the opportunities for our future generations.

I thank you for your support of the Friends of Green River National Wildlife Refuge.

Chase Fulcher, President

Federal “Duck Stamp Monies” are coming to two wildlife refuges in Western Kentucky, in 2023.  The two National Wildlife Refuges in Kentucky will receive almost $18 million from the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, to buy several thousands of acres to protect waterfowl habitat in the Kentucky. 

In a news release, dated April 27, 2023, from the U.S. Department of the Interior stated that the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission awarded almost $11.4 million to the Green River National Wildlife Refuge in Henderson County to purchase 1,335 acres for new habitat. Also, the Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge in McCracken, Marshall and Graves counties will be receiving almost $6.6 million to buy 2,482 acres.  The millions of dollars for Kentucky’s refuges and three other refuges in New Hampshire, Louisiana and Washington comes primarily from the sale of “Duck Stamps” or specialized postage stamps featuring artwork of waterfowl, along with taxes collected on imported arms and ammunition.

These two wildlife refuges are the only national refuges in Kentucky!  The Green River National Wildlife Refuge was started with a 10-acre land donation to the USFWS, in 2019. The refuge and presently consists of approximately 700 acres; this new funding’s will almost triple size of Green River National Wildlife Refuge and make a significant contribution to the Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge; and, will be use to provide additional lands in protecting migratory birds, bottomland hardwood trees and other wildlife.

Chase Fulcher, the president of the volunteer group “Friends of Green River National Wildlife Refuge”, said that this funding could be “transformational” for Henderson County and also in growing the conservation efforts for future generations in the region.  The fact that Duck Stamp Money is coming back here is a really big thing!  As, this is the first time that Kentucky has received Duck Stamp funds, for land acquisition.  

Additionally this is something that everyone can use not just the hunters who have paid the way for the project(s).  The goal of the USFWS, along with the Friends of Green River National Wildlife Refuge is to be able to acquire up to 23,000 acres from willing sellers within a 50,000+ acre area and to be composed of other land management partnerships, conservation minded management practices and projects.

The Friends of Green River National Wildlife Refuge hosted its first “on the ground habitat event” on Arbor Day, April 28, 2023.  The Friends working in cooperation with the USFWS staff from Green River National Wildlife Refuge planted approximately 6 acres to bottomland hardwood tree seedlings and have cost shared the input cost to also plant approximately 3 acres to other wildlife friendly “pollinator habits” by using specialized native seeds from a large variety of species of blooming plants; which will benefit pollinators such as:  hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, some species of wasp and the other wildlife that depend on these birds and insects.

This reforestation field activity was accomplished with assistance of the Future Farmers of America, (FFA) class from Henderson County High School, in Henderson Kentucky.  Nineteen FFA members assisted the Friends group and the USFWS staff with planting almost 3,000 tree seedlings by both hand tools and a machine setter.  The FFA members got instruction in the proper ways to plant hardwood tree seedlings and the different methods that can be used to plant them.  The Friends of Green River want to formally thank the FFA group volunteers for their participation in the project.  “This is something that they can return to in future years and know that they had a hand in putting a future forest on the ground for theirs and future generations”, Fulcher said.    “This is also something that we want to do more off, soon!”  

One of our sponsor members donated 3 hand grown-out Kentucky Coffee trees to the Green River NWR.  This is a native Kentucky species that has not been doing well in the state over the past several decades.  Two were planted near the office building and one near the other Arbor Day planting site.  The Friends have acquired some additional planting materials for the sponsor member and he hopes to provide many more Kentucky Coffee tree seedlings to the Friends for planting on the Green River National Wildlife Refuge in the future.

Things continue to move forward on the Green River National Wildlife Refuge, as you can see from the various section reports.  The Friends have completed a first “on the ground habitat project”; and, we hope that is only one of many more to accomplish in the future.

The USFWS has made a large acquisition in 2023 and another, smaller, acquisition is soon to be closed later in the year. 

The Friends group is sending out reminders about membership dues renewals.   Please renew!  This is our strength in the community about the importance of the Green River National Wildlife Refuge for our future generations.

Many members of the Friends of Green River National Wildlife Refuge have joined the group with approximate mid-summer membership dates.  Now is the time to renew those memberships and the Friends group is also hoping to increase its membership with its annual membership drive.   Below is a Friends membership form that can be used for both new and renewing memberships.  Please feel free to share this newsletter with anyone who has an interest in conservation activities and providing something for our future generations. 

Annual dues : $50.00 : Receives a newsletters and a T-shirt

Annual  Sponsor : $300.00 : Receives a newsletters a T-shirt and one ticket to annual event

Gold Sponsor : $500.00 : Received a newsletters a Polo shirt and two tickets to annual event

Platinum Sponsor : $1,000.00 : Received a newsletters a Polo shirt and two tickets to annual event

Life Sponsor : $5,000.00 (May be paid in 5 - $1,000 contributions, over 5 years : Receives a newsletters, a Polo shirt, a wall plaque and two tickets to annual event(s) for life of group

Be sure to list shirt size:

____________________________________________         

Name:

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Address:

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Email address: 

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Phone Number:

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Please make Checks payable to:
Friends of Green River NWR

And mail to:

Mike Morton, Secretary

Friends of Green River National Wildlife Refuge

14501 US HWY 41-S

Robards, KY  42452