Interesting Events
at McNary National Wildlife Refuge
and the Environmental Education Center

Nancy Spahr informed visitors at the Second Saturday Event about the good, the bad, and the edible - insects. Spahr demonstrated capture techniques. Children and adults alike enjoyed viewing the critters under the scopes. These youngsters made some live captures.
   
Many friends came to dedicate the new tule-mat teepee On June 16, 2001, Rex and Angela Buck of the Wanapum Peoples, created a special dedication ceremony of the tule-mat teepee constructed by eighth grade students from Columbia Middle School in Burbank.
   
Friends of Mid-Columbia River NWRs meet once a month to monitor action Friends of Mid-Columbia River Refuges meet once a month to make goals, check progress, and achieve wishes for the coming years.
   
Volunteers tour HMUs recently turned over to McNary NWR

Volunteers toured areas along the Walla Walla river delta on the Management Units formerly administered by US Corps of Engineers.

 
   
Volunteers enjoy exclusive trip to Toppenish NWR Most informative and interesting are the orientation meetings held for volunteers. Ranger Shine gave a van tour through the Toppenish NWR viewing restoration of wetlands, a project that took five years.
   
Paula Clark scrubs storage area Sometimes volunteers get down and dirty as volunteer, Paula Clark, discovered when cleaning the basement shelves for activity boxes moved from the upstairs room now occupied by refuge staff.
   
Volunteers visit before dinner given by McNary NWR

Volunteers enjoy a social visit on the deck at the Annual Volunteers' Appreciation Dinner on August 24, 2000. Awards were given to long term volunteers for special services on the Mid-Columbia River National Wildlife Refuges and at the McNary Environmental Education Center.
   
Biologist Howard Browers releases a female Mallard duck after banding

August 19, 2000, bird banding marked juvenile birds. Biologist Howard Browers records banded birds in a study to determine if birds return to nest in subsequent seasons. Howard raises a bird to propel it upwards for the safe and successful release.
   
Children are shy of live birds

Children enjoyed ducks closeup and gingerly stroked the feathers of a patient female mallard being prepared for banding.

Nearly a hundred people attended the event which answered many questions about the purpose of the banding.
   
Volunteers were treated to a van trip to Columbia NWR's Crane festival McNary NWR treated volunteers to a van trip to the annual crane festival at the Columbia NWR in Othello.
   
Controlled burn in March 99 clears matted dead plants that could be susceptable to an uncontained wildfire Volunteer Jim Dillman and Ranger Rebecca Chuck stand by to view the controlled burn on the refuge on March 12, 1999. The dead reeds and grasses present a wildfire hazard and their root systems shrink the water surface of the pond.

 

Naomi Sherer