24th Annual Wildlife Festival at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge

Description

Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge 17076  293rd Avenue Zimmerman, MN 55398 (763) 389-3323 Fax: (763) 389-3493 http://www.fws.gov/midwest/sherburne   
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:  Steve Karel, Project Leader 763-389-3323 X101
24th Annual Wildlife Festival at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge  Saturday, September 30, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m

Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and the Friends of Sherburne invite you to their 24th Annual Wildlife Festival on Saturday, September 30, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., which honors National Wildlife Refuge Week (Oct. 8th-15th) and National Public Lands Day (Sept. 30th). This year’s festival celebrates education--teaching the public what happens at the refuge day-to-day, highlighting why Sherburne NWR is such a special place, and inviting visitors to get involved.
 
The refuge’s Oak Savanna Learning Center will be the setting for all of the festival’s activities. At 11:00 a.m., staff from the Audubon Center of the North Woods will use live animals to present a program called the “Raptors by Family”. At 1:00 p.m., wildlife artist/painter, Gary Moss, will tell the story of his career, his connection to Sherburne, and his process for creating the new murals that will be displayed in the lobby of the Oak Savanna Learning Center.  
 
The trails surrounding the Oak Savanna Learning Center, completed this summer, are packed granite and ADA compliant. At the festival, you can enjoy multiple wildlife booths set along these trails. Make sure to check out the fun, hands-on activities at each booth; try your hand at archery or air-rifle, ride-along on a horse-drawn wagon ride, or get up close to aquatic invertebrates at the dip-netting booth. Don’t forget to check out the Turn
News Release U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
in Poachers (TIP) “Wall of Shame” trailer or the display of beautiful photographs of the refuge from the 3rd Annual K-12 nature photography contest.   Several refuge service roads will be open to vehicle traffic from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to provide visitors a rare opportunity to see areas of the refuge that are not normally open to public vehicle travel.  
 
Two food trucks will be on site to serve a variety of food at a reasonable cost. A birthday cake in honor of the refuge’s 52nd year will be served at 12:30 p.m., free of charge.  The Friends will hold a silent auction with bidding open until 2:30 p.m.  Proceeds go toward environmental education and other refuge projects.
 
The Oak Savanna Learning Center is located ¼ mile west of refuge headquarters off Sherburne County Road 9 at 16797 289th Ave NW, Zimmerman, MN 55398; look for event signs.  For more information contact Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge at (763) 389-3323.
 
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to providing access to this program for all participants.  Direct all requests for sign language interpreting services, close captioning, or other accommodation needs to Jessica Nelson at Jessica_Nelson@fws.gov or 762-389-3323, TTY 800-877-8339. Please submit your request by close of business on September 22, 2017.
 
Sherburne Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and is located near the cities of Princeton, Zimmerman, and St. Cloud in central Minnesota.  Website:  http://www.fws.gov/refuge/sherburne/.
 
The mission of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.  We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service.  For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov.