Friends Of The Wildlife Corridor

PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND ENHANCE THE WILDLIFE CORRIDORS THAT ENCOMPASS SANTA ANA AND THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES, SO THAT ALL NATIVE ANIMAL AND PLANT LIFE MAINTAIN HEALTHY POPULATIONS, AND SO THE WILDLIFE CORRIDORS ARE PRESERVED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

TO CREATE HEALTHY NATIVE HABITATS, WE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN A REVEGETATION PROGRAM WHICH PLANTS BETWEEN 50,000 AND 250,000 SEEDLINGS A YEAR. THIS YEAR, WE HIRED A COMPANY THAT PLANTED 80,850 TREES ON TWO PLOTS OF LAND. IN ADDITION, MOST YEARS WE ORGANIZE AND PARTICIPATE IN RIO REFORESTATION, A YEARLY PLANTING EVENT THAT DRAWS UP TO A THOUSAND PARTICIPANTS A YEAR. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPETEMBER 30, 2023, WE WERE UNABLE TO HOLD THIS EVENT DUE TO COVID. BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR THOUGH, WE WERE PLANNING AND PURCHASING TREES FOR THE RIO REFORESTATION EVENT THAT WE HELD IN NOVEMBER OF 2023.

WE ARE RAISING AWARENESS OF THE CRITICAL ROLE WILDLIFE CORRIDORS PLAY IN MAINTINING THE BIODIVERSITY OF ECOSYSTEMS BY ADVOCATING FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE VITAL HABITATS THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, EDUCATION, AND CONSERVATION INITIATIVES. AS EXAMPLES, THIS YEAR WE HOSTED A RUN AT THE REFUGE WHICH DREW IN ABOUT 150 RUNNERS. WE OPERATED OUR NATURE STORE WHERE OUR VOLUNTEERS CAN ANSWER THE PUBLICS QUESTIONS. WE AIDED THE PLANTING OF A GARDEN AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE HARM DONE TO WILDLIFE WHEN BORDER WALLS ARE BUILT THROUGH WILDLIFE REFUGES. WE SEND OUT A QUARTERLY NEWLETTER THAT INCLUDES A REPORT ON THE REFUGE, INFORMATION ON CONSERVATION ISSUES, AND NATURE RELATED ARTICLES.

WHEN POSSIBLE, WE PURCHASE SMALL TRACTS OF LAND FOR SUBSEQUENT INCORPORATION INTO THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. THIS YEAR, TWO TRACTS THAT WE PURCHASED IN A PREVIOUS YEAR WERE SOLD TO THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE AND WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. IN ADDITION, WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF HELPING OUR SISTER REFUGE, THE LAGUNA ATASOCSA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, PURCHASE A 220 ACRE PIECE OF LAND TO BE ADDED TO THEIR REFUGE SYSTEM. THIS PURCHASE OCCURED IN OCTOBER OF 2023.WE ACTIVELY LOOK FOR GRANTS TO HELP US IN OUR GOALS. THIS YEAR, WE RECEIVED TWO GRANTS THAT TOTALLED $20,125 TO HELP WITH THE RIO REFORESTATION EVENT THAT OCCURED IN NOVEMBER OF 2023 AND THREE GRANTS THAT TOTALLED TO $99,608 TO PURCHASE AND PLANT SEEDLINGS ON OTHER REFUGE REVEGITATION SITES.