Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge Tour*
*http://www.pwconserve.org/issues/conservation/featherstone
When: Saturday, July 24, 8:00 to 10:30 am
Where: Meet at the Rippon VRE station parking lot, Farm Creek Dr. &
Rippon Blvd, Woodbridge RSVP appreciated to Prince William
Conservation Alliance, 703-499-4954 or alliance@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
For the Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge, 2010 marks the 40th
anniversary of public ownership with no public access. While trail and
other improvements would be positive additions in the future, none are
currently needed to open the Refuge to the public.
In a July 15th letter to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service,
Congressman Gerry Connolly called for immediate action in opening the
Featherstone Refuge to the public. "This Refuge is owned by all
Americans and they should have access to it now," said Connolly in his
letter.
At the start of the July 24 tour, a representative from the US Fish &
Wildlife Service will provide an update on the status of efforts to open
Refuge. The Virginia Dept. of Game & Inland Fisheries, a potential
partner for opening Featherstone, will also be at the tour.
The Featherstone Refuge covers 325 acres of bottomland forests and
freshwater tidal marshes. It's great place to watch birds and other
wildlife. Please join us this Saturday for a special tour of the
Featherstone Refuge and to support opening this important natural area
to the public./
/Tour guides include representatives from the Prince William
Conservation Alliance, Prince William Wildflower Society and Audubon
Society of Northern Virginia. If you could also help lead a group,
please contact Kim Hosen at khosen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
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