Friends Event

At the Friends monthly meeting last week, it was determined that the Project COMPASS fishing event scheduled for Sept 1 would be difficult to accomplish while maintaining social distancing guidelines. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to assist, hopefully, we will be able to hold our ice fishing event this year, more to come on…

The next Friends of the Refuge Headwaters (FORH) meeting will be held at the Hiawatha Valley Marine Shelter located at 527 West Lake Street in Winona beginning at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, August 26. We have lots to talk about including the upcoming Project COMPASS fishing event and new photo contest. The meeting shouldn’t last…

The next regular Friends of the Refuge Headwaters meeting is Thursday, July 22 beginning at 4:15 p.m. at the Refuge office, 102 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Winona. Click here to open a pdf of the agenda.    

The next scheduled Friends meeting is Thursday, May 27 beginning at 4:15 p.m. at the Refuge office (102 Walnut Street, Suite 205). Click here for the agenda for the meeting. If you would like to attend virtually, please send an email to Friends President Wendy Schneider at [email protected] and she will link you in.  …

Winners in four categories were chosen by judges in the Friends of the Refuge Headwaters’ (FORH) Fall on our Refuge Photo Contest. There were 46 entries in the contest with the top three places in each category receiving cash prizes.  Submitted photos were taken on Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge or Trempealeau…

Just a quick reminder that the deadline to submit photo entries for the Friends of the Refuge Headwaters fall photo contest is next week! Here are a few details: Photos in the following categories will be accepted until December 4, 2020: Scenic Views of the Refuge, Wildlife and Plants of the Refuge, and Connecting People…

The swans are in! The text messages buzz and excited voices relay the information. Friday night, October 23 was a good night for flying if you were a tundra swan. Freezing temperatures turned water to ice at all points north signaling to migrating waterfowl that it was time to move on. Reports from Winona and…

The next Friends of the Refuge Headwaters (FORH) meeting will be held at the Hiawatha Valley Marine Shelter located at 527 West Lake Street in Winona beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 22. Hopefully it won’t be too cold! Topics will include how to hold future meetings, winter events (kids ice fishing), results of…

If you are looking for ways inspire children to love and appreciate the Mississippi River, check out this list of books compiled by Our Mississippi Magazine. The Mighty Mississippi by Marion Dane Bauer. Learn about the river and its role in U.S. history in this level 1 ready-to-read book. (Ages 4-6)   Houseboat Girl by…

The next Friends of the Refuge Headwaters (FORH) meeting will be held at the Hiawatha Valley Marine Shelter located at 527 West Lake Street in Winona beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 24. Topics will include installation of a bike rack at the Aghaming Park kiosk area, the purchase of trees for a reforestation…