Welcome from the Friends of the Refuge Headwaters
News and Events
Refuge Volunteer of the Year Selected
From Mary Stefanski I am so pleased to announce that Lori Packer has been selected as the Refuge Volunteer of the Year! Those who know Lori understand how much she loves nature and enjoys being outdoors. You may have seen her shoveling snow last winter at the local boat landings or staining wood at the…
Read MoreRefuge Photo Contest Ending Soon
The Friends of the Refuge Headwaters are reminding all amateur photographers that the deadline for accepting entries for the current photo contest is December 3, 2021. Photos that capture the summer and fall beauty of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge and Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) are part of the current…
Read MoreSwan Watching on the Upper Mississippi River
It’s been a slow start to the annual swan watching season on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (Refuge) but they are starting to arrive! The tundra swan migration is a highlight of the fall on the Refuge offering a once-a-year spectacle for all to enjoy. At their peak, which usually occurs…
Read MoreInformation About Refuge Boat Landings Now Available
The Friends of the Refuge Headwaters wants you to get out and enjoy the refuge! To assist you with your planning, we have started a project that will provide information about the landings that you can visit. Three landings are currently available: McNally, Mertes, and Verchota. We will continue to update this list in coming…
Read MoreSwan Watch Self-Guided Tour Available
Because the Friends of the Refuge Headwaters annual swan watch bus tour will not be offered again in 2021, we have created a Swan Watch Self-Guided Tour to help you enjoy this tradition on your own. Peak migration is the second week of November. Click here to “take the tour.”
Read MoreTree Planting at Weaver Landing
Mary Stefanski would like to share a few photos from the tree planting at Weaver on Tuesday, October 26, 2021. Thank you to everyone who was able to show up this morning and make really quick work of the nearly 70 trees and shrubs that needed to get in the ground. We couldn’t do it…
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