Welcome from the Friends of the Refuge Headwaters

News and Events

Kids Ice Fishing Event Planning

December 30, 2022

We will be bringing back the Kid’s Ice Fishing event at McNally Landing on Saturday, January 28, 2023. We will hold a planning meeting on Thursday, January 12 beginning at 4:15 p.m. at the Refuge office (102 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Winona). Anyone interested in helping with the event is welcome to attend the meeting,…

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Volunteers Needed for Invasive Buckthorn Removal

December 30, 2022

Volunteers are needed Wednesday Jan 4 and Wednesday Jan 11 to help with invasive buckthorn removal at McNally Landing. Biologist Froehly will be cutting buckthorn from 9am to 3pm each day, though volunteers can choose to help for half a day, or even a couple hours—any time is helpful! Volunteers will be pulling cut buckthorn…

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Refuge Updates

December 12, 2022

This is an early heads-up that Project COMPASS fishing will be held on Wednesday, May 10 at the Huff Street dock and the fishing and picnic will be Wednesday, June 7 at the Hiawatha Valley Marines Shelter. Both events start at 5:00 p.m. Anyone looking for a summer job? We will be hiring two Biological…

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A Thank You and Surprise!

November 18, 2022

Thank you to those who participated in the Swan Watch Bus Tour and a special “Thank You” to retired La Crosse District Manager Jim Nissen for providing interpretation on the bus! It was a snowy but good day to see swans. If you haven’t gotten out to see them yet, check them out on Big…

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Friends October Meeting

October 24, 2022

The next regular meeting of the Friends of the Refuge Headwaters will be Thursday, October 27 beginning at 4:15 p.m. at the Refuge office (not the park shelter). Reminder, our office is located at 102 Walnut Street, Suite 205. Please bring a mask as it will be required if the Winona County community spread level…

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Prairie Island Litter Pick-up

October 20, 2022

We will be conducting a litter pick-up of the Prairie Island dike on Thursday, October 27 beginning at 10:00 a.m. We will meet at the McNally Boat Landing (next to the Prairie Island Campground in Winona) to hand out equipment (gloves, picker-upper sticks, trash bags) and be done by noon. You will be assigned a…

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