A welcome sign at Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
When the road calls your name, you have to answer. Five months ago, we – Pascale and Kearan – accepted a job as National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Visitor Survey field team members. The Visitor Survey provides the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with information regarding
visitors' recreational, educational, and informational experiences, as well as visitors’ levels of satisfaction with current services and facilities. The data from the surveys is an essential tool in tracking recreation trends on refuges across the country. We had no clue what we got ourselves into when we showed up to Colorado as total strangers. We attended our orientation and then packed up our ACE vehicle for a five month, 15,000 mile long journey. We came back with an endless supply of stories, connections, and a healthy amount of trauma bonding.
Figure 1. A map tracking our journey to different National Wildlife Refuges.
Petting a dog at Prime Hook NWR.
We went to the following eight National Wildlife Refuges in chronological order: Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, Lacassine National
Wildlife Refuge, Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge, Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, and Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. We put on our maroon shirts and our best smiles with the goal to recruit 200 visitors at each refuge for the survey. From alligator hunters to vloggers, we met every type of outdoor recreationist possible. They all had their own connections to public land and life stories to tell. We talked to people who had been coming to their local refuge for over 30 years, and we talked to people who were taking their first steps ever onto the trails. No matter their background, visitors raved about their experiences on the refuge.
Surveying visitor at Okefenokee NWR.
were fighting for our lives, drenched in mud to net and remove these fish. All the refuge staff came together to tackle these fish as passerbys looked on with amazement.
Kearan, Pascale, and John Heinz NWR staff removing invasive fish from the waterways.
We made connections with people on and off of the refuge. Visitors, volunteers, and staff alike welcomed into their community. With the staff, we had professional development meetings, fishing trips, potlucks, and gymnastics classes. They guided us personally and professionally. Kearan even caught her first ever fish thanks to the staff at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. Visitors always gave us recommendations for activities and restaurants. The alligator hunters in Louisiana even invited us to a wonderful couple’s shower. We witnessed the community that is brought together by hunting on refuge lands. We also had great alligator stew and jambalaya.
Kearan holding a fish.
Pascale holding a harvested alligator.
Our road trip was filled with good music, inside jokes, defensive driving, and lots of caffeine. We started as strangers, and left as lifelong friends. We successfully surveyed our locations and left with a greater appreciation for public lands. National Wildlife Refuges foster a greater sense of community and connection to the lands we rely upon. It was such a privilege to be able to experience these places and people. National Wildlife Refuges are essential not only to wildlife, but to people as well. We hope that our survey efforts help protect these refuges and the wildlife that depend on them.