resources to help impart our ideas and promote our mission, activities, and programs

Creating a Buzz: How to Use Social Media to Build Awareness & Support for Refuges & Hatcheries Friends Groups

bee on a flower

This webinar helps your refuge and hatchery friends group leverage social media to share your story and support campaigns. We covered best practices for creating engaging content, building an online community, and amplifying your message to a wider audience. We’ll also share tips and tools for using social media to support the National Wildlife Refuge Association’s ongoing refuge staffing crisis campaign and provide a toolkit to help you get started.

Presenter
Eden Taylor, Communications Manager
National Wildlife Refuge Association

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Webinar: Engage Your Audience With Stories

Wednesday, January 18th, 2023

Double rainbow over field of grain

Don’t you love a good story that engages your senses and makes you want to take action?

We’re wired for stories. From the very beginning, as individuals and as a species, we immerse ourselves in stories from the arrival of our children to reminiscing about family members who have passed.

The stories we tell about our organizations let folks know why we exist and the impact we’re having on those we serve. The stories we tell about the work being done on our refuges and hatcheries should motivate folks to care about and support these sites.

This webinar addressed:

  • Why storytelling is effective
  • Essential building blocks of a story
  • Types of stories needed
  • Finding and sharing your stories
  • Outcomes and measures

Here are the materials from the webinar:

We want to thank the presenters which were you, the Coalition of Refuge Friends, and Advocates/National Wildlife Refuge Association team

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Where Birds Can Be Birds

In the shadow of the Tampa-Saint Petersburg metropolitan area are three emerald islands that dazzle visitors with their white sandy beaches, spectacular nesting birds, and historical artifacts. These islands are Egmont Key, Passage Key and Pinellas National Wildlife Refuges.

According to the Friends of Tampa Bay NWR, “Each refuge serves as a critical wildlife habitat and a time capsule for the story of Florida.” The Friends of Tampa Bay NWRs produced a 20-minute film that takes you on a journey to these remarkable national wildlife refuges. If you have not seen the film yet, you should view it now!

The film which was created by Jennifer Brown of IntoNature Films and funded by the Friends has also been accepted at several film festivals including the 2022 Florida Environmental Film Festival and the 38th Festival of Menigoute in France.

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Figuring Out Who’s Who in the Alphabet Soup of USFWS, NWRA, and CORFA

Thank you to everyone who attended this week’s webinar Figuring Out Who’s Who in the Alphabet Soup of USFWS, NWRA, and CORFA. Should you want to listen again or didn’t have a chance to attend here is the recording and other materials.

A special thank you to our knowledgeable presenters:

  • DC Carr, Regional Friends Coordinator, US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
  • Caroline Brouwer, Vice President of Government Affairs, National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA)
  • Joan Patterson, President, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)

This webinar is archived on this website in the Resource Center.

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NEW FOR 2022 CORFA Photo Contest

2022 CORFA photo contest with monthly themes

At the end of 2021, CORFA asked Friends to post photos of your Refuge/Hatchery, with the opportunity to have your Refuge/Hatchery spotlighted. So many amazing images were posted in the private CORFA Facebook group. To continue this way to learn more about Refuge/Hatcheries and the Friends organizations supporting them, the contest is being continued this year with a little twist. Each month will have a theme and at the end of the month, the two photos with the most likes will be featured by the National Wildlife Refuge Association to have everyone vote on the winning photograph.

To entry the contest you must be a members of a Friends organization supporting a national wildlife refuge or hatchery. To submit an entry you need to be a member of the Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates Facebook group. Please note that this Facebook group is only for members of the refuge/hatcheries Friends groups. Photos are to be posted in the Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates Facebook group. When you post your photos – please include a short description, that it is for the contest and the name & location of your Refuge.

Download the list of monthly themes and ideas.

So, get your camera out, be creative and have fun!!

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