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The Friends of the Front Range Wildlife Refuges is a non-profit organization that supports the two largest national wildlife refuges in the Denver metro area – the Rocky Mountain Arsenal and Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. Through active volunteering and fundraising, the Friends of the Front Range Wildlife Refuges supports refuge programs, volunteers, environmental education for kids and habitat restoration among many other projects.
Come celebrate the Governor’s Celebrate Colorado on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at the Refuge!
Fun Booths at the Visitor Center, including Wilder!
Free fishing all day (Colorado State Fishing License is required for all those over 16)
Guided Archery (gear provided); 11 AM -1 PM
Guided Fishing at Lake Mary (gear provided) 10 AM -1 PM
Black Footed Ferret exhibit open to the public
Discovery Room in the Visitor Center open for a variety of educational opportunities for kids
Bilingual rangers will be at both the guided archery and guided fishing sessions.
The Board of Directors of the Friends of the Front Range Wildlife Refuges are very excited to propose the new Lake Mary Education Center! Visits to the refuge have exploded and there is greatly-increased demand for environmental education. The board proposes to repurpose the fifty-year-old Contact Station into a full service Education Center. Please read the attached report for all the details. Click here to see the full proposal.
CPR News
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge has been honored as the first “flagship” urban refuge in the nation by the Biden administration. Only one of a handful of Urban Refuges achieving that designation, RMANWR endeavors to share its many resources, such as excellent environmental education opportunities, fishing, archery, and fun with local communities and the public at large. Read about it and listen to an interview by clicking here.
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that Denver’s Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge will be awarded $1 million in additional annual funding to expand their Urban Wildlife Conservation Program. With this funding, the Refuge will be able to better support local communities in the metro Denver area by offering a safe outdoor place for the community and visitors to enjoy recreation in their nearby nature. The Refuge will also be able to improve infrastructure, provide more environmental education opportunities, and support community partnerships.
“We are thrilled to be able to invest additional resources in providing opportunities for diverse local communities to use and enjoy the Refuge,” FWS Regional Director Noreen Walsh said. “Our vision is for the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge to be a place where all are welcome, and where visitors can enjoy access to the natural world and learn about our native wildlife. We are especially excited to be able to invest these new resources in connecting to and partnering with our neighbors in this urban metropolitan area.”
Here is a 10 minute video on the new Urban Wildlife Conservation investment:
CBS News
We are so proud to be highlighted on national news. Take two minutes and enjoy nature!
“CBS Sunday Morning takes us among the bison, rabbits and prairie dogs at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge in Commerce City, Colorado. Videographer: Michael Clark.”
FFRWR is the host of a unique project – the Generation Wild Northeast Metro Coalition, funded by a grant from the Generation Wild program of Great Outdoors Colorado. Click here to find out more about Generation Wild NEMC and click here to find out more about GOCO’s Generation Wild program.
Save the highly endangered black-footed ferret?
Bring back large herds of bison to the prairie?
Teach school children how to love the outdoors?
The Friends of the Front Range Wildlife Refuges would love your support to help two national wildlife refuges that do ALL of the actions listed above. We need your support and membership! Please click here to buy a membership online or learn of other ways to give.
Have you bought your membership to the FFRWR for 2021? Please click here to support our work throughout 2021!
Enjoy & Support your Denver-metro Urban National Wildlife Refuges
The Friends of the Front Range Wildlife Refuges (FFRWR) is a membership community that supports the two largest national wildlife refuges in the Denver metro area–the Rocky Mountain Arsenal and the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuges.
Through member events, communications, advocacy and fundraising, we support the refuges in
- Conserving and restoring native habitat and wildlife
- Giving the public opportunities to experience wildlife and nature near a major metropolitan area
- Providing environmental education in partnership with families and schools
We also support the refuges by:
- Keeping our congressional leaders and other Friends Groups informed about the successes and concerns of our refuges
- Soliciting expertise, ideas, funds, and materials from the community to help make our local refuges outstanding
Ultimately, our vision is to create two refuges in which native wildlife and habitat are maintained in a healthy ecosystem that is rich and diverse and that contributes to the education and recreational enjoyment of people from all walks of life.
The beautiful photos you see are above were taken by wildlife photographer Dave Showalter at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. Roll over each image to see an expanded view of the site and the wildlife that calls the Refuge home.