Friends of the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuges
The Friends is an independent, non-profit group dedicated to supporting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge System. We promote awareness of the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex (Alamosa, Baca, and Monte Vista) through education, assisting in refuge projects, and support visitor services. Learn more here about the Refuges. |
More About Us: The Friends formed in 1999 as an independent nonprofit. The Friends along with the Refuge staff, the Monte Vista Chamber, Rio Grande County and the City of Monte Vista: plan and operate the annual Monte Vista Crane Festival which brings thousands of visitors from all over the world to the refuges. To date, the Friends have contributed to the building of the Meadow Lark Trail on the Monte Vista NWR, the Discovery Room at the Alamosa NWR, many years of Kid’s Crane Festivals, and Fishing days (alas, fish disease and drought has stopped this activity). We also assist the refuge with the yearly Friends and Neighbors Picnic that brings the neighbors of the refuge up to date on the refuge happenings. Friends members worked hard to advocate for the establishment of the Baca NWR in 2005. In 2021 the Friends received a $15,000 grant to improve a critical parking area on the Monte Vista Refuge, wildlife camera installation, and an educational kiosk.
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Featured Refuge Staff | Here is your latest Friends Newsletter
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BECOME A MEMBER Today
Become a member and support your National Wildlife Refuges in the San Luis Valley. Home of the Monte Vista Crane Festival, Kid's Crane Festival and thousands of acres of wetland habitat supporting many species. Truely a treasure of the San Luis Valley.
The Friends were formed in 2000 by a small dedicated group. Twenty years later, we are still going strong and working with our refuges to fulfill their mission. To date, the Friends have contributed to the building of the Meadow Lark Trail on the Monte Vista NWR, the Discovery Room at the Alamosa NWR, many years of Kid’s Crane Festivals, and the Monte Vista Crane Festival. We also assist the refuge with the yearly Friends and Neighbors Picnic that brings the neighbors of the refuge up to date on the refuge happenings. Friends members worked hard to advocate for the establishment of the Baca NWR in 2005. Friends volunteers stock and staff the bookstore at the Alamosa Refuge. Your membership and donations support these efforts.
Many Friends members have participated in the Monte Vista NWR Christmas bird count. We publish bi-annual newsletters. Since 2015, We are the lead organizers of the Monte Vista Crane Festival. Each year we have workdays on one of the three refuges. The perks for members are camaraderie, opportunity for outdoor and wildlife related activities, community service, and behind the scene Refuge tours.