Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge southeast of Smyrna is hosting several programs in March. Orientation for people interested in volunteering, the Garden Keepers meeting, an environmental education workshop, and a tour of the refuge are among the planned events.
Saturday, March 6, Volunteer Orientation, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is seeking responsible individuals who have an interest in wildlife conservation, public relations, maintenance work, and environmental education. The meeting for new volunteers will be at the Refuge Visitor Center. The meeting will cover volunteer opportunities and upcoming activities, with the latter part of the session being a tour of the Refuge.
Volunteers work within a flexible time schedule to accommodate weekday or weekend work. Individuals are needed to staff the Visitor Center and operate The Refuge Store on weekends and weekdays starting in March. Volunteers are also needed to provide environmental education programs for school groups, conducting Refuge tours, providing trail and native plant garden maintenance, and participating in the highway cleanup. Volunteers may be called upon for special wildlife projects throughout the year such as spring and winter bird surveys and horseshoe crab surveys. Come find out how you can make a difference.
Wednesday, March 17, Garden Keepers, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. The Garden Keepers is a group of garden enthusiasts which meet monthly to learn about gardening with native plants in the mid-Atlantic region and to maintain a native landscape near the Visitor Center at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge.
The sessions are free and open to everyone but reservations are suggested since many activities are limited. Meet in the Visitor Center Auditorium. To register, contact Quentin Schlieder at (302) 653-6449 or qcsjr@comcast.net.
March’s program is "Pruning." Gardeners will learn proper pruning techniques and will participate in applying what they’ve learned on trees and shrubs in the demonstration landscape at the Visitor Center. Light refreshments will be served.
Saturday, March 27, Environmental Education Workshop, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. This workshop will introduce teachers and volunteers to the National Wildlife Refuge System and the natural resources at Bombay Hook. Participants will learn how to use the Refuge as a hands-on outdoor classroom and how the Refuge manages habitats for wildlife. Included are trail walks, fresh, brackish and bay wetland studies, and wildlife identification. Bring a bag lunch and dress for outside activities. Meet at the Visitor Center Auditorium. Call to register.
Sunday, March 28, Tour of the Refuge, 10 a.m. – noon AND 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. Join volunteer, Ray Cullom, for a tour of the Refuge. Find out how the Refuge is managed for wildlife, visit different habitats, and walk a trail. Meet at the Visitor Center.
For more information
Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is located north of Leipsic just off Route 9 at 2591 Whitehall Neck Road, about five miles southeast of Smyrna, from Smyrna-Leipsic Road. For more information about upcoming programs at Bombay Hook, check out the website at: http://bombayhook.fws.gov. or call Tina Watson, 302-653-6872.
