Lonely Refuge Seeks Friends

GOSHEN — A problem exists for the federally owned open space in Cape May County.
There are only five government employees available to oversee the 11,000-acre Cape May National Wildlife Refuge and that staff is also responsible for the 3,000-acre Supwana Meadows Refuge in Pennsville.
Luckily, a solution to that problem also exists.
Tony Geiger, of the American Littoral Society, and Refuge Manager Howard Schlegel are looking for nature-loving county citizens to form a grassroots “friend’s group” to provide volunteer and financial support to Cape May’s refuge.
Geiger addressed approximately 20 interested individuals at the New Jersey Audubon Society Center for Research and Education on Route 47.
“This friends group is a long time coming,” Geiger said. “It could be the greatest and most important new initiative for the bayshore.”
He explained that the Cape May Refuge was established in 1989 to provide an inviolate sanctuary for migratory birds, to protect fish and wildlife resources and to conserve wetlands.
The Refuge is separated into three divisions: Great Cedar Swamp, in the northern part of the county; Delaware Bay, near Kimbles Beach Road and Two-Mile Beach, between Wildwood Crest and Cape May.
Geiger said the Cape May Refuge, the second largest in the state, was the only one in New Jersey without a friends group. Nationwide, there are 250 groups with over 40,000 members, he said.
The National Refuge System is severely under-funded, Geiger said.
“The system comprises nearly 100 million acres and requires a minimum of $765 million annually to operate adequately,” he said. “The system now only receives $434 million per year or $434 per acre.”
Refuge staffs are also spread thin.
Schlegel, his deputy manager, a biologist, maintenance person and a law enforcement officer are the only employees staffing both the Cape May and Supwana Refuges.
Schlegel told spectators that friends groups are able to lobby local officials, apply for grants and hold fundraisers for the Refuge — all things that as a government employee, he is unable to do.
Geiger said the refuge really needs a friends group to rally public and political support for refuge funding, to hold fundraising initiatives of its own and for manpower to complete different planning projects.
Some of the planning issues identified for the Cape May Refuge include:
• Managing habitat and wildlife populations
• Controlling invasive and overabundant species
• Increasing opportunities for hunting and fishing, wildlife observation and photography, environmental education
• Improving refuge buildings and facilities
Writing letters, attending hearings, opposing development threats, reaching out to land owners and marketing the refuge locally are some of the tasks that friends groups can do.
Once some individuals decide they want to form a friends group, they start by naming a board of trustees, determining common values and forming a nonprofit organization.
Geiger said the other friends groups offer staff expertise, mentoring, training, grants, associations and publications to help new groups to get started. Information is available at friends.fws.gov
Geiger will hold another Friends of the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge presentation at the main branch of the Cape May County Library, 30 W. Mechanic St., on Dec. 2 at 7 p.m.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com