2016 List of Accomplishments

  • Friends of Tamarac were honored by the Natonal Wildlife and Refuge Associaton with the Molly Krival Friends group of the year award for exemplary performance.
  • The Friends and Tamarac Refuge received the tourism of the year award from the Detroit Lakes Chamber of Commerce for active promotion of visitor opportunities.
  • A joint grant was applied for related to restoring 150 wetlands on tribal and other lands.
  • We were presented with a plaque of appreciation by the Trempealeau National Refuge Friends group from Wisconsin for our help and support in their development of an educa5on facility.
  • The fall festival event “The Duck Stops Here” had about 400 in attendance. It had events carried out at the cabin site, Visitors Center and at the Discovery Center.
  • We hosted 170 hikers from 17 states who were attending the regional North Country Trail conference which was held in Fargo. Hikers participated in a variety of hikes ranging in length from a short photo hike to a 13.5 mile hike crossing the full refuge NCT system.
  • Videos were developed to promote our efforts of connecting children with nature. These have been shared with a number of service clubs for community outreach and to expand volunteers.
  • The Aquatic Invasive Species team of eight inspected 138 boats and 288 fishermen on 9 Saturday mornings in an effort to educate and prevent the spread of AIS.
  • A mentoring program was begun with Concordia college students to train educators for visiting school groups and the EE committee created a Tamarac Journal for use by visiting school groups.
  • The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant for $5,000 was completed.
  • We hosted the sixth annual “Toast to Tamarac” fundraising event, and par5cipated in two on-line giving programs – Give to the Max and The Giving Hearts Day.
  • Additional funds were raised through a Dilly Bar campaign, We Fest Clean-up and a quilt raffle.
  • Friends sponsored another successful photo contest with a photo display exhibited in the Washington Square Mall during National Wildlife Refuge Week and awards were presented.
  • Quarterly newsletters were developed, as well as the webpage and Facebook representations were expanded to increase connections with the public.
  • Friends co-sponsored the 2016 Detroit Lakes Festival of Birds.
  • Friends coordinated photo workshops as a result of a grant.
  • Friends contributed thousands of volunteer hours at Tamarac,, many were for environmental education, trail work, maintenance, and helping with a variety of interpretive programs.

Friends of Tamarac is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization