As a new year begins and days begin to lengthen, the urge to start preparing for the coming seasons is hard to suppress. This is true of both nature and we humans.
In January, most of Malheur’s spring and summer birds are far to the south, enjoying much more temperate weather than the Harney Basin offers right now. Many are currently residing on the wildlife refuges of California’s Great Central Valley. Others have gone much further south, and we would have to visit Baja California or mainland Mexico to catch up with them. Wherever they are, all are beginning their preparations for returning north.
Our organization is also turning its attention to the new year. This summer we will celebrate a quarter century of supporting Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Anticipating that, our Executive Director is deep into planning celebratory events. We’ll have details soon.
Organizations like ours, even as they celebrate birthdays, must also continue to reinvent themselves. The needs of the refuge change, as do the resources we have to invest. Among these resources, nothing ranks higher than the time we invest as volunteers.
This volunteering takes multiple forms. Many of you participate in our project-based work parties, and for that we thank you heartily. But right now, I’d like to pique your interest in another volunteer opportunity.
The Friends of Malheur program is overseen by a volunteer board of directors. We aim to keep the board at about a dozen members, and we’re close to that level now, but we do have room for a few new folks.
If you want to learn more about Malheur’s programs and issues, being on the board offers a great window into exactly that. We meet (remotely) every other month with Fish and Wildlife staff to discuss how we can help them.
The main requirement for board service is a deep interest in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. You don’t have to be biologist or live in Harney County. You just must care and be willing to share your time.
If you’re interested, either Janelle or I would be pleased to talk with you and share more details. You can contact either of us through the main FOMR email address, friends@malheurfriends.org. I hope you’ll give the opportunity some thought.
Wm. Tweed, FOMR Board President
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