SWANTON — Friends of the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge is hosting a fair to educate and highlight the refuge’s unique recreational opportunities and ecological importance in Franklin County.
The fair at the refuge’s visitor center, 29 Tabor Rd. in Swanton, will host a plethora of activities on Saturday, Oct. 13. The fair kicks off National Wildlife Refuge Week which celebrates the refuges that conserve and protect wildlife across the country.
Julie Filiberti, a board member for the Friends of the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, a nonprofit organization which provides educational programs and special events, said the fair will hopefully give some exposure to the refuge and the work being done.
“There’s people in Franklin County who have never been there and people I’ve talked to that didn’t know Vermont had a national wildlife refuge,” she said.
Starting early at 8 a.m., the first of several recreational activities takes place with a bird watching walk led by Green Mountain Audubon Society. Between 10 a.m and 3 p.m., a 5K walk by foot introduces attendees to three trails in the refuge. From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. attendees can do the 5K in the refuge’s river at Mac’s Bend in canoe or kayak. Visitors can bring their own, and a limited number of boats will be available to borrow. The walking and boating events can be registered for at Walk For the Wild Missisquoi and are part of the 2024 “Walk For the Wild” program for the National Wildlife Refuge Week.
After the morning’s recreation, the friends of the refuge begin a wealth of other activities including painting and crafting as well as presentations about the health of Lake Champlain and managing the refuge.
“There’s definitely a lot of learning and it’s fun too for the kids,” Filiberti said. “We will be encouraging people to kind of get out there and explore the refuge while there.”
The 6,729 acre Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1943 to provide a habitat for migratory birds and other animals including turtles and at least 13 different species of bumblebee bees.
Friends of the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge is hosting a fair kicking off National Wildlife Refuge week. The fair will highlight recreational opportunities and their ecological importance in Vermont.
There is not a lot of federal land in Vermont, so the more people who come to the fair and connect with the refuge, the better, Filiberti said. The educational piece of the fair allows attendees to learn about studies done within the refuge and its uniqueness, like how it contains the largest bog in Vermont.
“The fact that Vermont has a national wildlife refuge, we’re a small state, it’s a small refuge but it’s really important to make the public aware of protecting those habitats,” she said. “You can’t care for something until you love something.”
The goal of the friends organization and the fair is to have more people cherish what is there and protected. Filiberti said she hopes attendees will learn what they can do to support the refuge and the friends.
The friend’s entire existence relies on donations to support the refuge. Filiberti said they encourage everyone to be a part of the friends, whether spreading knowledge or becoming a member, or donate to them to advocate and conserve the refuge for future generations.
