Crocodile Lake NWR
Est. 1980

National Key Deer Refuge
Est. 1957

Key West NWR
Est. 1908

Great White Heron NWR
Est. 1938

 
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Welcome to FAVOR Florida Keys!
Friends  And  Volunteers  ORefuges

Our Mission

The Mission of FAVOR – Florida Keys is to support the National Wildlife Refuges of the Florida Keys through Education, Volunteerism, Non-Adversarial Advocacy, and Fundraising

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Sanctuary Seeks Public Comment on Boundaries, Zones, and Regulations

Dear Friends and Volunteers,

As mentioned in the last FAVOR newsletter, we will be working with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to jointly review the sanctuary's marine zoning and regulations, which also encompass the Key West and Great White Heron NWRs. The official request for public scoping comments was published yesterday in the Federal Register (attached). There is lots more information available HERE, with links to even more information!

NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO MAKE YOUR FEELINGS KNOWN!

The Nature Conservancy is co-hosting open meetings with Save-A-Turtle in Marathon, Friends and Volunteers of Refuges (FAVOR) on Big Pine Key and Reef Relief on Key West about the nuts and bolts of this regulatory review process and its importance for sea turtles, seabirds, fish, seagrass meadows, coral reefs, the waters they all depend upon and opportunities for people to sustainably enjoy these things in the Florida Keys for years to come.

Chris Bergh, South Florida Conservation Director for The Nature Conservancy and a member of the Sanctuary Advisory Council, will outline the history and current regulations of the sanctuary and the refuge backcountry as well as the public scoping process, timing and opportunities for input. A question and answer session and discussion will follow. These meetings are open to one and all.

Please attend to learn more about this important opportunity to better protect and manage our Refuges! 

Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns!

Alison Higgins, Volunteer
Friends And Volunteers Of Refuges
Alison@favorfloridakeys.com
305-923-1783

Anne Morkill
Wildlife Refuge Manager
Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges Complex
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(305) 872-2239 ext 209 Office
(305) 872-3675 Fax
(305) 304-4907 Cell

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Congratulations, Kristie Killam on her selection as our new Park Ranger!
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New March-April issue now here

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Visit the Key Deer Bookstore

Visitors Center Front Desk: Have a gift for gab?  Like to meet new people?  This four hour shift will keep you entertained and keep our tourists from feeding the deer.  Training is provided.  Your first shifts will be with a 2nd volunteer.  We especially need Saturday volunteers to help with our busiest day!  Call  872-0774 to sign up or click for more info.


In the National Key Deer Refuge Visitors Center
GPS Coordinates:
 24°40'19.42"N
 81°21'24.70"W
Winn-Dixie Plaza, Key Deer Blvd, Big Pine Key
Phone 305-872-0645

Proceeds Benefit FAVOR
and the
Key Deer Protection Alliance

  Would you like YOUR artwork featured in the Key Deer Bookstore?
Click: FAVOR information and application forms

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WE NEED A VOLUNTEER!!!

Mary Baker can no longer serve as a Croc Lake representative on the FAVOR board.  Board meetings are held once a month, and you can participate via telephone or Skype, so travel to Big Pine Key for meetings is not required. 

For more information, contact Mary via email or phone at 305-240-1127.

For Mary's statement, click here.
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FULL MOON KAYAK PADDLES ARE NOW SCHEDULED!

Click HERE for info, dates/times and how to register.

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This is the what FAVOR is all about!

 
International Coastal Cleanup                                 Ben Edwards: Volunteer of the Quarter

Read more on the NEWS page!

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Check out our new GeoCaching page!
Click the button on the left!
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Read "Focus On Friends"
The Southeast Region's Friends Group Newsletter

It's the Southeast Region's quarterly newsletter for Friends Groups and about Friends Groups. This quarterly newsletter is designed to help keep the Region's more than 50 Refuge Friends Groups up to date on Regional developments and accomplishments. 

Click HERE or go to the Friends in the Southeast Homepage for links to the latest and archived newsletters.

The third quarter brought many wonderful events. So many that we had to add additional pages to the newsletter! Keep up the great work and as always, if you would like to highlight a project your Friends Group has completed, please send your stories to stacy_armitage@fws.gov.

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Check the National Wildlife Refuge System's public Web site for the latest issues of their Refuge Update:  http://www.fws.gov/refuges/RefugeUpdate/

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Have an RV?  Like Volunteering? ...

Come join the crew at the Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges Complex!

Click on this WorkCamp App. or the button above for more information and application forms!
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New Firearms Regulations

New regulations concerning firearms on Refuges and National Parks and Monuments have recently been released.  Please click HERE for the announcement.  Note that concealed firearms are not permitted in visitor centers and administration offices, and local rules still apply.

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"Why shouldn't I feed the critters?"

The Nature Conservancy recently posted a good answer to this in "Ask the conservationist" in their latest e-newsletter, when someone asked how to deal with people who were feeding Sandhill Cranes. 

Click HERE for the gist of the article, where you will also find a link to the whole page.
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What happens to the Keys when the sea level rises?

"Anne Morkill, who manages the Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge north of Key West, Fla., said her staff is working with the Nature Conservancy and Florida International University on models of sea-level rise to determine to what extent saltwater intrusion will erode the rocky pine habitat that supports the Key deer and other species."

This quote is from a Washington Post article, "Warming Trends Alter Conservation."  Read the whole article at the link.

See also the FWS video: http://www.youtube.com/v/6LGMVF8vjcI?fs=1&hl=en_US
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Click for the Florida Keys Birding Checklist
(PDF, 80 kb)

Click for the expanded Florida Keys Refuges brochure
(PDF 340 kb)

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What you will find here

  1. A Calendar of coming events for FAVOR members, as well as others related to the Keys ecology.
  2. News about issues that concern us.
  3. Links to other sites with connections to wildlife
  4. Special information about prescribed burns.
  5. Information about each of the Florida Keys Refuges.
  6. A sign-up sheet.  You don't have to pay monetary dues to become a member of FAVOR; just donating some of your time (keep track!) is enough.

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Last modified: May 21, 2012

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