Welcome to the Quogue Wildlife Refuge

Spring is finally here and that makes us all HAPPY CAMPERS!!! QWR will hold its 39th Annual Summer Field Ecology Program for young people grades 2-12, and the Little Naturalists Program for 4-6 year olds. Priority registration for QWR Members must be received on or before Wednesday, May 21st. For more information and to download an application, click on Summer Programs.	Artist Need QWR is looking for an artist who can create a design for this year’s Summer Ecology Program T-shirts. Each camper receives a designed t-shirt, and the theme is ‘Explore, Discover, Learn’. Please contact the Nature Center to discuss if you are interested!

Annual Family BBQ Friday, June 27th, 2008 Join us as we barbeque alongside Old Ice Pond. We’ll provide the burgers and hot dogs (vegetarian ones as well) and we ask that you bring a dish to share with the crowd! The canoes and kayaks will be available to borrow for a self guided paddle so wear or bring shoes that you don’t mind getting wet. Don’t miss this fun summer night! All ages welcome. Reservations required. For the complete list of QWR’s Spring Events click on Calendar of Events	Save the Date! 2nd Annual Wild Night for Wildlife Benefit Saturday, July 26th, 2008 (Please note the date change for the Benefit) QWR is currently accepting donations of Auction items for our 2nd Annual Wild Night for Wildlife Benefit to be held on Saturday, July 26, 2008. Last year's prizes included a wide variety of fabulous goods, art, services, and gift certificates, so be creative! If you would like to make a donation or have questions regarding this benefit, please stop by or call our office at (631) 653-4771.

A lot can happen when a group of teens get together on a Friday night! A group of Westhampton Beach Middle School 8th grade students decided to play Guitar Hero III, an interactive video game that involves talent, music, and fun, to raise hundreds of dollars to donate to the Quogue Wildlife Refuge. The students chose to put the funds towards a brick for our Personalize a Brick Campaign. A 7th grade class did a Towel Drive, and collected over fifty towels to donate which will surely be put to use here! Donations were made by Mr. Trentowski’s 'Skills for Adolescence' classes. Great job!	Through the generosity of John Marano of We'll Floor U Inc. 201 W. Montauk Hwy Hampton Bays, NY 11946 Phone: 631-728-7359 A much needed new carpet has been installed in the Nature Center and it looks great!

Since 1934, the Quogue Wildlife Refuge has been a nature preserve that is home to diverse wildlife including some that are permanently injured and require human care to survive. 365 days a year, you can enjoy walking seven miles of trails to explore diverse habitats including forests and ponds, as well as the ecologically rare Dwarf Pines in the Pine Barrens. A bobcat, owls, falcons, eagles and other native New York animals that have permanent injuries are housed in the outdoor Distressed Wildlife Complex and can be visited any day of the year. Inside of the Nature Center, huge picture windows offer spectacular views of Old Ice Pond, as well as a great spot to bird watch or enjoy some quiet time. Comfy chairs, wildlife exhibits, live animals, a nature library, and gift shop can also be found inside of the Nature Center. Come by and visit!

The management change of 2006

In April of 2006, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) ended a 54 year lease with the Southampton Township Wildfowl Association (STWA) that involved the State to cooperatively manage the Quogue Wildlife Refuge. Now the Quogue Wildlife Refuge is solely managed by the STWA, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Although the Refuge has lost the funding from the NYSDEC that had paid for staffing and utilities, this change is a positive change in the history of the Refuge, and the Refuge Board of Directors is actively involved in raising funds to meet the financial needs of the Refuge.