The Friends of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Prairie City, Iowa was named the outstanding Friends Group in the country by the National Wildlife Refuge Association based in Washington DC. The award recognizes outstanding contributions by a group of dedicated volunteers in Friends organizations who provide essential services to the National Refuge System. The Friends of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge has 260 members and is led by Joan Van Gorp, and they work to support the National Wildlife Refuge System’s “Big Six” recreational activities occurring on the refuge including hunting, fishing, birding, photography, education and interpretation.
“This Friends group is a powerhouse raising needed funding through foundations, events and donor support to expand the refuge boundaries and support operations,” said Geoffrey Haskett, president of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. “Sales at the Prairie Point Nature Store at the visitor center provides the refuge with more than $100,000 annually to pay for operations and outreach expenses such as intern stipends and bus transportation to get students to the refuge,” He added, “The group also funds special projects such as hiring Working Dogs for Conservation to detect aggressive invasive plants and pinpoint hard-to-find beneficial plants and collaborating with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation in land acquisitions.”
Van Gorp, who grew up on a farm nearby, feels a special connection to the refuge. She visited there as a child, later studied as a master gardener and volunteered at the refuge. She has served on the Refuge board since 2007 and as president since 2012.
“Over the years, I have seen this amazing landscape brought back to life and I love sharing it.” said Van Gorp. “Our volunteers are exceptional and the staff members are truly public servants. They are the ones responsible for our success.”