Accomplishments
Since 1987, the Friends organization has been working to support the Refuge. While some initiatives are ongoing, other recent efforts have been completed and have produced lasting results. Here are just a few:
2021 Friends Group of the Year
Following is an excerpt from a letter sent to Philip Pollock, President, Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge from the…
Byrd Hammock Archeological Site
Friends facilitated the donation of Byrd Hammock, an important archaeological site. In May 2015, the Friends of St. Marks Wildlife…
Frosted Flatwoods Salamanders
The Frosted Flatwoods Salamander is a federally listed threatened species, which typically breeds from October to January during rainy weather. …
Lighthouse Preservation
The St. Marks Lighthouse lives in a harsh environment: blazing sun, salt air, hurricane force winds and the normal wear…
Longleaf Pine Restoration
In the early 1900s, the longleaf pine tree population was expansive in the United States, covering over 90 million acres…
Monarch Milkweed Initiative
Background The Monarch-Milkweed Initiative was launched at St. Marks NWR in the spring of 2015 in response to the federal…
Operation Migration
The Friends funded Operation Migration efforts to teach young Whooping Cranes their migration route south to Florida. From 2009 until…
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers
Once considered common in the southern U.S., the Red-cockaded Woodpecker declined 86% from 1966 to 2014 according to the North…
Smith’s Island Bird Rookery
Friends provided direct funding and facilitated donations by environmental partners to acquire Smith’s Island, an important bird rookery. Many coastal…
St. Marks Lighthouse Restoration
Since 1987, the Friends organization has been working to support the Refuge. While some initiatives are ongoing, other recent efforts…
