Webinar— Connecting Communities To Refuges & The Outdoors

🌿 Connecting Communities to Refuges & the Outdoors 🌿 This is a recording of the Refuge Friends Webinar originally held on September 30th, 2026. Conservation happens on the ground, in the communities and landscapes where people and wildlife live side by side. In this webinar, the Refuge Association’s Urban Wildlife Refuge Program team shares how partnerships across Southern California, South Florida, and the Northeast are helping connect people with national wildlife refuges, outdoor recreation, environmental education, and hands-on conservation. Through photo-based presentations and a panel discussion, Angie Horn, Natalie Balaguer, and Stephanie Menendez highlight programs designed around the needs of their communities, from youth outdoor experiences and environmental education to habitat projects, pocket refuges, floating wetlands, community outreach, and partnerships that bring the Refuge System closer to where people live. What Was Covered: ✅ How the Urban Wildlife Refuge Program connects refuges with nearby communities ✅ Building lasting partnerships with schools, nonprofits, local organizations, and community leaders ✅ Pocket refuges and other urban habitat projects ✅ Floating wetlands and hands-on restoration in South Florida ✅ Conservation Ranger Camp and opportunities for young people to experience fishing, archery, wildlife, and refuge lands ✅ Northeast outreach programs connecting communities with Great Swamp, Cherry Valley, Wallkill River, and other national wildlife refuges ✅ Groundwork Conservation Week and immersive outdoor experiences for youth ✅ Lessons from urban conservation work in Southern California, South Florida, and the Northeast ✅ How community-based conservation can help build the next generation of conservation stewards Presenters: 🌟 Angie Horn Angie Horn is Director of the Refuge Association’s Urban Wildlife Refuge Program. She brings more than a decade of experience in outreach, partnership development, programming, and urban environmental issues, including previous work leading the Refuge Association’s efforts in Southern California. 🌟 Natalie Balaguer Natalie Balaguer is the Refuge Association’s South Florida Regional Partnership Specialist. She works with Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and community partners throughout South Florida to expand access to nature and create meaningful conservation experiences for people of all ages. 🌟 Stephanie Menendez Stephanie Menendez is the Refuge Association’s Northeast Regional Partnership Specialist. Her work brings together refuges and urban communities through environmental education, outdoor recreation, habitat projects, and partnerships designed to create stronger connections between people and the natural world. 🔗 View the original webinar page: https://act.refugeassociation.org/a/w... 📬 Want to hear about future Refuge Friends webinars? Sign up for the Refuge Friends mailing list: https://www.refugeassociation.org/ref... 🔗 Learn more about the Refuge Association: https://www.refugeassociation.org #RefugeFriends #UrbanWildlifeRefugeProgram #NationalWildlifeRefugeSystem #UrbanConservation #EnvironmentalEducation #OutdoorRecreation #CommunityConservation #WildlifeRefuge #Conservation #RefugeStrong