2023 Prism Award - Nonprofit of the Year
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The Nonprofit of the Year Award is awarded to a community-based non-profit or volunteer organization which has demonstrated excellence in serving its clients and/or has benefited the community as a whole. 
2021 Public Lands Alliance Partnership Award

​We are so honored that Friends of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge have received a Public Lands Alliance Partnership Award! This award recognizes an exemplary partnership for a stunning achievement to protect and preserve our public lands and enhance the experiences of their visitors and users. Watch the awards ceremony to learn more, and thank you for helping to make this possible.

2021 Nonprofit Excellence Award (Small Organization)
This award recognizes an organization for overall excellence. Award finalists are organizations that demonstrate active involvement by staff, board members, volunteers, constituents and
other stakeholders in advancing the mission of the organization and that focus on community impact and
results. Watch the awards ceremony to learn more.

Friends of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge works to support Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge in three priority areas: Youth Development, Public Use Projects, and Land Acquisition and Restoration. Listed below are some recent accomplishments.

Youth Development

  • Created the Career Pathways Program, an extension of our Internship Program, to allow opportunity for advancement
  • Hosted an environmental education teacher’s workshop made possible by an Ohio Environmental Education Fund grant
  • Provided field trip transportation grants to local and urban schools, allowing more than 5,000 children to participate in refuge environmental education programs annually.
  • Provided stipends and networking experiences for 30+ interns who participated in 13-week internships since 2016.
  • Supported the refuge's special events by providing food, supplies, and volunteers for programs such as the 5th Grade Tour, Youth Waterfowl Hunting Workshop, and Fish with the Warden Day.
  • Received Ohio Environmental Education Foundation Grant to fund an interpretive park ranger and equip the Refuge Ranger Station with educational materials.

Public Use Projects

  • Built a 1400' boardwalk and crushed gravel loop at the Fox Nature Preserve.
  • Created ADA compliant kayak access and pavilion at the Nehls Memorial Nature Preserve.
  • Funded Wildlife Drive improvements including 9 pull-offs and a restroom mid-way through the route.
  • Purchased a tractor so that volunteers can help to maintain grass trails.
  • With funds from many partnering organizations, built the Visitor Center Fishing Access including one ADA compliant fishing platform.
  • Constructed West Harbor Landing observation deck, parking area, ADA compliant parking space, kayak launch, kiosk, and pollinator habitat.
  • Built Turtle Creek Island Unit parking area and kayak launch.
  • Built Middle Toussaint Unit parking area and kayak launch.
  • Constructed Boss Unit Shorebird Deck with ADA compliant ramp and ADA compliant parking space.
  • Provided a 15 passenger bus for interpretive tours.

Land Acquisition and Restoration

  • Entered into a cooperative agreement with the Partners for Fish & Wildlife Program to assist in wetland habitat management in NW Ohio. In 2022, Friends support went to aerial spraying 846 acres of private lands for invasive phragmites.
  • Served as the fiscal sponsor for an H2Ohio project to reconnect hydrology at Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge
  • Created a $220,000 revolving fund to allow us to purchase properties as they are available, then sell to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at a later date once their paperwork is in order.
  • Purchased the 11.9 acre addition to Turkey Run south of the Little Portage River.
  • Purchased the 16.502 acre Velliquette Unit along Duff Washa and Zenser Rds near the Turtle Creek floodplain. This parcel will be sold to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and be restored to support natural hydrology.
  • Acquired and sold the 40 acre Fox Unit to officially become part of the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Complex. This parcel is located across Route 2 from the Refuge Visitor Center.
  • Received Ohio EPA grant to fund restoration work on the Fox Unit.
  • Acquired and sold the .56 acre addition to become part of the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge's Kontz Unit on State Route 2.

We've also worked to...

Engage our community with the refuge.​
  • Hosted Seek Refuge Days, a free virtual nature program series.
  • Hosted annual events for families including the Biggest Week in American Birding, Cars for Critters, West Sister Island Sunset Cruise, Discover Ottawa Day, 5K, Chili Cook-off, Lorax Day, Holiday Open House, Howl-o-ween, etc.
  • ​Create and send quarterly e-newsletters, bi-weekly refuge updates, and annual reports..
  • Work with Bench Farms on State Route 2 to provide a Pollinator Plant Sale each spring.
  • Attended community events including Applefest, Walleye Fest, Harrison Rally Days, farmer's markets.
  • Been involved with local Chambers of Commerce and community partners. 
  • Established the Friends of Ottawa NWR Photo Club and facilitated the Refuge Photography Contest.
  • Served as the fiscal sponsor for the Portage River Water Trail project.
  • Provided items to extend the visitor experience in the Rookery Nature Store.
  • Helped to facilitate the refuge's participation in the Ottawa County Barn Quilt Trail.
  • Added Friends of Ottawa NWR volunteers to the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. 
  • 850 Friends Members in 45 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
  • Created an Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge license plate available at Ohio BMV's.​
Advocate for the refuge.
  • Shared information about the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge's deferred maintenance plight in the Fall 2020 Audubon Magazine publication. 
  • Provided information and context to our members of Congress to advocate for funding the National Wildlife Refuge System, especially on deferred maintenance issues at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Supported National Wildlife Refuge Association advocacy initiatives.
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What's Next?
  • Purchasing and restoring additional relevant properties to native habitat. Our goal is to have a $500,000 revolving fund in place to allow us to purchase properties as they are available, then sell to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at a later date once their paperwork is in order. Money entering the Joan and Richard Kimple Conservation Fund will help to support land purchases and leverage restoration work in perpetuity.
  • Restoring native prairie and woodland habitats on the Fox Unit, creating a parking area and trail to open to the public.
  • Assisting Black Swamp Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in restoring the Nehls Memorial Nature Preserve on Catawba Island and establishing an ADA compliant kayak launch and access point to connect to the Lake Erie Water Trail.
  • Funding the restoration and enhancement of the Marinewood Unit. This unit is a retired golf course in central Ottawa County, Ohio that will be open for public use. Potential plans include an ADA hiking trail, kayak launch, playground, RV pads for volunteer site hosts, restroom and picnic facilities.
  • ​Planning an urban outreach initiative with local and national partners.
  • Reaching 1,000 Friends Members in all 50 states. People from across the country support the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge complex as a hotspot for birding. Our goal is to raise our membership from 850 members in 45 states to 1,000 members spread across all 50 states.
  • Fund additional refuge priority projects as they arise. Deferred maintenance has made the highest ever recorded lake levels a challenge for Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge's aging infrastructure. We anticipate a need to assist in replacing the series of pumps, water control structures, culverts, electric pump stations, flap gates, and fish passage structures.