We are excited to announce a presentation by Deb Callahan, Board President of The Friends of the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuges, at our August meeting on Wednesday, August 18 at 6:30 PM.  The Friends of the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuges formed in 1999 as an independent nonprofit organization.
 

Many of us make a yearly spring trip to Monte Vista to view the spectacular assemblage of sandhill cranes who stop to fuel up on their northern migration.  The Friends, along with the Refuge staff, the Monte Vista Chamber, Rio Grande County, and the City of Monte Vista, plan and operate the annual Monte Vista Crane Festival which brings thousands of visitors from all over the world to the refuges. To date, the Friends have contributed to the building of the Meadow Lark Trail on the Monte Vista NWR, the Discovery Room at the Alamosa NWR, many years of Kid’s Crane Festivals, and Fishing days (alas, fish disease and drought has stopped this activity). They also assist the refuge with the yearly Friends and Neighbors Picnic that brings the neighbors of the refuge up to date on the refuge happenings. Friends members worked hard to advocate for the establishment of the Baca NWR in 2005.  In 2021 the Friends received a $15,000 grant to improve a critical parking area on the Monte Vista Refuge, wildlife camera installation, and an educational kiosk. 

 Callahan  received her bachelor’s degree and  master’s in earth sciences from the University of Northern Colorado. Her master’s thesis was funded by the U.S. Geological Survey in Idaho’s Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.  Later, she combined her mapping, spatial abilities, and computer skills to learn GIS (Geographic Information Systems) working for the Bureau of Reclamation in Denver. She was fortunate to be involved in several projects involving the recovery of endangered species in New Mexico and throughout the west.  She has  now retired in Monte Vista and still loves camping, hiking, and skiing in the west. Taught by her parents the importance of public service, she has served on the boards of the Evergreen Parks and Recreation Board, The Evergreen Naturalists Audubon Society (10 years of Breeding Bird Surveys),  Wild Connections (roadless area mapping and preservation), and now the Friends of the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuges.
Use the following link to join the meeting on Zoom.  Please note: If you experience a problem joining the meeting directly with this link, copy the address and paste it into your browser. 
Topic: August Chapter Meeting
Time: Aug 18, 2021 06:30 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

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