Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge to Celebrate 100 Years of Conservation in 2008 Celebration Begins With Winter Raptor Rally, Saturday January 26, in Tulelake, California

TULELAKE, Calif. –The Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge is inviting

the public to help celebrate its 100th year of conserving and managing

habitat for ducks, geese and other wildlife in the Klamath Basin. Today

the refuge, the nation’s first dedicated specifically for waterfowl

conservation, announced a series of special events that will commemorate

the anniversary and connect people to the beauty, birds and wildlife of

the Basin.



The Lower Klamath refuge was established on August 8, 1908 by President

Theodore Roosevelt as the nation’s first wildlife refuge set aside

specifically for migratory waterfowl and other marsh birds. The refuge

encompasses nearly 51,000 acres and is a varied mix of shallow

freshwater marshes, open water, grassy uplands, and croplands that are

intensively managed to provide feeding, resting, nesting, and brood

rearing habitat for waterfowl and other water birds. The refuge is one

of three refuges in southern Oregon and three in northern California

that are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the

190,000-acre Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex.



“We want to invite the public to come out and help us celebrate our

first 100 years by experiencing the beauty of the Lower Klamath Refuge

first hand during all seasons,” said Ron Cole, manager of the Klamath

Basin National Wildlife Refuges. “Lower Klamath Refuge is a true

national treasure and we have scheduled events throughout the year that

will highlight everything we have to offer.”



The year-long centennial celebration begins with the Winter Refuge

Raptor Rally on Saturday, January 26.

The event is ideal introduction to refuge raptors for families and

novice birdwatchers. Participants will learn more about raptor

identification, habits and the habitats in which they are found. ...