News

Laura is the new Supervisory Visitor Services Manager at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. A native of Houston, Texas, Laura received her Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University and her Master of Science degree in Forestry (Forest Recreation) from Stephen F. Austin State University. During her graduate studies, she served as the Conservation Education Fellow at Welder Wildlife Refuge. She has spent her last 11 years working in the Midwest Region at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center (Fergus Falls Wetland Management District), Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, and most recently at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. She is excited to be back in south Texas and looks forward to working with the Friends of Aransas & Matagorda Island. “Stay tuned” for news on some of the plans she has for Visitor Services in the next few months.

A big shout-out to the Dow Chemical Company Foundation for making a generous donation to the FAMI Sea Turtle Recovery Fund. We appreciate their support of our efforts to save the Kemp's Ridley turtles.

A big THANK YOU goes out to Kirby Inland Marine, who donated two UTV's to F.A.M.I. just in time for the current turtle patrol season.  The patrollers advised they were great to have...and the patrollers found FOUR nests this season!!! 

THANK YOU to our friends at KIRBY INLAND MARINE. 

Please note the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge visitor center and nature store is open Thursday through Sundays, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  The building and nature store will be closed to the public on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays.  The Refuge itself remains open as usual; fee payment can be made thru the outside 'after hours' box just outside the front doors.

We just had to share photos of the mural painted by one of our amazing winter volunteers, Dave Nelson.  Come on out to our Visitor Center and see it in person!

AND - here's the amazing artist himself - THANK YOU, DAVE - it is just wonderful!