Urban Communications: Conserving the Future

The National Wildlife Refuge Association is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to increase the National Wildlife Refuge System�s profile, accessibility, and relevance to the American people, with specific emphasis on engaging urban communities. To be successful, the Urban Wildlife Conservation Program must develop innovative strategies for communicating with urban populations. To this end, the Refuge Association is working with the Service to develop and implement a communications strategy that includes electronic media, video, online resources and other communications tools that will help the urban refuge program �meet people where they are,� and excite them about their urban natural treasures. At the same time, the Refuge Association is working with the Refuge System to develop standards of excellence for urban refuges, best practices and knowledge transfer opportunities, and standards and practices for evaluating the success of the urban refuge program. Over the coming year, the Refuge Association and the Refuge System�s Urban Wildlife Conservation Program and partners will cooperate on five outlined projects.