Refuge System Birthday Bash, Saturday, March 12

Take your family to the Patuxent Research Refuge this Saturday, March 12 to celebrate the birthday of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

It's impolite to ask what birthday, but I'll tell you that the National Wildlife Refuge has now been around for 108 years! Here are some fun facts:

*President Theodore Roosevelt designated Florida's Pelican Island as the first wildlife refuge in 1903.

*The system now inclues more than 150 milion acres, 553 national wildlife refuges (and other units) and 38 wetland management districts.

*Almost 41 million people visit national wildlife refuges each year, generating almost $1.7 billion for regional economies.

(Those fun facts and more can be found at www.fws.gov/refuges)

Maryland has five National Wildlife Refuges and Prince Georgian's are lucky to have one in our backyard: The Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge.

They'll be ringing in 108 years young with activites, crafts and live animals (performances by Reptile World!)--all free. Bring some money to enjoy the first guided tram tours of the seaon and, of course, food.

Details:

Refuge System Birthday Bash
Saturday, March 12, 2011
10am-3pm
Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge

10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop
Laurel, MD 20708

Original post by Out by Ten. Thanks for reading!