Friends of the 500th (Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge)

The Friends of the 500th was established in 1996 as a nonprofit corporation that supports the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

The Nation’s 500th National Wildlife Refuge.



Supporting the conservation and public use of Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge.



The Friends of the 500th was established in 1996 as a nonprofit corporation that supports the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. We work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and our local community to meet wildlife and biological management objectives, recreational and educational goals, and to support diverse programs related to the Refuge. We are part of a network of over 250 Friends groups committed to supporting, protecting and improving National Wildlife Refuge resources. Members are our most important resource and are critical to the success of our organization and to our continued support of projects and educational programs at Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Our members contribute in a variety of ways—from providing financial support through membership dues and donations, to actively volunteering. Every member is important in helping our organization continue to grow.

Partner Category

We often partner with non-governmental conservation organizations on conservation projects, whether it's to conserve identified species such as the monarch butterfly or to advise on land acquisition for conservation so that it has the greatest benefit for species.

Those who experience the outdoors and wildlife first-hand become its greatest conservationists.  We partner with these groups to foster their love of wildlife and conservation.

Here we partner with a wider variety of other organizations on projects to meet shared conservation goals.

Other Partners

Here are just a few of our National Partners. You can view the full list of FWS partners, along with the regions and areas of focus our work together entails.

Partnership Services

Through our partnerships we are able to expand our capabilities through the inclusion of services in areas such as:

  • Grant opportunities
  • Sponsorship of grants
  • Cooperative Agreements

To find out more about how our partner provides services view our partner services below.