Ways to Get Involved
Whether you want to further conservation, learn more about nature or share your love of the outdoors, you’ve come to the right place. National wildlife refuges provide many opportunities for you to help your community by doing what you love. National wildlife refuges partner with volunteers, youth groups, landowners, neighbors and residents of urban and coastal communities to make a lasting difference. Find out how you can help make American lands healthier and communities stronger while doing something personally satisfying. The Havasu National Wildlife Refuge relies on dedicated volunteers and community members to assist staff with various conservation and maintenance projects.
Volunteering
Discover for yourself what tens of thousands of volunteers have learned: Volunteering for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is fun and rewarding in many ways. Master new skills. Meet new friends. Enjoy a sense of accomplishment from doing your part to further wildlife conservation for the pleasure of generations to follow. Check out our station's latest volunteer opportunities on volunteer.gov.
The refuge typically recruits two volunteer couples for a six-month commitment from fall until spring, although three-month special-condition commitments are considered. The refuge has two shaded camper pads with electrical and water hook-ups reserved for long-term volunteers. Local volunteers are encouraged to contact the refuge for opportunities.
Volunteers get to know the refuge and take part in a large conservation effort to protect and improve Havasu National Wildlife Refuge. Responsibilities include assisting maintenance staff with daily projects and tasks, removing litter and trash from public use areas, assisting with office and administrative duties, and assisting with special on- and off-site events.
The Friends of the Bill Williams River and Havasu National Wildlife Refuges was created in 2012 to assist Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge and Havasu National Wildlife Refuge with their wildlife conservation missions. This volunteer group is involved with activities on the refuges, assists with conservation projects, educational events, protecting habitat, and promoting community involvement. The Friends Group has a monthly meeting usually held in Golden Shores, Arizona. As a recently established non-profit organization, the Friends is actively seeking new members that want to make a difference in the community. Please visit the Friends page for more information.
Our Partners
Nature does not recognize human-made boundaries. In order to conserve our natural and cultural resources effectively, we must work with others to bridge these boundaries. Partnerships foster creative solutions to challenging situations and often the results are greater than the sum of the parts. Learn more about our local partners.
The Havasu National Wildlife Refuge works with the following partners. They play a very important role in helping the refuge accomplish its wildlife management and conservation mission:
Outreach
Hunt and Fish Day
Enjoy a day of wildlife dependent recreation at the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge. This is a fun time for both children and adults. Try your hand at shooting archery, wet a line at our fishing dock, experience a wildlife crime scene investigation, learn to identify waterfowl, field dress and fillet your animals, learn about our refuge management efforts and see some of the equipment used in this work. This event occurs in the fall after summer temperatures have passed.
National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count
Join refuge volunteers at this annual event sponsored by the National Audubon Society. Grab your binoculars and your favorite birding app and hike, drive, or boat around the refuge looking and listening for our winter birds. This event occurs between late December and into January; it is a great opportunity for the expert birder to hone their skills and for the novice to learn from the best. The data gathered is a valuable resource for bird conservation.
Education Programs
Open the door to a potentially life-changing experience. If you land a student internship, a fellowship or a volunteer opportunity at a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
Learn more about national wildlife refuge , fish hatchery or other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service site, you’re bound to come away with new insights and excitement about conservation.
By incorporating Environmental Education and Interpretive curriculum, teachers can integrate science, math, language arts, and history into one interactive lesson. Environmental Education helps students understand how their decisions and actions affect the environment and facilitates the ability to connect, respect and appreciate nature. Taking a class outside or bringing nature indoors provides an excellent context for learning and fosters a new generation of informed stewards for the planet.
The Havasu National Wildlife Refuge offers free environmental education programs to residents of Needles, California, and Mohave county Arizona. Schools, girl and boy scouts, homeschools and nature clubs are welcome to experience Havasu National Wildlife Refuge with their students or members. Our staff offers free field trips or classroom visits so they can learn from wildlife professionals.
Free Field Trips
Havasu Refuge is a great place to explore, learn and enjoy all that the wonderful outdoors has to offer. Bring your students to the refuge so they can get a hands-on, outdoor experience with a variety of songbirds, migratory waterfowl, mammals and reptiles found at our refuge. Several day use areas and dike roads can be accessed giving students the opportunity to get up close and personal with area wildlife. Scheduled Monday – Friday, 9AM – 3PM, September – May.
Free Classroom Presentations
Your students can experience the refuge and the Mohave Desert without ever leaving the classroom. A visit from refuge staff can supplement your classroom curriculum and provide a fun way for your students to learn about the wildlife resources around them. Scheduled Monday – Friday, 9AM – 3PM, September – May.
- 1-hour long programs conveniently fit into a school day
Lessons for both field trips and classroom visits include:
- Raptors and their adaptations for hunting
- Lake Havasu area wildlife presentation
Contact the refuge to schedule a visit at (928) 667-4144 or email Joseph Saccomanno for more information.