The Big Sit birding event on Sunday, Oct. 13 Walk for the Wild 5K community walk on Saturday, Oct. 19 RICHMOND IL- Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge will celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week (October 13-19) with an all-day birding event on Sunday, October 13 and a Walk for the Wild 5K community walk on the morning of Saturday, October 19. Both events are free and open to adults and children. Registration is required for the 5K walk. The Big Sit is an international birdwatching event when folks around the world tally the different birds they identify from one spot. This is the 11th year The Big Sit will be held at Glacial Park on Sunday, October 13 from 7 am to 3 pm. Community members are invited to join in the fun anytime they like throughout the day. The Big Sit takes place at the marsh overlook at the north end of the Lost Valley Visitor Center. Take Harts Rd west off of Rte 31 between Ringwood and Richmond, IL and follow the signs to the Lost Valley Visitor Center parking lot. People are asked to bring a lawn chair and their binoculars, drinking water, hot drink and snacks. This is an outside event so please come dressed for the weather. The Lost Valley Visitor Center will be open so folks will be able to warm up if it is cold in the early morning. Bathrooms are available in the center. Experienced birders will share views through spotting scopes, and there will be binoculars to borrow for those who do not bring their own. This event is co-sponsored with McHenry County Conservation District, Illinois Department of Natural Resources and McHenry County Audubon. From 9 to 11:30 am on Saturday, October 19, Walk for the Wild will be held along the Prairie Trail in Richmond, Illinois. The aim of the walk is to introduce more people to Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), one of the newest refuges in the USA and the refuge right here for those who live in McHenry County, Illinois and Walworth County, Wisconsin. Hackmatack NWR is also the nearest refuge to the major metropolitan areas of Chicago, Milwaukee and Rockford. Friends of Hackmatack NWR’s 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) community walk will begin at 9 am at the north end parking lot at Richmond-Burton Community High School, 8311 Rte 31, Richmond IL. Walkers will visit an oak savanna that has been restored by volunteers and high school students and spread native seeds there. As the walk proceeds on the trail north, participants will learn about wildlife activity in our region this fall and how to help them this winter and take a look at the new 985-acre parcel purchased this past spring for the refuge. Walkers will stop at 11-acre Blackmon Tract of Hackmatack NWR for a refreshment break before heading back to the high school. All 5K finishers will receive an official Walk for the Wild sticker and will have an opportunity to help plant native flowers in the prairie north of the high school at the end of the walk. There is also an option for participants to complete a 5K walk on their own, anywhere they live. To register for either participation option, go to https://americaswildliferefuges.org/walk-for-the-wild/#5k-challenge. Registration for the 5K is free of charge, but donations are welcomed at the same page. Friends of Hackmatack NWR has set a $1000 fundraising goal for this event. Support helps the Friends group reach out to more people in the region to learn about, visit, explore, and help restore Hackmatack NWR. In addition, Public Lands Alliance will match all contributions, in part, increasing the impact of each gift. To directly register for the local event or to donate to Friends of Hackmatack NWR, visit https:// support.americaswildliferefuges.org/event/the-2024-walk-for-the-wild-friends-of-hackmatack/e612625. For more information, call Friends of Hackmatack NWR at (262) 448-3558, leave a message, and the Friends will call you back. About Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With 570 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth. Hackmatack NWR is the system’s 561st refuge, established on November 6, 2012. Through partnerships, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service leads the way in developing communitydriven conservation solutions that reap ecological and economic benefits for fish, wildlife and people. Within the Refuge System, we work with landowners, Friends groups and local communities. About Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge— The mission of Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge is to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural resources, rural character and scenic beauty of the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge and to connect people to these resources.
