Friends of Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge dedicate photo blind | Events

MARION, IL (KFVS) - The staff and Friends of Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge gathered Sunday, November 11 to remember long time Refuge volunteer and Friends member Bill Payne with a ribbon cutting and dedication of a new wildlife observation blind on the Refuge.

Payne served the refuge in many capacities over the years. He introduced family members and friends to the refuge and often recruited them to volunteer alongside him. He was especially fond of the volunteer patrol which took him to every corner of the refuge gathering visitor use data and helping to keep the refuge clean.

The center says Payne was also an avid nature photographer. He won many awards in the Friends’ annual photo contest including his final entry in 2011, a beautiful photo of a thistle. Bill donated several of his favorite photos to the Friends of Crab Orchard to be made into postcards. The postcards are for sale in the Friends Nature Store at the Refuge visitor center.

If you would like to visit the refuge and enjoy the new observation blind, it is located on the shore of Visitors’ Pond just behind the visitor center off route 148 in Marion. The center says the trail to the blind is level and easy. The round trip walk is just shy of a mile. The Refuge and trail are open during daylight hours. An entry pass is not required to park at the visitor center and enjoy the trail to the blind.

For more information about upcoming programs, please contact the Refuge Visitor Center at 618/997-3344 ext. 1
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is part of the National Wildlife Refuge System which is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

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