 rom wildflowers to caribou,
National Wildlife Refuges are places where plants and animals have a place.
This year's National Wildlife Refuge Week celebration takes place October
12-18, during which time hundreds of special events take place across the
country.
 San Diego County's Refuges include
the new San Diego Refuge in Rancho San Diego, the Tijuana Slough NWR in
Imperial Beach, where the Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center is found, and the
Sweetwater Marsh NWR in Chula Vista, location of the Chula Vista Nature
Center.
The Chula Vista Nature Center and
the Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center are offering bird and nature walks, story
telling and art activities for children and other special programs on both
weekends and during the week. Admission to the CVNC will be waived on the
weekend of October 11-12.
President Teddy Roosevelt established
tiny Pelican Island in Florida in 1903 as the first national wildlife refuge.
At the turn of the century, millions of birds were being wantonly killed
or slaughtered for their feathers to meet the fashion demands of the day.
Roosevelt's mission was clear: protect Pelican Island's birds from poachers
and plume hunters. With that simple promise of wildlife protection, the
National Wildlife Refuge System was born.
Now more than 500 refuges are havens
for wildlife, and scenic getaways for nearly 30 million Americans each year
supporting the local economies and ecosystems.
Contact the Chula Vista Nature Center
at (619) 422-1481. Contact the Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center at (619) 575-2704 | 
