St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge will have limited operations for the foreseeable future due to the current government shutdown. While the gates are open to enter the refuge, the visitor center, education center, nature store, and the lighthouse will be closed. Neighbors say they notice the changes.
4,655 refuge employees across the country have been furloughed due to the ongoing government shutdown. People are still welcome to visit to the St. Marks refuge. But many facilities have closed, and events have been canceled. Watch the video to see what visitors to the refuge are saying about this.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Around 4,700 refuge employees across the country have been furloughed, which includes the workers here at St Mark’s. Even though the gates are open, with almost no employees, the recreation and preservation efforts are nonexistent.
“It’s pretty heartbreaking that this shutdown has happened because it means that they’re not able to be out here doing that critical work,” said Elise Bennett, an environmental attorney for the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity.
St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1931 to preserve over 83,000 acres of land and around 43 miles of the Gulf Coast. Workers help protect the wildlife and plant life here in the Sunshine State.
The refuge also provides recreation for locals and visitors alike, including hiking, fishing, wildlife watching, and education programs.
Rita Strickland, a Sopchoppy local, had come to the refuge with her granddaughter to participate in the monthly “Tots on Trails” event.
“I’m very disappointed. I mean, you’re telling the children that you’re going to take them to this event, and you’re excited so they get here, and there’s nobody here,” said Strickland.
The Friends of St. Marks did send an email to registered guests about the event. There was also a post on Facebook talking about the cancellation. The Lighthouse Keepers’ Quarters open houses are also canceled until further notice.
This refuge is part of a system of over 600 other refuges across the country.
“Our wildlife refuge system was created to actually protect wildlife, especially endangered and threatened species, and so this refuge is actually a really important one for several species,” said Bennett.
Bennett came to the refuge to meet with the refuge employees about their work. With the shutdown, that meeting did not happen.
Until further notice, the visitor center, education center, nature store, and the lighthouse will be closed. The gates to enter the refuge will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day.
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