By Barry Erdeljon, Vice President Back Bay NWR Society
The Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge Society is constructing an outdoor classroom for environmental education programs and for the enjoyment of the visiting public. Education programs include field trips for over 1,000 visiting students annually. The anticipated completion date for the outdoor classroom is prior to the end of the year. The outdoor classroom is being built with donations and grants from individuals, area businesses, the Hampton Roads Community Foundation, COX Communications and Virginia Natural Gas Foundation. Architect Chris Elam, RBA Architects, and student interns from the Environmental Studies Program of Virginia Beach City Public Schools designed the outdoor classroom. RBA Architects donated the design and engineering drawings. Chris Elam is the serving as the project supervisor.
A chronological record of the outdoor classroom can be found at this website.
The Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge Society is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s officially designated friends group and primary partner of the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The Society was formed in 2020 as an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System. Our purpose is to promote and support the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in its mission to conserve, protect and enhance natural resources through projects, advocacy, outreach, education, fundraising, diverse membership and volunteerism for the betterment of the Refuge.
The Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge Society (Back Bay NWR Society) is a fully volunteer organization. Membership is free. Members receive Society emails about upcoming events, activities and opportunities to volunteer. Volunteer information can be found here:https://bbnwrs.org/membership/. The Society relies on contributions from individuals, foundations, grants and area business event sponsorships.
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