Friends of Blackwater NWR

Become a Member or Renew Your Membership

The Friends of Blackwater is a nonprofit citizens support group for Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) near Cambridge, Maryland. Together with our partners, we provide vital fundraising, volunteer, and advocacy support to help make Blackwater NWR one of the best refuges in America's National Wildlife Refuge System. Learn more about how you can join, donate, or volunteer with us.

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Join

Become a member of the Friends, help us achieve are mission, and receive discounts at local merchants and in our Eagle's Nest Book and Gift Shop.

Membership benefits

Donate

Donate even if you're not a member and help us make Blackwater NWR a great place. You can even donate in memory of a friend or loved one.

Ways to support

Volunteer

Join one of the most active volunteer groups in the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Opportunities at the Refuge

Photo Contest Winners

See the winners and honorable mentions in our 2023 Blackwater NWR Photo Contest! Congrats to the winners and thanks to all who entered.

See the Volunteer Award Winners

The US Fish and Wildlife Service presented awards to Refuge volunteers for their 2023 service. See the winners.

Watch Wildlife Cams

As the winter waterfowl season begins, visit our wildlife cameras to check out the action at the Refuge.

Free Bird Walks

We've updated our Events page with upcoming free bird walks.

Do you have a great image from Blackwater NWR? Be sure to visit our online gallery of images and videos from Blackwater NWR. You can submit a photo or video for inclusion in our gallery or you can share your photos and videos with us on our Friends of Blackwater Facebook page. Show us what you've got!

What is a national wildlife refuge?

You might be surprised to learn that national wildlife refuges are different than national parks. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the only system of federal lands devoted specifically to wildlife. While national wildlife refuges provide recreational opportunities for people, they also provide habitat for more than 700 species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 reptile and amphibian species, and more than 1,000 species of fish. More than 380 threatened or endangered plants or animals are protected on wildlife refuges. Each year, millions of migrating birds use refuges as stepping stones while they fly thousands of miles between their summer and winter homes. Learn more about America's National Wildlife Refuge System at fws.gov/refuges.