Chapters 1 - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Implementation
improved physical and mental health. Being out in nature can improve student learning and can
build strong family bonds.
A connection with nature also helps children develop positive attitudes and behaviors towards the
environment. Positive interactions with the environment can lead to a life-long interest in enjoying
and preserving nature. In fact, in 2007, the Service declared that “connecting people with nature”
is among the agency’s highest national priorities.
Alternative
A B C
Objective 3.1 - Connecting People with Nature
Comparison by Alternative
Strategy
Continue to support the Friends with their participation in off-refuge
events.
In partnership with the Friends and NWSSB, incorporate a connecting
people with nature theme into one of the many special events (e.g., National
Public Lands Day, Refuge Week) held on the Refuge.
Each year, host two activities, involving 20 to 25 people who might not
normally come to the Refuge, so they can experience their activity in a
nature setting. Activities may include a nature related scavenger hunt for
after-school groups, a tour of the nature garden for local garden clubs, and
watercolor painting sessions for senior’s groups.
Objective 3.2: Wildlife Observation
By 2012, improve wildlife observation opportunities on the Refuge through the installation of
an elevated observation platform, enabling more than 1,000 visitors annually to enjoy more of
the sights and sounds of the salt marsh habitat, without comprising habitat quality or the
mission of NWSSB.
Rationale: To comply with the mission of NWSSB, many of the uses available on other refuges in
the NWRS are not possible to implement on this Refuge. Wildlife observation, which is one of the
six priority public uses of the NWRS, is one use that can be implemented during supervised visits
to the Refuge. As a priority public use, wildlife observation provides the Refuge with a tool to
promote a broader public understanding of the value of natural resources and the need to conserve
habitat and wildlife. Visitors to the Seal Beach NWR are drawn by the opportunities available to
observe the Refuge’s diverse array of migratory birds. Others visit in hopes of catching a glimpse
of the elusive light-footed clapper rails that live on the Refuge year round. Currently, the best
viewing areas require driving the public from Refuge headquarters to various places on the
Refuge. Unfortunately, the number of people that can be transported around the Refuge is limited
by the number of vans available for this use. The construction of an observation platform within
walking distance from the Refuge headquarters would significantly improve the public’s
opportunity to observe the diversity of migratory birds that visit the Refuge, particularly during
scheduled monthly tours. To get our message out and connect new visitors with nature, every
effort should be made to facilitate opportunities for wildlife observation when it can be provided
without compromising wildlife and habitat values or the mission of NWSSB.
Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan 6-15