Preserve? Educate? Inspire? Quogue Wildlife Refuge is working on all three via their new initiative of the same name, with an eye toward renovating their well-used visitors center, and then some.
“This is a once in a generation opportunity to invest in the future of the Refuge and ensure that this special place continues to educate and inspire for years to come,” said QWR executive director Michael Nelson in a statement to the press. “We invite everyone to be part of this exciting journey.”
To date, QWR has raised the $2.3 million between grants and pledges to cover the costs of the planned renovation and expansion of the Charles Banks Belt Nature Center. Built in 1974, it currently welcomes around 150,000 visitors a year coming through the 305-acre preserve (take a virtual visit in this video and story from our sister publication, Northforker, here), which has been a natural sanctuary for local and permanently injured wildlife who live in the tidal wetlands, pine barrens and forests for 90 years and counting.
The long overdue refresh will include ADA-compliant accessibility upgrades to bathrooms and entryways, the creation of a dedicated learning space for classes and workshops, as well as a smart re-do and expansion of internal spaces with a focus on energy-efficient LEED-certification and technology updates to improve the visitors’ experience.
However, there’s still more to be done and QWR is taking the village-sourcing approach to help get them to their total goal of $3.5 million for wish list items such as better parking and improved drainage, Dark Sky-compliant outdoor lighting and funding for new exhibitions and upgrades to the center’s furnishings.
“With our programs expanding and visitor numbers increasing, this project is essential to ensuring that we can continue to provide meaningful educational experiences for all,” Nelson continues. “We are thrilled by the support we’ve received so far and hope the community will join us in bringing this vision to life.”
Click here to learn more about the project.
