As the primary private partner of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, The Friends are working to ensure that the US Fish and Wildlife Service has the funding and other resources it needs to adequately conserve wildlife habitat and native plant communities, and to educate visitors on the importance of protecting this special place for future generations. We accomplish this by educating elected officials on Refuge funding needs; affecting short-term and long-term Refuge planning and management decisions; increasing public awareness and support for Refuge programs; and building relationships with area communities on issues such as controlling the spread of non-native plants, limiting stormwater runoff, encouraging low-impact development, and banning inappropriate and damaging recreational activities within the Refuge.

Among our most significant achievements, The Friends played a major role in securing a $26.09 million settlement making it possible for the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge to replace resource values and environmental educational opportunities lost due to airport expansion. In addition, we have restored thousands of acres of native wetlands, grasslands, and forests through our participation in the state-funded Metropolitan Conservation Corridors Project.