ABOUT US

Protect. Enhance. Educate.

The Friends of the North Pikes Creek Wetlands (FNPCW or the Friends) is a 501(c)(3)-qualified, grassroots, community organization with a robust, energized, growing membership dedicated to the long-term protection and scientific management of the North Pikes Creek wetlands, and to the responsible use of this unique resource for nature-based recreation and education by community members, visitors, and students of all ages and physical abilities.

Early in the planning process, the Friends met with community and school groups, clubs, agencies, and governmental units to determine how people envisioned utilizing the property the Friends were planning to acquire. It was clear from these meetings that the community wanted to protect the conservation values of the wetland property, and simultaneously use it for public benefit. These early conversations informed the Friends’ mission, and we have since worked diligently to make this community vision a reality.

• Preserve and protect the ecological functions of the Friends’ North Pikes Creek watershed property, for the benefit of both nature and people.
• Proactively implement informed scientific management activities to ensure the continuation of a healthy mosaic of habitats that support a diversity of wildlife.
• Facilitate public access to a portion of the property for nature-based recreation and education purposes, while protecting the sensitive habitat.
• Utilize the property for community outreach and nature-based educational opportunities, particularly for area youth, to increase awareness of the ecological value of beaver wetlands and the importance of their protection for water quality and wildlife.
• Promote Beaver Hollow as a unique community asset and educational resource, in order to nurture the next generation of environmental stewards.

The North Pikes Creek project was initiated in early 2012 by three friends from the Town of Russell. The Town’s 2001 Land Use Plan prioritized the protection of the wetlands surrounding North Pikes Creek, and when several of these wetland properties were offered for sale in 2012, the three friends championing this project formed the Friends of the North Pikes Creek Wetlands organization, and prepared the necessary grant applications to secure the property. Two-hundred-eighty acres of high-quality, high-functioning, wetland property became a Community Forest in 2014. In 2018-20, the FNPCW purchased an additional 130-acres of adjacent wetland property that was threatened by fragmentation and conversion, which is designated the Friends of the North Pikes Creeks Wetlands Conservation Area. Currently, a combined 410 acres of sensitive North Pikes Creek headwaters are protected in perpetuity. In 2019, the Friends utilized a small upland portion of their property, where a cabin once stood, to build Beaver Hollow – a universally accessible outdoor education venue for community use.

This conservation advocacy organization, founded by three citizen activists, has since evolved into a robust community group comprised of enthusiastic members who advocate for, and work cooperatively toward, the protection, enhancement, and educational use of the North Pikes Creek wetlands. Membership in the Friends of the North Pikes Creek Wetlands is open to all who share our affinity for wild places and support the Friends’ mission. During the course of the North Pikes Creek project, numerous organizations and community supporters have made significant contributions toward its success. The Friends continue to collaborate with community and governmental organizations, educational institutions, and our supporters, to ensure that the wetlands are a beneficial resource for nature and people.

Kathy Wendling, President
Pat Courneya, Vice-President
Mark Wendling, Secretary-Treasurer
Marisa Lee
Mark Eggleson
Melanie Bomier
Rocky Tribovich
Tom Frizzell,  Board Member Emeritus (deceased)

You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.     ~Jane Goodall