As an avid outdoor photographer who’s been fortunate to visit and photograph in national wildlife refuges as diverse as Chincoteague NWR in Virginia, J.N. Ding Darling NWR in Florida and the Desert NWRs in Nevada, I’ve marveled at the incredible diversity of wildlife that inhabit these marvelous places. Most incredibly, refuges offer opportunities to escape the crowds and experience the natural world, with many just a short drive from urban areas.
Images of wildlife and wild landscapes are so important to telling the remarkable story of the 150-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System. That’s why the NWRA, with sponsorship from the airline we LUV, is rolling out its 6th annual digital photo contest showcasing the Refuge System, the world’s premier system of public lands established to protect wildlife.
At the NWRA, contest photos are crucial to our efforts to educate the public about why the National Wildlife Refuge System is so important to America’s natural heritage. When you look at our website, annual report or Facebook page, you’ll see dozens of beautiful photos donated through our photo contest over the years.
As our contest premier sponsor, Southwest Airlines has generously donated a cash and roundtrip ticket prize for the first place winner.
Entries for the 2012 Refuge Photo Contest can be submitted until October 12, 2012 with results to be announced in late October 2012. Images submitted for the photo contest can be of birds, mammals, insects, fish, other animals, plants, people, or simply shots of refuge scenery.
For photo contest details, requirements, and procedures, please visit www.refugeassociation.org.
