About
the Friends
We are a group of dedicated individuals from all over the nation who are passionate about saving the Florida panther.
Our Mission
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Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge supports and promotes the goals of the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and promotes a better understanding and appreciation of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
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We work to safeguard the Refuge through education, outreach, advocacy, and being an active partner in Refuge projects. We are also focused on protecting the native flora and fauna found in the Florida Panther NWR and its partner refuge, Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Our projects center on restoring the Florida panther and its habitat within its historic range.
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The Friends of the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge is a
non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
Meet the Team
Becca Bryan
President, Media Chair
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Becca Bryan lives in the Fort Lauderdale, FL area and is a strong advocate for wildlife. Currently, she is an Editor and Writer looking for the next best wildlife story.
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She has written published articles for National Geographic's Voices Blog, the USO On Patrol, and VeteransEnterprise.com. Her love and respect for the endangered Florida panther is found in her writing, whether the animal is wild or an orphan rehomed in a safe, responsible sanctuary or zoo.
A graduate of Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, WV, Becca graduated with a major in Theater and an Associate Degree in Business.
Why a Friends Group?
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A Friends group is a non-profit organization that is a representative of the community and offers assistance to a principal organization. So why have one for a National Wildlife Refuge? Refuges are threatened by insufficient funding, oil and gas exploration, development, and roads.
Budget cuts in the past decade have left the National Refuge System understaffed and underfunded, resulting in cuts to educational programs, closed offices, and negative impacts on wildlife monitoring and recovery projects.
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Friends groups help support local refuges by advocating for funding, conducting public events connecting with the community, raising funds, restoring habitat, maintaining trails, and coordinating volunteers. You can read more about the role of Friends groups on National Refuges here.
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The Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge helps provide funding for important biological projects, building a new headquarters office, and attending outreach events. We also provide funding for an intern Outreach Ranger position on the Refuge.
Additional Partners:
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