Community members, tribal leaders and local officials gathered under sunny skies and soaring bald eagles to celebrate the grand opening of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge’s long awaited Community Nature Center.
The project has been more than a decade in the making and one that leaders say represents far more than just a new building.
“We gather today on lands and waters that have known our footsteps since the beginning of time,” said Tana Engdahl, spiritual leader of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.
Engdahl and Chinook Indian Nation Vice President Sam Robinson began the grand opening ceremony with a song originating from the mouth of the Columbia River and a blessing. Engdahl emphasized the broader meaning behind the project, telling attendees, “Today’s opening of this community nature center is more than the unveiling of a building; it is a renewal of relationships.”
The theme of connection between people, land and community echoed throughout the speakers at the grand opening on Sunday, May 3, at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge’s Carty Unit. Speakers highlighted years of collaboration between tribal nations, federal agencies, local governments and nonprofit partners.
Ridgefield Mayor Matt Cole reflected on the long road to completion. He credited persistent efforts across multiple levels of government and the community for bringing the project to life.
“It’s taken years of sustained, unglamorous, unrelenting work from everywhere,” he said. “From the local level on up to the federal level to get something done.”
Those efforts, he added, represent a fulfilled promise and a lasting commitment to the Ridgefield community and its gateway to the natural world so close to urbanism.
For many residents, the refuge itself has long been central to the city’s identity.
“You cannot talk about the city of Ridgefield and not acknowledge the 5,000-acre refuge that stands right behind us,” Cole said.
Officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) stressed that the new facility is designed to serve as both an educational hub and a welcoming gateway to nature.
“This community nature center is far more than a new building,” said Bridget Fahey, acting regional director of USFWS. “It’s a promise to the people who call this region home.”
Fahey said the center was shaped directly by community input gathered through meetings and outreach efforts.
“This is what it looks like when we build with the community, not just for it,” she said.
Inside, the center features a classroom, interpretive exhibits and gathering spaces designed to serve visitors of all ages and backgrounds. The educational aspects of the nature center also reflect the broader purpose of public lands, especially wildlife refuges.
“Our National Wildlife Refuges are unique within the federal land system in that they’re the only lands that put wildlife first,” Fahey said.
The month of May marks the beginning to a lengthy season of expanded trails and walkability at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, but the mission of wildlife first is highlighted by staff decisions. While other seasonal trails opened on May 1, the Kiwa Trail on the River S Unit will remain closed in order to protect nesting sandhill cranes.
One of the key aspects of the ceremony was to highlight the partnerships as the driving force to get to the ribbon-cutting.
Ethan Perry, executive director of the Port of Ridgefield, highlighted the relationship between economic development and conservation.
“We are neighbors, and over time, we’ve learned the best neighbors don’t just coexist. They show up for each other,” Perry said.
Jim Maul, president of the Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, said the building stands as a symbol of collaboration.
“This building is a physical testament to what happens when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the city, port, community and our congressional delegation align around a shared vision,” Maul said.
Maul also pointed to the refuge’s unique position as both a natural sanctuary and an accessible community space.
“We talk about Ridgefield being a gateway community,” he said. “Today, we are opening a new gateway.”
Much of the center’s focus will be on creating a new gateway for education and creating meaningful experiences for young visitors.
“They aren’t just getting a field trip. They are walking through a magic door into another world,” Maul said of students visiting the refuge.
The emphasis on early connection to nature was reinforced by refuge staff, who see the community nature center as a starting point for lifelong stewardship.
“Conservation does not start with a tree planted,” said Josie Finley, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge visitor services manager. “It starts with a human connection.”
Earlier in the ceremony, Engdahl spoke to that sentiment in her remarks, reminding attendees, "Stewardship is not a program. It is a responsibility carried across time.”
What’s next for the new community nature center
While the building itself marks a major milestone, partners are already looking toward the next phase of development.
The Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge are focusing on creating a nature exploration area, which is a highly anticipated outdoor component that will extend the center’s mission beyond its walls.
Planned for the north end of the building, the nature exploration area will serve as a seamless transition between the indoor facility and the surrounding Carty Unit landscape by offering hands-on opportunities for students, families and visitors of all abilities.
The area will also include a brick installation near its entrance with an interpretive sign that will explain to visitors the purpose and significance of the special brick tributes.
To learn more about the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, visit fws.gov/refuge/ridgefield.
