Our Mission
The mission of the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance is to support the first international wildlife refuge in North America. We work with partnerships to protect, conserve, and manage the Refuge’s wildlife and habitats; to create exceptional conservation, recreational, and educational experiences; and to develop the next generation of conservation stewards.
Our Board
Members of the Board come from a wide range of organizations, businesses and backgrounds to contribute their skills to the success of the Refuge.
A day of celebration with past Congressman John D. Dingell & Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, January 14, 2017.
Back Row: John Cullen, Gary Kirsh, Roberta Urbani, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, Richard Micka, Tim Bowman, Joann Van Aken, Joann Gonyea, Richard Skoglund, John Hartig (USFWS)
Front row: Gary Dawson, Denis Boismier, John D. Dingell, Richard Whitwam
Not pictured: Mary Bohling, Marika Diamond, Elizabeth Iszler, Donald Skidmore, Jr., Anita Twardesky
2018 Board of Directors
Richard G. Micka • Chair
Gary R. Kirsh • Vice Chair, ITC Holdings Company
Denis Boismier • Treasurer, City of Gibraltar
Roberta Urbani • Secretary
Marika Diamond • Liason, BASF Corporation
Mary Bohling • Michigan Sea Grant
Tim Bowman • Monroe Bank & Trust
John Cullen
Gary Dawson
Joann Gonyea • City of Trenton
Elizabeth Iszler • Wayne County Parks & Recreation
Paul Muelle • Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority
Bob Ranka • Ducks Unlimited
Donald Skidmore, Jr.
Richard Skoglund
Anita Twardesky • Riverside Kayak Connection
Richard Whitwam • Pte. Mouillee Waterfowl Festival
Joann Van Aken • Executive Director
734-755-0490
Now's your chance to share your passion
for the Refuge.
for the Refuge.
We have a variety of ongoing projects
that you can support:
that you can support:
Hawk Watch Primary Hawk Counter
2017 marked the 35th year of Detroit River Hawk Watch (DRHW). Led by the Primary Hawk Counter, citizen scientists monitor the annual migration of raptors during their long journey to their wintering grounds in the southern United States and Mexico. DRHW is a partnership among the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the IWRA, Huron Clinton Metroparks, and the DRHW Advisory Committee.
For more information about DRHW's 35 years of monitoring, click here. To help support the efforts of DRHW and the Primary Hawk Counter, click on the Donate button below.
The Nature Store Fund
The Nature Store Fund enables the IWRA to research and purchase a wide variety of educational items for sale in the Visitor Center's new store. Help us be fully stocked when the Center opens!
The Blue Goose Bus Fund
The Blue Goose Bus Fund offers an allowance for school groups to offset the cost of bus transportation to the Refuge. For more information, visit our "What's New" page.
The IWRA Legacy Endowment Fund
It is our priority to consistently provide a quality conservation and outdoor recreational experience at the Refuge Gateway and Humbug Marsh Unit and the endowment will manifest our commitment to making this a priority.
Considerable funds are needed to operate, maintain, and program the Visitor Center, boat dock and Fishing Pier, trails, environmental education shelter, etc. with quality. This endowment also helps protect our initial investment (land acquisition, restoration work, the Visitor Center building) and ensures a long-term mechanism to operate, maintain, and program these facilities and habitats with quality. In addition, the endowment will help operate, maintain, and program other units of the Refuge.
You can also support IWRA's efforts through a
non-targeted donation.
non-targeted donation.
$15 "Mayfly" donation level: receive an IWRA decal
$30 "Canvasback" donation level: receive an IWRA pin and decal
$60 "Walleye" donation level: receive an IWRA hat, pin, and decal
$100 "Great Blue Heron" donation level: receive an IWRA licence plate, pin, and decal
$250 "Lake Sturgeon" donation level: receive two reservations to the next Benefit Dinner, IWRA licence plate, pin, and decal
Please help by donating through PayPal.
Be sure to note how you want your donation to be applied.
Be sure to note how you want your donation to be applied.
Call for more details:
(734) 755-0490
Contact Us
INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ALLIANCE
5437 W. Jefferson Avenue
Trenton, Michigan 48183
Temporary phone # 734-755-0490
E-mail: iwr_alliance@yahoo.com