DOINews: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Take ‘Flat Blue' for a National Wildlife Refuge Adventure

The Blue Goose, a decades-old symbol of conservation for the National Wildlife Refuge System is highlighting the refuge system's “Conserving the Future” vision process by taking on the new role of “Flat Blue,” the traveling Blue Goose. So grab your cameras and Flat Blue, head to a national wildlife refuge, and send to results to http://americaswildlife.org/flatblue/.

Flat Blue flew into the refuge May 13, 2011! Here is a picture of him with Biology Staff helping out with the Mangrove Cuckoo Breeding Survey along Wildlife Drive at the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge on sunny Sanibel Island, Fla.. (From left, Jeremy Conrad, refuge biologist; Rachel Krauss, refuge biology intern; and Joe Stack, refuge biology intern.) Photo by USFWS.

No one is better than Department of the Interior employees when it comes to sharing their stories of outdoor adventures on national wildlife refuges. And now, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's launch of Flat Blue, the traveling Blue Goose, sharing them has become even more fun.


Launched with the National Wildlife Refuge System's “Conserving the Future” vision process, Flat Blue is an image of the Refuge System's traditional Blue Goose symbol. Much like Flat Stanley – the educational storybook cutout that has traveled the nation and the world – Flat Blue (with your help) will be making its way to refuges nationwide:


First, print Flat Blue. Then take your friends and family – or just yourself – to a national wildlife refuge, where you can take a photo with Flat Blue. Finally share your photo and the story of your adventure by e-mailing them to americaswildife@gmail.com. Soon your adventures with Flat Blue will appear at http://americaswildlife.org/flatblue/.


So, grab your cameras, Flat Blue, and let your imaginations soar!

By: Martha Nudel, chief, Branch of Communications,Division of Visitor Services & Communications,National Wildlife Refuge System, USFWS

May 31, 2011