About Friends of Crab Orchard

Located west of Marion, Illinois, on the northern edge of the Ozark foothills, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is one of the largest refuges in the Great Lakes/Big Rivers Region. Established in 1947, the 43,890-acre Refuge includes three man-made lakes totaling 8,700 surface acres. The Refuge landscape also includes hardwood and pine forests, croplands, grasslands, wetlands, rolling hills, and rugged terrain with slopes of 24 percent. The 4,050-acre Crab Orchard Wilderness, the first wilderness area designated in the State of Illinois, is within the Refuge Crab Orchard Refuge is unique in the National Wildlife Refuge System in having an industrial program that the Refuge hosts an estimated 1.2 million visitors annually, and its recreation programs contribute $25 million to the local tourism economy. Public use opportunities at the Refuge include an auto tour route, hiking trails, hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, environmental education and interpretation, boating, swimming, camping, and picnicking.

 

2012 Wild Life & Wild Places Photo Contest

 

Entry forms and contest rules are posted for the 2012 Photo Contest. Visit our PHOTO CONTEST page for more information. You can also download an ENTRY FORM HERE.

 

Photo Blind Dedication on Visitors Pond

At 1pm Sunday we will be remembering Refuge volunteer and Friends member Bill Payne with the dedication of a photo blind on Visitors Pond. Friends of Bill's, refuge volunteers and local photographers and all invited to attend this short remembrance before the awards ceremony.

Illinois Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest

The Friends once again sponsored the Illinois Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest. Read more about it HERE.

 

The Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois

The Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois and Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge would like to thank the Friends for their generous sponsorship of the Scouting for Wildlife Program. Read more about it HERE.

 

29th annual Kids Fishing

The Friends of Crab Orchard were happy to be a sponsor of the 29th annual Kids Fishing Derby. Read more about it HERE.