Recently the North Carolina Chapter of Alpha Zeta had the
privilege to travel to the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and Farm
Fields Management Unit in Manns Harbor, North Carolina. This refuge is a unit
of the National Wildlife Refuge System and was established to protect the
unique wetland habitat type and is managed for not only native wildlife, but
also for people. During our trip we were able to learn about drainage and pump
management, waterfowl management, and the Fisheries and Wildlife Services
Cooperative Farming Program and policies. The Cooperative Farming Program is a
mutually beneficial arrangement where the farmer is allowed to farm refuge land
under certain guidelines and restrictions. The goal of the program is to
provide food and cover for migratory birds and other resident wildlife. It
supplements natural foods with grain foods, such as corn, milo, small seeded
millets, and green browse. It is designed for farmers to buy the seed, plant,
grow, and harvest the crop and leave a certain portion or share for the
wildlife. This trip was a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time with our
fellow brothers and we learned a great deal about the role that agriculture
plays in Wildlife Refuges.