MEDIA ADVISORY

SECRETARY NORTON TO HONOR VOLUNTEERS AT DING
DARLING NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

WASHINGTON - Interior Secretary Gale Norton will honor volunteers at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge near Ft. Myers on Tuesday, April 23, as part of National Volunteer Week, a nationwide celebration of volunteerism.

"Volunteers at Ding Darling help with everything from restoring wetlands to staffing visitors centers to guiding tours of the area's beautiful beaches," Norton said. "They help make the refuge system the world's premier network of lands dedicated to wildlife and a place of beauty and inspiration for millions of visitors a year."

Volunteers at Ding Darling raised $2 million for a new visitor's center and donate 21,000 hours a year of labor to support the refuge. Nationally, more than 36,000 volunteers donate more than 1.4 million hours at the nation's 538 National Wildlife Refuges.

"Conservation of our natural resources is a partnership between the people and the government," Norton said. "There is no place we see this partnership more alive than on our national wildlife refuges and other public lands."

President Bush has called on Americans to devote at least two years of their lives, or 4,000 hours, to service in their communities. Norton noted that President Bush is a strong supporter of the refuge system, proposing a record $56.5 million increase in the system's 2003 budget.

Norton will make formal remarks, then tour the refuge and host a media availability. Reporters, photographers and television crews are invited to follow her on the tour.

Who:             Gale Norton, Secretary of the Interior

What:            Recognition of volunteers and tour of Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge

When:          Tuesday, April 23. Remarks at 1:15 p.m., a short tour of the Indigo Trail
                       at 1:45 p.m. and media availability at 2 p.m.

Where:        J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge
                      1 Wildlife Drive
                      Sanibel, Florida

                      FROM S.W. FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: Stay on 
                      Daniels Parkway, cross over US 41, turn left onto Summerlin 
                      Road, cross causeway, right on Periwinkle until it ends, then
                      right on Tarpon Bay Road, left at the next stop sign. The refuge 
                      entrance is at mile marker 2.

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