A local wildlife refuge was honored Friday for its environmental effort.
Located in the South Valley, the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is dedicated to conserving the local landscape.
Friday, the refuge was presented with two awards for their strategic plan to continue the environmental effort, but officials say the awards are just as much for the community as they are for the refuge.
“You are the people who love this place, who use this place and should have a say in how it moves forward,” refuge manager Jennifer Owen-White said.
The refuge has restoration plans in place to begin within the next few years to create wetlands and help with the re-growth of natural grasses and brush land.