2026-07-10T07:07:34-07:00 2025-12-31 582361357 GREGG S BOSSEN CPA PC 50 LENOX POINT SUITE C ATLANTA GA 30324 990 2025-01-01 742815350 FRIENDS OF LAGUNA ATASCOSA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE FRIE 9568323905 22817 OCELOT TRAIL LOS FRESNOS TX 78566 NICOLE EKSTROM Treasurer 2026-07-10 true Gregg S Bossen P01444127 4048929513 2025 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z 22817 OCELOT TRAIL LOS FRESNOS TX 78566 169975 false X www.flanwr.org X 1997 TX The mission of the Friends of Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge shall be to educate the public regarding the flora, fauna, and natural environment of the Refuge, through functions and educational events, promote public support for the Refuge by encouraging and organizing volunteer services, and solicit public donations for use in supporting, assisting, and enhancing ongoing conservation projects on the Refuge. 10 10 2 50 0 93683 92582 32068 42074 7831 14297 16617 399 150199 149352 0 0 21593 1873 0 0 59409 254601 81002 256474 69197 -107122 1123403 1014281 209482 208756 913921 805525 The mission of the Friends of Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge shall be to educate the public regarding the flora, fauna, and natural environment of the Refuge, through functions and educational events, promote public support for the Refuge by encouraging and organizing volunteer services, and solicit public donations for use in supporting, assisting, and enhancing ongoing conservation projects on the Refuge. false false 244688 In 2025, the Friends of Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (FLANWR) participated in outreach and education, land conservation, and habitat restoration. OUTREACH AND EDUCATIONIn 2025, FLANWR hosted 70 events for approximately 14,000 individuals. Programs and events in 2025 included: Ocelot Conservation Day, the Wild Friends Storytime, the Friends Science Series, Bike the Bahia, the Naturally Native Garden Team, the CORE (Consumable Outdoor Recreation) Program, National Public Lands Day, the Rio Grande Birding Festival, the Christmas Bird Count, and participation at community events. Ocelot Conservation DayOcelot Conservation Day is an annual event held in March that is co-hosted by FLANWR and the USFWS that promotes ocelot conservation. This awareness-raising event highlights the ocelot, a small endangered wild cat native to South Texas. Activities included craft stations and information tables where guests may speak with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Friends of Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, and other local partners to learn about ocelot biology, research, and conservation.On March 9, 2025, the 21st annual Ocelot Conservation Day was held at the Gladys Porter Zoo. This event, coupled with the Ocelot Run, reached an estimated 3,300 people. This event included booths from partnering organizations, ocelot themed activities, and presentations by ocelot biologists. Partners include the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, American Forests, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Cara Cara Trails, South Texas Astronomy Society, the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center, the South Texas Ecotourism Center, Defenders of Wildlife, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Wardens Operation Game Thief Trailer, and the East Foundation. Activities included: pin the tail on the ocelot, ocelot bean bag toss, how far can an ocelot jump, an ocelot dress up station and selfie station, ocelot puzzles, ocelot masks, ocelot face painting, and ocelot button and magnet making. Presentations provided information about ocelots in Texas, ocelot monitoring at Laguna Atascosa NWR and south Texas, thornscrub restoration for ocelots, and ocelots at the Gladys Porter Zoo.Wild Friends StorytimeIn 2025, FLANWR continued the Wild Friends Storytime program. This program features a nature-themed book about wildlife or animals found at Laguna Atascosa NWR followed by a craft and/or nature hike. Events were held monthly at the Laguna Atascosa Visitor Center and the Laguna Vista Public Library. Through grant funding, we were also able to have a book giveaway at each event so participants could have a copy of the book read at the event. In 2025, we hosted 21 events for 107 youth.CORE (Consumable Outdoor Recreation) ProgramThe CORE (Consumable Outdoor Recreation) Program is an outreach program for youth that focuses on the National Wildlife Refuge Systems Big Six areas of outreach, which include: hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education, and interpretation. We hosted events throughout the year that focused on these topics, including a hunter education class, a class on how to gut, skin, and quarter an animal, Family Fish Camps that included how to filet and cook fish, and guided hikes.Guided Bike RidesIn 2025, FLANWR hosted 18 guided wildlife bike rides for 119 participants. Guided bike rides are performed at the Steve Thompson Wildlife Drive and the Bahia Grande Unit. The Bahia Grande Unit contains coastal prairie, thornscrub, rare lomas, and the Bahia Grande, one of the largest wetland restoration sites in the United States. This Unit is currently closed to the general public but is accessible by guided tours. This wildlife bike ride provides a great public service by allowing participants to access this Unit of the refuge.Naturally Native Garden TeamIn 2025, FLANWR continued the Naturally Native Garden Team with 5 events that included 34 volunteers. This program is helping revitalize the pollinator garden in front of the Visitors Center and help establish native plants at a new wildlife observation area at the Refuge. The purpose of these events is to teach people about native plants, encourage the use of native gardening in the home, and to have a pollinator demonstration garden in front of the Visitor Center and surrounding trails.National Public Lands Day CleanupFLANWR, in partnership with the USFWS, assisted with National Public Lands Day Cleanup on September 27, 2025. At this event, the public came out to help restore a trail near the Visitors Center. This event hosted 45 people.Rio Grande Birding FestivalFLANWR participated as a vendor at the 32nd Annual Rio Grande Birding Festival at the Harlingen Convention Center in November 2025. FLANWR was able to assist in making the Birders Bazaar Trade Show a success along with other local Nature Store site vendors, optics, artists, and tour companies from all over the world. This event reached an estimated 3,000+ people. Christmas Bird CountFLANWR led the 126th Audubon Christmas Bird Count for Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in December 2025 from sunrise to sunset at LANWR. LAND CONSERVATIONIn 2025, FLANWR continued their land conservation efforts by partnering with the Far Wide Conservation Trust for a North American Wetlands Conservation Grant for wetland restoration at the 234-acre parcel acquired in 2023. We also continued to research a 31-acre parcel adjacent to this 234-acre parcel for acquisition. OPSREY OVERLOOK AND GATOR POND OVERLOOKSIn 2025, the Friends had a new boardwalk built and another one revitalized at the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. A boardwalk over Lake Laguna Atascosa was created at the popular Osprey Overlook, while the Gator Pond boardwalk was rebuilt.HABITAT RESTORATIONIn 2025, the Friends assisted the Laguna Atascosa with prairie habitat restoration and wetland restoration. We purchased stainless steel wheels for water control structures at Laguna Atascosa NWR (Crossing 1 and 2). Refuge maintenance staff replaced the old, dilapidated wheels on the Crossings and were able to install the new wheels onto the screwgate gearbox in way that allows the Refuge to more easily and safely manage the water levels in the Atascosa Wetland Management Complex (~5,000 acres). We also purchased native prairie seeds for the restoration of 140 acres of coastal prairie. The saline coastal prairie portion of the planting is adjacent to the remnant Dulaney coastal prairie and is managed to provide habitat for the endangered aplomado falcon and other grassland-dependent birds. In addition to assisting the US Fish and Wildlife Service with coastal prairie habitat restoration, the Friends continued maintenance of the wildlife guzzlers at Laguna Atascosa. These guzzlers, which capture rainwater at strategic locations throughout the refuge, provide an important source of freshwater for numerous species on the refuge and are especially important during times of drought. 244688 true true false false false false false false false false true false false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true 0 0 true 2 true false false false false false false false 0 false false false false false false false X 10 10 false false false false false false false true true false false false true false false false true false false false X NICOLE EKSTROM 9568323905 22817 OCELOT TRAIL LOS FRESNOS TX 78566 X DR GREG GARCIA President 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 PETE MOORE Vice President 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 DR THOMAS DEMAAR Secretary 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 NICOLE EKSTROM Treasurer 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 ELIZABETH HOSICK Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 DR SHARON WILCOX Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 SHANE WILSON Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 MICHELLE CANO Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 LARRY CROW Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 JOYCE HAMILTON Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 0 false false false 0 3235 89347 92582 OCELOT PROGRAM 42074 42074 42074 14297 14297 0 0 0 0 0 0 20951 20623 328 328 MISCELLANEOUS 71 71 71 149352 42402 14368 0 0 0 0 0 0 1740 1740 0 0 133 133 0 0 3089 3089 0 0 0 8169 8169 25 25 269 188 81 3345 75 3270 0 0 0 0 265 265 0 0 0 2586 2586 SITE IMPROVEMENTS 212719 212719 RESTORATION SUPPLIES 17112 17112 OCELOT FESTIVAL EXPENSES 2934 2934 EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES 1642 1642 2446 1584 862 256474 244688 11786 0 110705 77115 559898 493141 0 0 0 0 0 20776 12000 0 433480 1456 432024 432024 0 0 0 0 1 1123403 1014281 208671 208671 811 85 209482 208756 X 425113 395335 488808 410190 913921 805525 1123403 1014281 -107122 -1274 X false false false X 202189 69920 216018 93683 92582 674392 0 3600 14160 14160 14160 14160 60240 205789 84080 230178 107843 106742 734632 198100 536532 1388 1209 2862 7831 14297 27587 0 866 8231 149 71 9317 771536 0.69540 0.76820 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 431909 431909 798 798 773 658 115 432024 STATE TAXES PAYABLE 85 85 Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b No review was or will be conducted. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 No documents available to the public.