What do you do with 4,800 wilderness acres of a former Air Force Base closed as a relic of the Cold War era? That was the dilemma facing federal and state government agencies and local reuse officals when sprawling Loring Air Force base, in Limestone, Maine, closed in 1994. Fortunately, in 1996 local citizens formed a group that worked in concert with Maine's congressional delegation that eventually led to the transfer of the base's wilderness habitat from the Department of Defense to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1998.

That same year, the ad hoc group that brought the dream of the Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to reality, itself became incorporated as The Friends of Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge. The fledgling Friends members drew up by-laws, wrote a mission statement supporting the goals of the refuge, became incorporated and applied for non-profit organization status.

Officers and a board of directors were established, revenues accumulated making the Friends group finacially solvent and a logo contest won by Absalom "Smitty" Dow provided the Friends with an artisitic identity.

Your northeastern-most refuge is located 425 miles north of Boston in a land peninsula that juts into New Brunswick so far that ANWR is 100 miles north of 90% of Canada's population by latitude. Aroostook County, where the boreal ANWR is located, is the largest county east of the Mississippi River, yet we have less than 83,000 residents. Aroostook County also boasts the largest density of moose and black bear anywhere within the lower-48 contiguous states. These two largest of Maine's mammals, as well as other fauna, are a daily sighting occurrence on ANWR.

The Friends of Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge encourage you to join our group of dedicated local citizens or make a donation toward our group, 100% of which goes into the refuge since all Friend's participation is strictly on a volunteer basis. Either way we hope that you enjoyed our written and photographic tour of the Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge via this website and our links, and that you are moved by this cyberspace presentation to come visit us and enjoy our unique corner of your country's national wildlife system.