Local potter Judy Schmidt hand paints her pottery with images of birds and wildlife that she sees in the swamp. Selections change frequently and include a variety of mugs and unique pottery items.
2005 winner of the national Arts for the Parks Competition, Ron Orlando of Wildlife Art Studios in Basking Ridge has a selection of framed and unframed limited edition prints.
Local artist Marjorie Impell works magic with beads and wire as demonstrated by our wide selection of fabulous earrings. We also have a number of Marjorie's bird and butterfly prints, both framed and unframed, for sale.
Photographer Blaine Rothauser of Natural Eyes has created a selection of awe–inspiring photo note cards, many of which depict wildlife and natural scenes from the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge where Blaine spends a great deal of his spare time.
The Friends operate a Nature Shop in the new Helen C. Fenske Visitors Center at 32 Pleasant Plains Road. The shop is open on weekends and is managed and staffed entirely by volunteers. All proceeds from the Nature Shop are used to fund a variety of projects and activities that benefit the refuge and refuge visitors.
Our Nature Shop serves as a visitor information center on weekends when Refuge Headquarters is closed. In fiscal year 2005, nearly 4,000 visitors stopped in at the Nature Shop—for Refuge information and maps, for suggestions on where to walk or bike, to report or inquire about bird and animal sightings...and to purchase books and nature–related gift items.
Store hours are Thursday—Friday, 12—4 PM and Saturday—Sunday, 10—4 PM. Credit cards are accepted. Friends' members receive a 10% discount on purchases.
Stop by the Nature Shop to say hello to our volunteers, to browse, to shop, to enjoy the Discovery Den.
Nature Shop Visitors Also Take Advantage Of Our New Discovery Den!
The Discovery Den is a fabulous place for education and learning, where you will find self–guided hands–on projects, puzzles and games, exhibits and educational activities for kids and adults.
Themes are seasonal and change frequently to complement natural happenings on the refuge. Depending on the time of year, you might find a focus on butterflies and dragonflies, frogs and toads, ducks, migration, winter tracks and signs. It's a great place to spend a few minutes or a few hours and can enhance your visit to the Refuge.
Field Guides—Mammals, amphibians, fish, insects, reptiles, wildflowers, trees; Bird guides by Peterson, National Geographic, Sibley, Stokes, Kaufmann. Guides for kids too!
Books, Games, Gifts for kids of all ages! Picture/sticker books, nature stories, activity guides, coloring books plus a number of nature–related games and puzzles and furry and fuzzy swamp critters—perfect to nuzzle and hug.
CDs/DVDs—Learn to recognize various bird calls with one of many available CDs. Thayer's CD–ROM birding guide teaches you about birds and help track sightings, and our DVDs help you learn about butterflies and dragonflies.
Honey—We carry comb honey, beeswax candles, honey candy and honey sticks—all from New Jersey bees.
Federal Duck Stamp—We sell the federal duck stamp—an annual pass to national wildlife refuges nationwide. Proceeds from duck stamps fund the purchase of land for national wildlife refuges.
Gift Items—Great Swamp pins, patches, key chains, note cards, bookmarks, magnets, jigsaw puzzles, bird carvings, wind chimes, Audubon birds with authentic calls, postcards.
Clothing—Tees, sweatshirts, vests, fleeces, jackets, denim shirts, hats—all with the Refuge logo. The exclusive source for original Ron Orlando screen–printed tees & sweatshirts.
New & Used Books—Ecology, wildlife, nature, the National Wildlife Refuge System, other related topics; an ever–changing selection of nature–themed used books priced from 50 cents.