First Nations Outreach Project

We would like to introduce you to the First Nations Outreach Project.

My name is Jim Windwalker. Some thirty years ago I became involved in civil rights issues concerning American Indians.

In my travels from one Nation to the next I discovered that there were many other issues besides civil rights that needed to be dealt with. Some of those issues are culture, language and education of our culture.

There are also social issues which are equally important, a high degree of alcohol and drug abuse in many areas.

My travels also made me aware of the environmental and wildlife issues as well.

Ten years ago, my wife Jan and I were honored to be the new home to a captive bred wolf cub. She traveled with me for the first six months she was with us. I noticed that when she was with me people seemed to be more willing to stop and listen to the things I had to say.

Her name is Waya (Wolf) , very original lol.
Word soon got out that Waya was with us and that she was helping to educate people to the issues we were trying to deal with. Soon other wolves started to find us and make their home with us. The next was Secu who came to live with us at 8 weeks old. We had not intended to have more animals than this live with us.

However sometimes our plans are made by a greater spirit than our own.

Michi was next. She was taken to the vet by her owner to be euthanized. A friend at the vet clinic who knew we had wolves called and asked if we would take her so they would not have to kill her. We could not refuse. 10 years later we now have thirty captive bred wolves and six wolf/dog hybrids in our care.

Until Feb 2005, we had operated out of our own pocket just as we always had for other issues.

Jan majored in Biological Parks and Aquaria and I have many years of animal husbandry experience. We combined our experience and on these we begin to build a dream.

We filed for and received a 501 (c) 3 status and were on our way.

While our experience started in civil rights, the unexpected expansion into wildlife and environmental issues was the basis for this wonderful new dream.

This dream is Wolf Gardens Wildlife Center. Wolf Gardens will be a full rescue, rehab and education center.

Over the last ten years we have worked hard to teach what we have learned about not only wolves but wildlife of all other kinds of wildlife as well.

It is almost impossible to reach enough people to really make a difference through any means that we have found. It seems likely that the best way is if we bring people here and educate them on site.

Our next stage in building wolf gardens will be to build new enclosures which will house not only the wolves, but as well as including bears, cougars and raptors to start with.

We are in an area which is located in the East Alabama Mountains and situated in almost 400,000 acres of National and state forest.

As soon as we can build an on site vet clinic we will be able to rehab any wildlife we may find needing help. Currently the closest rehab center to us is our wonderful friends over at Ruffner Mountain Wildlife Center in Birmingham, eighty miles away.

We can make a difference. We just can not make the needed difference alone. We need you. We need every one of you to help be a part of making Wolf Gardens a reality.

If you would like to find out more about what we do, please visit both web sites, http://defendthewolves.org
http://firstnationsoutreach.org

I am working now on getting the wolfgardens.org site developed.

I look forward to hearing from everyone and to reading your ideas on how we can make a positive change to the critical problems that our earth is facing.

With Respect,

Jim Windwalker
Founding Director/ First Nations Outreach Project