FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Shoshone-Bannock Tribes & U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Camas National Wildlife Refuge – Interpretive and Wayfinding Signs Dedication

HAMER, Idaho – The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), will hold a public dedication ceremony for new interpretive and wayfinding exhibits at Camas National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) on Thursday, May 14, 2026. Representatives of the Tribes’ Fort Hall Business Council and USFWS will speak and perform a ribbon cutting along with Camas NWR and Tribal staff and community members. The ceremony will take place from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., followed by an open auto tour from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The new exhibits reflect collaborative efforts between the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, the Tribes’ Original Territories and Historical Research Program, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Exhibit design was led by Split Rock Studios (MN) and features graphics and artwork by Shoshone-Bannock Tribal member Derek No-Sun Brown, selected through a competitive call for Tribal artists. The interpretive elements highlight Shoshone-Bannock culture, art, patterns, language, and connections to the Camas NWR landscape.

Beginning at 12:30 p.m., the auto tour route will be reserved for students and staff of Chief Tahgee Elementary Academy (CTEA). CTEA students will participate in place-based learning guided by Tribal educators and teacher participants from the National Science Foundation–funded Cultivating Relationships Program. This program, administered by the University of Idaho in partnership with the Tribes, integrates traditional knowledge and land-based teaching into professional development for educators.

The updated signage is designed to enhance visitor understanding, improve directions and navigation, and present multiple cultural and ecological perspectives. The exhibits encourage stewardship, community science, and an appreciation for the refuge’s habitat restoration efforts.

Directions: From Interstate 15, take Exit 150 to Hamer, Idaho. Proceed east into Hamer and turn left at the stop sign. Travel north on the Old Butte Highway for approximately three miles, then turn left at the overpass and continue west for two miles to reach refuge headquarters. Directional signs will be posted.

Contact: For additional information, please contact the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes’ Language and
Cultural Preservation Department at (208) 236-1187.