Article

About the National Wildlife Refuge System
Why Wildlife Refuges?
America's Best Kept Secret
From the Smallest Beginning
Caring for Wildlife and Their Surroundings
Tips When Visiting a National Wildlife Refuge
Related Links

Bald Eagle.
Photo by Steve Maslowski, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) administers the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) which consists of over 530 wildlife refuges, 38 wetland management districts (administering over 26,000 waterfowl production areas), and 50 coordination areas.

Most of these lands are designated National Wildlife Refuges, while only about 4 percent have other classifications. There are 16 refuges in Alaska which contain almost 83 percent of all lands in the NWRS.

The NWRS was created mostly with land withdrawn from the Public Domain. About 5 percent of the NWRS comes from purchases by Land and Water Conservation Fund appropriations and Migratory Bird Conservation Fund receipts.

There are a number of different types of lands within the National Wildlife Refuge System, which are loosely defined as:

• National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) are tracts of land or water protected for the preservation of wildlife, except for Coordination Areas and Waterfowl Production Areas. NWR's are sometimes named National Fish & Wildlife Refuges (NFWR).
• Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA) are wetlands or grasslands critical to waterfowl and other wildlife, acquired pursuant to the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act or other statutory authority. Waterfowl production areas are administered by 38 Wetland Management Districts (WMD).
• National Game Preserves (NGP) are NWR's designated by Presidential Proclamation or by Congress for the protection of wildlife, and were originally established to help save the American bison.
• Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) are areas established to conserve and enhance wildlife and wildlife habitat, and to provide public recreation opportunities.
• Coordination Areas are those lands administered as part of the NWRS and managed by the States under cooperative agreement between the FWS and a State Fish and Wildlife Agency.

The National Wildlife Refuge System is the only network of federal lands dedicated specifically to wildlife conservation. There are more than 500 National Wildlife Refuges throughout the United States. There is at least one refuge within an hour's drive of most major cities. Home to more than 700 types of birds, 220 different mammals, 250 reptiles, and more than 200 kinds of fish, the amazing variety of wildlife found on refuges reflects America's bountiful natural heritage. Many wildlife refuges were created to protect and enhance the resting and feeding grounds of migratory birds, creating a chain of stepping stones along major migration routes. Others were established to conserve the natural homes of our rarest wild species, including bald eagles, bison, and whooping cranes.

Brown Bear in the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Photo by Steve Hillebrand, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceIn southern wildlife refuges, peaceful coastal backwaters and bayous provide important spawning areas for fish. Countless shallow ponds and marshes in the Upper Midwest, created thousands of years ago by receding glaciers, are now prairie "pothole" refuges, critical for waterfowl as well as wildflowers. In the Northeast, a variety of unique wetlands and forests provide havens for songbirds, waterfowl, whitetail deer, and a multitude of small game. The rich grasslands and mountain streams of western wildlife refuges offer magnificent scenery for viewing elk, cutthroat trout, and sandhill cranes. Alaska refuges' vast horizons are home to more than 12 million ducks, geese, and swans each summer, and host the most vibrant salmon runs, the world's largest brown bears, and magnificent herds of caribou.

A hundred years in the making, the National Wildlife Refuge System is a network of carefully chosen habitats that support abundant wildlife, protect a healthy environment, and provide unparalleled outdoor experiences for all Americans.

Creek bottom tours.
Photo by Elise Smith, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceNational wildlife refuges are far more than havens for wild plants and animals. In fact, visitors—nearly 40 million each year—are welcome on 98 percent of wildlife refuge land. Visitors join in a variety of outdoor activities, especially hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, interpretation, and environmental education.

Wildlife refuges host recreational hunters at more than 300 locations and welcome anglers at more than 260—a testament to the abundant wildlife resulting from successful conservation and management programs. Birdwatchers from around the globe visit wildlife refuges to be awed by amazing congregations of our feathered friends, numbering in the tens of thousands at peak migration in many locations. And there's no better place than wildlife refuges for children and adults alike to learn about the natural world. More than 230 wildlife refuges attract visitors with innovative educational programs showing how we manage refuges to ensure that future generations can experience America's wildness. Still, the discovery opportunities don't end with wildlife. Wildlife refuges also protect important historic sites, from Native American campsites to World War II artifacts, preserving interesting facets of the American culture.

Sockeye salmon.
Photo by Dave Menke, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceFor millennia, America's wildlife thrived in natural surroundings stretching across millions of acres. Areas that in recent times have been reduced to a fraction of their original size—but are still crucial to the survival of wild species—require active, consistent, research-based management. The National Wildlife Refuge System oversees the world's most comprehensive wildlife management programs, combining biological research and monitoring with strategic habitat management. In Alaska for example, brown bears are fitted with global positioning system collars to track their movement. The FWS builds secure floating nests on the California coast to attract and protect rare light-footed clapper rails during breeding and nesting season. Periodic burning, grazing, or harvesting of grasslands stimulates plant growth providing food and cover for elk, endangered Attwater prairie chickens, and waterfowl alike.

Sometimes the best management system is making sure nothing is done at all. Within the National Wildlife Refuge System, 21 million acres of wilderness—an area larger than the states of Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and New Jersey combined—allow species as diverse as Florida panthers and barren-ground caribou to survive in undisturbed surroundings.

• 
  American (pine) marten.
  Photo by Erwin and Peggy Bauer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceWatch wildlife from a distance. When you approach a wild animal, it may defend itself, or flee, but by keeping your distance you can see its natural behavior.
• "Wake up with the birds." Arrive in the early morning (or late afternoon) when wildlife is most active.
• Contact the wildlife refuge before you visit for up-to-date information on access, special activities, weather conditions, and more.
• Bring binoculars to get the best view

• Hunting and Fishing
• Recreation.gov
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Volunteer Program
• Educating for Conservation
• National Wetlands Inventory
• History of the Fish and Wildlife Service