To kick off National Wildlife Refuge Week earlier this month, Senator Coons joined Ducks Unlimited at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Smyrna to celebrate the important role federal refuges play in conserving wildlife and expanding hunting access.
Ducks Unlimited is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of wetlands and associated upland habitats for waterfowl, other wildlife, and people.
On Thursday, October 6th, the Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution introduced by Senator Coons to designate October 9-15, 2011 as National Wildlife Refuge Week. The resolution was cosponsored by Senators Sessions, Cardin, Alexander, Murray, Lieberman, Reed, Wyden, Bingaman, Whitehouse, Tom Udall, Scott Brown, Collins, Cochran, and Merkley.
Since 1903, when President Theodore Roosevelt established the first National Wildlife Refuge on Florida’s Pelican Island, the nation has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to preserving a legacy of conservation for hunters, fishermen, birders, and other recreationists. The National Wildlife Refuge System, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has grown to more than 150,000,000 acres, 553 national wildlife refuges, and 38 wetland management districts in every state and territory of the United States.
Chris got a head start on Refuge Week with a tour of Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Smyrna, Delaware on Friday, where he was joined by local conservationists, sportsmen, volunteers, and refuge staff.
Established in 1937 as a link in the chain of refuges extending from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, Bombay Hook‘s 16,000 acre protected area contains 13,000 acres of tidal salt marsh, a particularly crucial wildlife habitat in Delaware. Bombay Hook is an important stop for migratory waterfowl, and was named one of America's 100 Important Bird Areas by the American Bird Conservancy. In addition to 278 species of birds, the refuge is home to over 90 other animal species, 21 of which are fish.
Also on Delaware’s coast is Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, which was established in 1963 and consists of 10,000 acres of tidal salt marsh, woodlands, grasslands, and scrublands that have proven to be an important habitat for the Delmarva fox squirrel, nesting bald eagles, migrating peregrine falcons, and scores of other migratory birds. The refuge is considered to have one of the best existing wetland habitat areas along the Atlantic Coast.
Nationwide, refuges host over 45 million visitors, generate approximately 27,000 jobs, and contribute nearly $1.7 million to local economies. Bombay Hook and Prime Hook in Delaware each attract roughly 100,000 visitors every year. These visitors help support local businesses and the regional economies in Kent and Sussex Counties.
The protected network of diverse habitats for wildlife created by the Refuge System has enabled hunting and fishing at hundreds of refuges. Roughly 9.6 million visitors frequent refuges for the purposes of hunting and fishing every year. In Delaware, hunting is allowed on Bombay Hook, while hunting and fishing are allowed on Prime Hook.
As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Chris remains actively engaged with conservation issues as a staunch advocate for protected lands and waters in Delaware and throughout the nation.
Click here to learn more about Chris’ work on issues pertaining to natural resources and the environment.