America's National Wildlife Refuges.

              U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

America’s National

Wildlife Refuges

The National Wildlife

Refuge System is one

of America’s greatest

conservation success

stories. In its first

hundred years, it

helped save our

national symbol,

the American bald

eagle, from extinction

and has protected

hundreds of other wild

species—including—

fish, migratory birds,

and many other

plants and animals

and the habitats that

support them.

A Century of Conservation

A hundred years in the making, the

National Wildlife Refuge System is

a network of habitats that benefit

wildlife, provide unparalleled outdoor

experiences for all Americans, and

protect a healthy environment.

Since President Theodore Roosevelt

designated Florida’s Pelican Island as

the first wildlife refuge in 1903, this

network of protected lands has grown

to encompass more than 535 wildlife

refuges and more than 3,000 small

waterfowl breeding and nesting areas.

Refuges are special places where the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its

partners restore, protect, and manage

habitat for America’s wildlife.

Today, there is at least one wildlife

refuge in each of the 50 states, and

one within an hour’s drive of every

major U.S. city.

Wildlife First

True to their name, wildlife refuges

give wildlife top priority.

  Wildlife refuges are home to

more than 700 species of birds,

220 species of mammals, 250 reptile

and amphibian species, and more

than 200 species of fish.

  Wildlife refuges provide habitat

for more than 250 threatened or

endangered plants and animals,

including manatees, bald eagles,

and the California jewelflower.

  Each year, millions of migrating

birds use refuges as stepping

stones to rest as they fly thousands

of miles south for the winter and

return north for the summer.

Grizzly Bear | Erwin and Peggy Bauer | USFWS

When President

Theodore Roosevelt

made Florida’s tiny

Pelican Island a

refuge for birds

in 1903, he wrote

the first chapter of

a great American

conservation success story. And the

story of safeguarding America’s

migratory birds, endangered

species, and other wildlife keeps

getting better and better. Entering

its second century, the National

Wildlife Refuge System comprises

95 million acres, protected within

more than 535 refuges and thou-sands

of small prairie wetlands

that serve as waterfowl breeding

and nesting areas. There are

wildlife refuges in every state, and

at least one within an hour’s drive

of every major American city,

providing much-needed refuge

for people as well as wildlife.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

is a Federal agency whose mission,

working with others, is to conserve

fish and wildlife and their habitats

for the continuing benefit of the

American people. Under the

management of fish and wildlife

professionals, the National Wildlife

Refuge System has become

the world’s premier network of

wildlife habitats.

America’s Best Kept Secret   Numerous waterways and

coastlines restore and protect

important fisheries like bluefish,

bass, and walleye.

Welcoming People

as Well as Wildlife

National Wildlife Refuges are far

more than havens for wild plants and

animals. In fact, visitors—more than

40 million each year—are welcome

on 98 percent of wildlife refuges,

where they are encouraged to take

part in one or more outdoor pursuits

designated by law as priority activities

offered by the National Wildlife

Refuge System.

  Hunting and fishing. Hunters are

welcome on more than 300 national

wildlife refuges and on 3,000 water-fowl

production areas, which are

small wetlands located mainly in

the upper Midwest. Anglers also

enjoy the outdoors at more than

260 wildlife refuges where they

catch a variety of fish.

  Wildlife observation and photography.

Birdwatchers and other nature

lovers visit wildlife refuges to be

awed by amazing congregations,

numbering in the thousands at

peak migration. Nature trails

and observation decks provide

superb vantage points for what

undoubtedly are some of the best

birding opportunities in the world.

  Interpretation and environmental

education. There’s no better place

than wildlife refuges for children

and adults alike to learn about the

natural world and what it means to

take care of it. Innovative programs

that engage and involve visitors

of every age are offered at more

than 230 wildlife refuges around

the country.

Gary Kramer | USFWS

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service

National Wildlife Refuge System

4401 N. Fairfax Drive

Room 670

Arlington, VA 22203

1 800/344 WILD

http://refuges.fws.gov

July 2002