Special Places Where Wildlife and People Thrive 1

Meet the National Wildlife 

Refuge System

Special Places Where Wildlife and 

People Thrive

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
2 Meet the National Wildlife Refuge System
Special Places Where Wildlife and People Thrive 3

Table of Contents

Overview.........................................................................................................................................................4

Our History in Brief.......................................................................................................................................6

The Early Years: Teddy Roosevelt Leads the Charge || 1903-1913............................................ 6

Migratory Bird Habitats: A Continuing Focus || 1913-1953........................................................ 6

A Collection of Lands and Waters Becomes a System of Refuges Dedicated to America’s Wildlife || 1953-1973.......................................................................................................6

Alaska, North America’s Serengeti || 1973-1983..........................................................................7

The System Continues to Mature || 1983-2003..............................................................................8

Strengthening the Marine Dimension || 2003-2013......................................................................9

Key Legislation.............................................................................................................................................10

Special Designation Areas........................................................................................................................11

What We Do..................................................................................................................................................14

Our Guiding Principles...............................................................................................................................16

Conserving the Future Vision.....................................................................................................................16

Wildlife Refuges are Valuable for Communities and People..............................................................17

Collaborative Conservation – Shared Stewardship of Nature............................................................18

A Legacy for Future Generations – A Healthy and Complete Refuge System..................................19

This document was assembled by the National Wildlife Refuge System Headquarters in Falls Church, VA. It is a general overview 

of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Many statistics in the document refer to status as of the end of a fiscal year (September 

30).
4 Meet the National Wildlife Refuge System

A hundred years in the making, the National Wildlife Refuge 

System (NWRS or Refuge System) is a unique network of 

lands and waters that benefits wildlife, provides unparalleled 

outdoor experiences for all Americans, and protects a healthy 

environment.

To borrow from noted author and conservationist Rachel 

Carson, whether traveling in the city, suburbs or the country, 

sooner or later you are likely to meet the sign of the flying Blue 

Goose — the emblem of the National Wildlife Refuge System. 

You may meet it crossing miles of rolling prairie in the Midwest, 

or in the deserts of the Southwest. You may meet it by a small 

pond on your morning commute, as you park near your favorite 

beach, or as your boat floats through the winding salty creeks 

of a coastal marsh. When you see the Blue Goose, it means that 

the wetlands behind the sign are helping to purify our water the 

insects and birds have a place to rest after pollinating our food, 

and our children will inherit a network of places where they can 

see and enjoy the world’s wild creatures.

The Blue Goose and the National Wildlife 

Refuge System welcome you to explore 

and renew yourself in these special places.

Our nation is rich in animal life. Thousands of native and 

migratory birds, reptiles, fish and mammals call the U.S. home. 

These animals have the same needs we do. They need space 

to rest, safe areas to rear their young, and access to healthy 

food. National wildlife refuges are places where a majority our 

nation’s animals find the habitat they need to survive. Nearly 

all species of birds (700 of 786), fish (1,000 of 1,154), reptiles 

and amphibians (250 of 311) are found on refuges, and nearly 

half of the mammal species (220 of 428). This makes the Refuge 

System the nation’s single most important system of lands and 

waters set aside to protect our rich wild heritage.

The National Wildlife Refuge System is managed by the 

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a federal agency within the 

Department of the Interior. We are sometimes confused with 

the National Park Service, a sister federal agency within the 

Interior Department, and with state fish and wildlife agencies 

who are our counterparts at the state level. However, the 

Refuge System is its own entity with a unique role as steward of 

conservation lands with national and international significance.

Overview

The Refuge System works with other programs within 

the Fish and Wildlife Service as well as with tribes, other 

federal agencies, states, non-governmental organizations, 

and the public to maintain the biological integrity, diversity, 

and ecological health of Refuge System lands and waters. 

Collaboration helps maintain and enhance populations of 

migratory birds, fish, and endangered species. We work 

especially closely with state fish and wildlife agencies, 

recognizing the shared authority and responsibility for 

managing fish and wildlife on national wildlife refuges. This 

federal-state partnership, grounded in mutual respect, is 

essential to effective conservation work.

This network of 562 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland 

management districts (as of September 30, 2014) totals more 

than 150 million acres and consolidated would cover an area 

larger than the state of California. The Refuge System is unique 

in that it is the world’s largest and most diverse collection of 

public lands set aside specifically for the conservation of fish, 

wildlife, and plants. Refuges span from the Arctic Ocean to the 

South Pacific and from Maine to the Caribbean. There is at least 

one national wildlife refuge in every state and territory and 

within an hour’s drive of most major cities. Although located 

throughout the U.S. and its territories, the largest parcels of 

the Refuge System are in Alaska and Pacific Ocean habitats (see 

table on next page)

The Mission:

To administer a national network of lands and 

waters for the conservation, management, and 

where appropriate restoration of fish, wildlife, 

and plant resources and their habitats within 

the United States for the benefit of the present 

and future generations of Americans. 

— National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997
Special Places Where Wildlife and People Thrive 5

3

This network of 562 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts (as of

September 30, 2014) totals more than 150million acres and consolidated would cover an

area larger thanthestateofCalifornia. TheRefugeSystemisuniqueinthatitisthe

world’slargest andmostdiversecollectionofpubliclandssetasidespecificallyforthe

conservationof fish,wildlife,andplants.RefugesspanfromtheArcticOceantothe

SouthPacificand fromMainetotheCaribbean.Thereisatleastonenationalwildlife

refugeineverystate and territory and within an hour’s drive of most major cities.

Although located throughout theU.S.anditsterritories,thelargestparcelsofthe Refuge

SystemareinAlaskaand Pacific Ocean habitats (see table below)

GEOGRAPHICAREA

NO.

UNITS

SIZE OF NWRS

(SEPT 30,

2014)

NOTES

State of Alaska 16 *76.9 million acres

51%oftotalRefuge Systemacres are inAlaska; about 

18% of Alaska isset aside as national wildlife refuges

Hawaiiand

Pacific marine

areas

22 54.8 million acres

37% oftotal Refuge Systemacres are located in the Pacific; 

nearly all of these acres are part of 4 marine national 

monuments; these areas are predominantly coralreefs

and open ocean

Puerto Rico, Virgin

Islands, Navassa NWR 9 0.4 million acres Largest refuge in the Caribbean is the remote 

Navassa Island which is nearly 365,000 acres

Lower48states 553 18.3 million acres

2% oftotalNWRS acres are in the lower 48 states;the

NWRSconstitutesabout0.9%oflower48acreage;by

unit count, 92% ofNWRS units are in the lower 48 – 515

are refuges(14.2 million acres) and 38 are wetland

management districts(3.8 million acres)

Entire Refuge System 600 150.3 million acres 562 refuges and 38 wetland management districts

*Alaska acreage estimate in the above table is based on estimates made in the early to mid-1980s. Improved

satellite data and cadastraltools available today indicate that actual acreage islarger than indicated here.

As used in the above table, the term refuge includes Refuge 

System lands, waters, and interests therein administered 

as wildlife refuges, wetland management districts, wildlife 

ranges, wildlife management areas, game preserves, and 

conservation areas. A Wetland Management District is an 

administrative collection of Waterfowl Production Areas and 

easements comprised of small natural wetlands and grasslands 

that provide breeding, resting, and nesting habitat for millions 

of waterfowl, shorebirds, grassland birds, and other wildlife. 

About 95 percent of wetland management districts are in the 

Prairie Pothole Region states of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, 

North Dakota, and South Dakota.

A variety of additional information is available on the national 

web site (http://www.fws.gov/refuges/index.html). Also, the 

video “America’s National Wildlife Refuge System: A Place for 

Wildlife and People” may be of interest. (1.usa.gov/18XAapm)
6 Meet the National Wildlife Refuge System

Our History in Brief

From the earliest years, the Refuge System has played a major 

role in the advancement of natural resource conservation in 

America. A brief summary of our history is below, and more 

details are available at http://www.fws.gov/refuges/history/.

THE EARLY YEARS: TEDDY ROOSEVELT LEADS THE CHARGE || 

1903-1913 This decade marked growing concern over alarming 

declines of our nation’s wildlife, especially as a result of 

uncontrolled market hunting for meat and plumes (feathers) as 

well as habitat loss. Conservation-minded President Theodore 

Roosevelt established three - acre Pelican Island in Florida 

as the first unit of what is now the National Wildlife Refuge 

System. The first warden employed at Pelican Island, Paul 

Kroegel, was a Florida Audubon Society warden who was paid 

a salary of $1 a month by the American Ornithologists’ Union. 

Following the modest beginning with Pelican Island, many other 

islands and parcels of land and water were quickly dedicated to 

protecting various colonial nesting birds such as herons, egrets, 

and pelicans. By the end of his administration in l909, Roosevelt 

had issued a total of 5l Executive Orders that established 

wildlife reservations in l7 states and three territories. Congress 

also responded to the public mood recognized by Roosevelt 

and legislatively established the Wichita Mountains National 

Wildlife Refuge in l905, the National Bison Range in l908, 

and the National Elk Refuge in l9l2. By the end the National 

Wildlife Refuge System’s first decade, this nascent collection of 

conservation lands included 65 units in 15 states and territories. 

The nation now recognized the need to conserve its wilder lands 

and inhabitants. 

MIGRATORY BIRD HABITATS: A CONTINUING FOCUS || 1913-

1953 Birds, especially those that cross state and international 

borders, remained in decline as the human population expanded 

across the landscape. Market hunting and commercial collection 

of bird parts continued. Draining of wetlands for agriculture 

and the sprawl of cities and industries spotlighted habitat loss 

as another factor in migratory bird population declines. The 

federal government first exerted authority over migratory 

birds in the Weeks-McClean Law in l9l3. The Migratory Bird 

Treaty Act, enacted in 1918, replaced the Weeks-McClean 

Law and implemented U.S. obligations under several treaties 

and conventions. It created an even larger role for the federal 

government in managing migratory birds. The Migratory Bird 

Treaty Act of l9l8 provided for regulations to control the taking 

of migratory birds. In implementing this Act, it soon became 

clear that effective management would require increased 

habitat protection. Refuges continued to be established 

primarily by Executive Order, but were still for the most part 

too few and too small to ensure the future of such wide-ranging 

migratory species as waterfowl and shore birds. Passage of the 

Migratory Bird Conservation Act in 1929 and the Migratory 

Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act (known as the 

Duck Stamp Act) in 1934 provided authorities and funding 

that enabled the Refuge System to grow in the years that 

followed. As part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, 

Congress also bolstered the Refuge System by creating the 

Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933. Over the next eight years, 

thousands of CCC and Works Progress Administration workers 

improved habitat and built the infrastructure of more than 50 

national wildlife refuges.

A COLLECTION OF LANDS AND WATERS BECOMES A SYSTEM 

OF REFUGES DEDICATED TO AMERICA’S WILDLIFE || 1953-1973 

Unlike other federal land agencies such as the National 

Park Service and U.S. Forest Service, the National Wildlife 

Refuge System didn’t start out as a system; rather it was a 

patchwork of lands born out of a need to protect imperiled 

wildlife. It wasn’t until half a century after the first refuge was 

established, as development continued to drastically outpace 

conservation, that Congress recognized the need to create 

a legislative framework for protecting the nation’s wildlife 

resources. First, Congress passed the Fish and Wildlife Act 

of l956, creating a comprehensive national fish and wildlife 

policy and providing authority to acquire and develop lands 

for national wildlife refuges. Funds to implement this authority 

were not immediately forthcoming, and federal land acquisition 

during the l950s could not keep pace with the high rate of 

drainage (primarily due to intensive agricultural development) 

of waterfowl breeding habitat in the Prairie Potholes Region. 

To remedy this, Congress amended the Duck Stamp Act in 1958 

and authorized the small wetland program to protect waterfowl 

habitat. The habitat included small wetlands and grassland, 

called Waterfowl Production Areas. Congress also passed 

the Wetlands Loan Act of 1961. As later amended, this Act 

authorized a loan of $200 million to acquire wetlands. 

Recognizing new public demands for recreation, Congress 

passed the Refuge Recreation Act of l962 to authorize the 

recreational use of refuges. The Land and Water Conservation 

Fund Act enacted in 1965 provided new funding for local, state, 

and federal acquisition of lands for conservation and recreation. 

Perhaps the law of greatest significance to wildlife refuges 

during this era was the National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of l966. The Administration Act moved 

the assemblage of conservation lands closer to being a system 

by providing guidelines and directives for administration and 

management of all areas in the Refuge System, including 

wildlife refuges, areas for the protection and conservation of 

fish and wildlife that are threatened with extinction, wildlife 

management areas, and waterfowl production areas.

Of equal importance was President Roosevelt’s appointment in 

1933 of a “blue ribbon” committee, consisting of Jay Norwood 

“Ding” Darling, Chairman, and Thomas Beck and Aldo Leopold 

to study and advise him on waterfowl needs. This dynamic 

conservation trio alerted the nation, as no other group had 

done before, to the crisis facing waterfowl resources as a 

result of drought, over-harvest, and habitat destruction. They 

campaigned vigorously for the funds to combat these problems. 

In l935, Darling was appointed to head the Bureau of 
Special Places Where Wildlife and People Thrive 7

Biological Survey and brought with him a dynamic and 

energetic young Midwesterner, J. Clark Salyer II, to manage 

the fledgling refuge program.

For the next 3l years, until his death in l966, Salyer was the 

primary driving force in selecting new refuge areas and 

campaigning for their acquisition, in defending their integrity, 

in protecting the wildlife that they harbored, and in seeing 

that refuges were administered and managed to best serve the 

wildlife resource. Theodore Roosevelt, Darling and others had 

a profound influence on the development of the Refuge System, 

but Salyer was unquestionably the “father” of the system. The 

imprints of his involvement remain to this day.

By the end of the Refuge System’s first half century, this 

collection of conservation lands was emerging as a true 

nationwide success story; it included 300 units in 42 states and 

three territories, and had a total of 17.6 million acres of lands 

and waters protected, including 9.6 million acres in the lower 48 

states.

The wave of public opinion in the 1960s led to a much expanded 

view of the need to care for our nation’s environment. Passage 

of laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act in 

1970 and the Wilderness Act of 1964 are good examples. This 

influenced the Refuge System to look beyond its traditional, 

predominantly migratory bird focus. Unique and threatened 

habitats joined the mix of conservation targets for acquisition of 

new lands. 

The 1964 Wilderness Act established the National Wilderness 

Preservation System. The Wilderness Act states that these 

Congressionally-designated areas “... shall be administered for 

the use and enjoyment of the American people in such a manner 

as will leave them unimpaired for future use and enjoyment 

as wilderness.” Since its passage, Congress designated more 

than 20 million acres of Wilderness on units of the National 

Wildlife Refuge System. The Endangered Species Act of l973 

authorized the establishment of new refuges for the express 

purpose of protecting and restoring endangered species and 

also redirected management emphasis on some refuges. It is 

considered the world’s foremost law to protect species faced 

with extinction.

By the end of the Refuge System’s 7th decade, this collection of 

conservation lands was continuing to grow in importance and 

was becoming a more comprehensive and systematic collection 

of lands; it included 529 units (356 refuges and ranges, 114 

waterfowl production area counties, and 59 coordination areas) 

in 49 states and three territories. It protected 31 million acres 

of lands and waters, including 11.2 million acres in the lower 48 

states.

ALASKA, NORTH AMERICA’S SERENGETI ||1983 The state of 

Alaska dwarfs the rest of the country’s biggest states by a 

magnitude of five or more. Before statehood in 1959, Alaska 

contained a few parcels that were designated as wildlife 

reserves for sea birds, waterfowl, and moose. But the majority 

of the state’s vast tracts of untouched boreal forests, bogs, 

mountain peaks, and tundra had yet to be fully explored. Land 

settlement was widely disputed during the state’s infancy and 

in an effort to settle the state, Congress passed the Alaska 

Native Claims Settlement Act of l97l (ANCSA), an outgrowth 

of the Alaska Statehood Act. This law incidentally became of 

enormous importance to the NWRS. Among numerous other 

provisions, it authorized the addition of immense acreages of 

highly productive, internationally significant wildlife lands to 

the NWRS. Specific lands to be added to the Refuge System, 

along with other far-reaching resource protection measures 

for Alaska, came later in l980 with the passage of the Alaska 

National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). 

Theodore Roosevelt sits on the beach at Breton Island, now a national wildlife refuge 

in Louisiana. Photo: USFWS
8 Meet the National Wildlife Refuge System

ANILCA nearly 

tripled the 

acreage of the 

Refuge System, 

establishing nine 

new refuges, 

expanding seven 

refuges, and 

adding 53.7 million 

acres to the 

NWRS (Actual 

acreage added to 

the Refuge System 

in Alaska is 

larger, but precise 

calculations 

became possible 

only through the 

use of modern 

technology). 

Alaska’s 16 

national wildlife 

refuges are the 

size of individual 

states. For 

example, Arctic 

National Wildlife 

Refuge is roughly the 

size of North Carolina.

By the end of the Refuge System’s 8th decade, this collection of 

conservation lands was strengthened by being entrusted with 

immense world class conservation treasures within Alaska, 

including the international Porcupine caribou herd of Arctic 

National Wildlife Refuge, the teaming seabird populations 

of Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, and the worldclass sport salmon fishery on Alaska Peninsula and Kenai 

National Wildlife Refuges. By the end of its 8th decade, the 

Refuge System had grown to include 625 units (418 refuges, 149 

waterfowl production area counties in 29 wetland management 

districts, and 58 coordination areas) in 50 states and four 

territories. The NWRS protected a total of 88.9 million acres 

of lands and waters including 12.4 million acres in the lower 48 

states and 76 million acres in Alaska.

THE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO MATURE || 1983-2003 Public 

interest in establishing new refuges and expanding existing 

refuges remained high during the two decades leading up to the 

National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial in 2003. A total of 

127 new refuges were established during this time. 

In 1997 Congress overwhelmingly passed landmark legislation, 

the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act. This 

legislation amended the Refuge System Administration Act 

of 1966 and added significant new guidance for managing 

the Refuge System. It provided a new statutory mission and 

directed that the Refuge System be managed as a national 

system of lands and waters devoted to conserving wildlife and 

maintaining biological integrity of ecosystems. The law also 

clarified management priorities by identifying six priority 

recreational uses on refuges, strengthening the compatibility 

determination process, and requiring the Service to complete 

comprehensive conservation plans every 15 years that guide the 

management of each refuge. 

Another legislative milestone occurred in 1998 when 

the National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer and Community 

Partnership Enhancement Act was enacted, encouraging 

partnerships with organizations to promote the understanding 

and conservation of fish, wildlife, plants, and cultural resources 

on refuges, and directing the Service to develop refuge 

education programs to further the mission of the NWRS. This 

law is unique among federal land agencies and reinforces the 

Refuge System’s reliance on private partners and citizens to 

carry out the important work of conserving America’s wildlife.

By the end of its 21st century, the NWRS had grown into the 

world’s largest and most diverse system of lands and waters 

dedicated to the conservation of fish, wildlife, and plants, and 

which also offers first-class recreation for the American public. 

With passage of landmark legislation and continued strong 

public support, the Refuge System had grown to include 795 

units (542 refuges, 203 waterfowl production area counties in 37 

wetland management districts, and 50 coordination areas) in 50 

states and four territories. The NWRS protected a total of 95.8 

million acres of lands and waters including 16.7 million acres in 

the lower 48 states, and 76 million acres in Alaska.

STRENGTHENING THE MARINE DIMENSION || 2003-2013

Many refuges are located on or near coastal areas, so the 

Refuge System has always had some involvement in the 

stewardship of marine resources. However, this stewardship 

role expanded dramatically when four Pacific Marine National 

Monuments were added to the Refuge System. The first was 

Papahãnaumokuãkea Marine National Monument, established 

in 2006. It is the single largest conservation area under the 

U.S. flag, and is one of the largest marine conservation areas 

in the world. This Marine National Monument was expressly 

created to protect an exceptional array of extensive coral reefs, 

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Wilderness in New Jersey was the first designated 

wilderness in the Refuge System under the Wilderness Act of 1964. Photo: Ralph Ross
Special Places Where Wildlife and People Thrive 9

small islands and shallow water environments sheltering over 

7,000 marine species and cultural sites significant to Native 

Hawaiians. It received further recognition in 2010 when it was 

designated as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations.

Three additional Marine National Monuments were established 

by President George W. Bush in January 2009: the Pacific 

Remote Islands Marine National Monument is southwest 

of Hawaii and includes Wake, Baker, Howland and Jarvis 

Islands; Johnston Atoll; Kingman Reef; and Palmyra Atoll 

wildlife refuge; Rose Atoll Marine National Monument is 

east of American Samoa and is the southernmost point of the 

U.S. It sustains many endemic species, including corals, fish, 

shellfish, marine mammals, seabirds, water birds, land birds, 

insects, and vegetation not found elsewhere. The third is the 

Northern Mariana Islands National Monument, which includes 

the Mariana Trench, the deepest canyon on Earth. Among its 

diverse and remarkable underwater features are one of only 

two known boiling pools of liquid sulfur and huge, active mud 

volcanoes. The four Marine National Monuments added 52.8 

million acres of lands and waters to the Refuge System. By 

the end of its 11th decade (2013), the NWRS began devoting 

increased attention to marine resources; and the Refuge 

System grew to include 820 units (561 refuges, 209 waterfowl 

production area counties in 38 wetland management districts, 

and 50 coordination areas). Lands and waters protected 

encompass over 150 million acres, including 18.1 million acres 

in the lower 48 states, over 77 million acres in Alaska, and 54.7 

million acres in marine national monuments.

FY 2014 HIGHLIGHT The Refuge System’s 12th decade began 

with the same emphasis of decade 11, namely the protection of 

marine environments in the Pacific. On September 25, 2014, 

President Obama issued Proclamation 9173, which expanded 

the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. 

This expanded protection of Marine National Monuments 

from about 212 million acres to a more expansive 473 million 

acres. This includes 54.7 million acres within 12 national 

wildlife refuges and 418 million acres outside national wildlife 

refuge boundaries. The 418 million acres of marine national 

monument located outside refuge boundaries are managed by 

the Service in consultation with the Department of Commerce 

and the State of Hawaii.

Butterfly fish, tangs, and parrot fish swim around coral at the marine national monuments 

managed by the Refuge System in the Pacific Ocean. Photo: Kydd Pollock
10 Meet the National Wildlife Refuge System

Key legislation that guides establishment and management of 

refuges:

ALASKA NATIONAL INTEREST LANDS CONSERVATION ACT OF 

1980, (16 U.S.C. 410hh-3233, 43 U.S.C.1602-1784). Provides for the 

designation and conservation of certain public lands in Alaska, 

including units of the National Wildlife Refuge System, and 

for the continuing subsistence needs of the Alaska Natives. 

Sec. 42(g) of this Act makes use of such Native lands subject to 

refuge regulations.

FISH AND WILDLIFE ACT OF 1956, as amended, (16 

U.S.C.742(a)-754). Establishes a comprehensive national fish and 

wildlife policy and authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to 

take steps for the development, management, advancement, 

conservation, and protection of fisheries resources and wildlife 

resources through research, acquisition of refuge lands, 

development of existing facilities, and other means.

MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION ACT, (16 U.S.C. 715-715d).

Authorizes the Secretary to conduct investigations and publish 

documents related to North American birds, and establishes 

a Migratory Bird Conservation Commission (MBCC) to 

approve areas recommended by the Secretary for acquisition. 

The MBCC also approves wetlands conservation projects 

recommended by the North American Wetlands Conservation 

Council under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.

MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING AND CONSERVATION STAMP 

ACT, as amended (16 U.S.C. 718). This Act, commonly referred 

to as the Duck Stamp Act, requires waterfowl hunters, 16 

years of age or older, to purchase and possess a valid federal 

waterfowl hunting stamp prior to taking migratory waterfowl. 

The Secretary is authorized to use $1 million from sales of 

migratory bird hunting and conservation stamps to promote 

additional sales of stamps.

MIGRATORY BIRD TREATY ACT OF 1918, as amended, (16 U.S.C. 

703-712). Implements four international treaties that affect 

migratory birds common to the U. S., Canada, Mexico, Japan, 

and the former Soviet Union. Establishes federal responsibility 

for protection and management of migratory and nongame 

birds, including the establishment of season length, bag limits, 

and other hunting regulations, and the issuance of permits 

to band, possess or otherwise make use of migratory birds. 

Except as allowed by implementing regulations, this Act makes 

it unlawful to pursue, hunt, kill, capture, possess, buy, sell, 

purchase, or barter any migratory bird, including the feathers 

or other parts, nests, eggs, or migratory bird products.

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION 

ACT OF 1966, as ameded, (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.). Provides 

authority, guidelines, and directives for the Service to improve 

the National Wildlife Refuge System; administer a national 

network of lands and waters for the conservation, management, 

Key Legislation

Snow geese take to the sky at Bosque del Apache National 

Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico. Photo: Lee Karney/USFWS

and restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and habitat; 

ensure the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental 

health of refuges is maintained; define compatible wildlifedependent recreation as appropriate general public use of 

refuges; establish hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and 

photography, and environmental education as priority uses; 

establish a formal process for determining compatible uses 

of refuges; and provide for public involvement in developing 

comprehensive conservation plans for refuges.

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT ACT 

OF 1997, (P.L. 105-57). Spells out wildlife conservation as 

the fundamental mission of the Refuge System; requires 

comprehensive conservation planning to guide management of 

the Refuge System; directs the involvement of private citizens 

in land management decisions; and provides that compatible 

wildlife- dependent recreation is a legitimate and appropriate 

use that should receive priority in refuge planning and 

management.

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE VOLUNTEER IMPROVEMENT ACT 

OF 2010, (P.L. 111-357). Authorizes cooperative agreements with 

nonprofit partner organizations, academic institutions, and 

state and local governments to construct, operate, maintain, 

or improve refuge facilities and services, and to promote 

volunteer, outreach, and education programs. Authorization of 

Appropriations expires September 30, 2014.

REFUGE RECREACTION ACT, (16 U.S.C. 460K-460K-4). PUBLIC 

LAW 87-714, APPROVED SEPTEMBER 28, 1962, (76 STAT. 653) 

AS AMENDED BY PUBLIC LAW 89-669, APPROVED OCTOBER 

14, 1966, (80STAT.930) AND PUBLIC LAW 92-534, APPROVED 

OCTOBER 23, 1972, (86 STAT. 1063). Authorizes the Secretary 

of the Interior to administer refuges, hatcheries and other 

conservation areas for recreational use, when such uses do not 

interfere with the areas primary purposes.
Special Places Where Wildlife and People Thrive 11

Special Designation Areas

11

SPECIAL DESIGNATION AREAS

InadditiontotheirestablishmentaspartoftheRefugeSystem,anumberofareashave

received additional recognition for their unique assets. These designations come through

legislative action, Presidential or Secretarial designation, or other official recognition.

The table below summarizes Special Designation areas within the Refuge System and a

brief explanation of each Special Designation category follows the table.

Designation #Units Highlights

Biosphere Reserves 3 units on 5 refugesin 4

states

The 3 Biosphere Reserves within the Refuge System

are locatedinAK,CA,GAand SC, and are among 47

ReservesintheU.S.

Marine Protected Areas

106unitson106refugesin

26 states plusU.S.

territories

National Historic Landmarks

10 units on8 refugesin 5

states

NationalMonuments

7 units on15refugesin 4

statesplusU.S.territories

4 Marine Monuments contain 418.4 million acres of

submergedland, constitutemore thanone-thirdofthe

Refuge System area and are the most unspoiled

tropical ecosystems under U.S. purview.

National Natural Landmarks

43units on38refugesin 24

statesplusU.S.territories

National Recreation Trails

72unitson62refugesin 31

states

NationalWildandScenic

Rivers

13 unitson11refugesin 7

states

RAMSARWetlandsof

International Importance

26unitson26refugesin 17

states

26 ofthe 35 RAMSAR sitesinthe U.S. are within the

Refuge System.

Research Natural Areas

207unitson93refugesin 44

statesplusU.S.territories

WesternHemisphere

ShorebirdReserveNetwork

19unitson19refugesin 12

states

Wilderness Areas

74unitson62refugesin 25

states

TheRefugeSystemhas20.7millionacresof

Wilderness (19% of the nation’s entire Wilderness

acreage).

World Heritage Sites

1 unit on 2 refugesin 1

stateplusU.S.territories

Papahānaumokuākea MarineNational Monument

is theonlyWorldHeritageSiteintheNWRS
12 Meet the National Wildlife Refuge System

BIOSPHERE RESERVES: Launched in 1971, UNESCO’s 

Man and the Biosphere Program (bit.ly/1CI1MLM) is an 

intergovernmental scientific program that aims to establish a 

scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between 

people and their environments. It proposes interdisciplinary 

research, demonstration,andtraininginnaturalresourcesmanag

ement. As of September 2014, the World Network of Biosphere 

Reserves encompasses 631 biosphere reserves in 117 countries.

MARINE PROTECTED AREA (MPAs): Managed by the federal 

government (led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration), the national system of Marine Protected Areas 

(marineprotectedareas.noaa.gov/) brings work together at 

the regional and national levels to achieve common objectives 

for conserving the nation’s important natural and cultural 

resources. The MPAs are managed independently, but they now 

have a framework to tie them together. There are currently 437 

members of the national system of MPAs.

NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS: National Historic 

Landmarks (www.nps.gov/nhl/index.htm) are nationally 

significant historic places designated by the Secretary of the 

Interior because they possess exceptional value or quality 

in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the U.S. As 

of September 2014, just over 2,500 historic places bear this 

national distinction. Working with citizens throughout the 

nation, the National Historic Landmarks Program draws 

upon the expertise of National Park Service employees who 

work to nominate new sites and provide assistance to existing 

landmarks.

NATIONAL NATURAL LANDMARKS (NNLs): The National 

Natural Landmarks Program (http://www.nature.nps.gov/nnl/

nation.cfm) was established in 1962 by administrative action 

under authority of the Historic Sites Act of 1935. Three other 

laws subsequently referenced the program. The first NNLs 

were designated in 1963. Managed by the National Park 

Service, the program’s goals are to preserve sites illustrating 

the geological and ecological character of the United States, 

enhance the scientific and educational value of sites thus 

preserved, strengthen public appreciation of natural history, 

and foster a greater concern for the conservation of the 

nation’s natural heritage. As of Septermber 30, 2014, there are 

597 NNLs.

NATIONAL RECREATIONAL TRAILS: The National Trails System 

Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-543) authorized creation of a national 

trails system comprised of National Recreation Trails (http://

www.americantrails.org/ee/index.php/nationalrecreationtrails), 

National Scenic Trails, and National Historic Trails. While 

National Scenic Trails and National Historic Trails may only be 

designated by an act of Congress, National Recreation Trails 

may be designated by the Secretary of the Interior or the 

Secretary of Agriculture to recognize exemplary trails of local 

and regional significance in response to an application from 

the trail’s managing agency. As of September 30, 2014, there 

are 1,244 designated National Trails in the U.S., encompassing 

more than 16,000 miles.

WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS: The National Wild and Scenic 

Rivers System (http://www.rivers.gov/index.php) was created 

by Congress in 1968 (Public Law 90-542) to preserve certain 

rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational 

values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present 

and future generations. The Act is notable for safeguarding 

the special character of these rivers, while also recognizing 

the potential for their appropriate use and development. It 

encourages river management that crosses political boundaries 

and promotes public participation in developing goals for river 

protection. As of April 2012, the National Wild and Scenic 

Rivers System protects 12,598 miles of streams in 203 rivers 

in 39 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. This 

represents a little more than one-quarter of one percent of the 

nation’s rivers.

NATIONAL MONUMENTS: A national monument may be 

established by executive order of the President or by 

Congressional legislation. The Antiquities Act of 1906 

authorized the President to proclaim “historic landmarks, 

historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic 

or scientific interest” as national monuments. Concerns about 

protecting mostly prehistoric Indian ruins and artifacts—

collectively termed “antiquities”—on western federal lands 

prompted the legislation. Its purpose was to allow the 

President to quickly preserve public land without waiting for 

Congressional legislation. The ultimate goal was to protect all 

historic and prehistoric sites on federal lands. As of September 

2014, there are 105 National Monuments.

RAMSAR SITES: The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, 

Iran 1971 bit.ly/1Ew41AG) is an intergovernmental treaty 

that embodies the commitments of its member countries to 

maintain the ecological character of Wetlands of International 

Importance and to plan for the “wise use” or sustainable use, 

of all wetlands in their territories. Worldwide there are 2,186 

Ramsar wetlands, 36 of which are in the U.S.

RESEARCH NATURAL AREAS: The Service administratively 

designates research natural areas on refuges; currently there 

are 210 such areas totaling 1,955,762 acres on wildlife refuges.

Research natural areas are part of a national network of 

reserved areas under various ownerships. Research natural 

areas are intended to represent the full array of North 

American ecosystems with their biological communities, 

habitats, natural phenomena, and geological and hydrological 

formations.

WESTERN HEMISPHERE SHOREBIRD RESERVE NETWORK:

During the mid-1980s, scientists from the Americas were 

documenting serious declines in shorebirds. Recognizing that 

these birds were in trouble prompted the scientists to develop 

an international strategy (http://www.whsrn.org/about-whsrn) 

to protect shorebirds and their habitats. The strategy was 

launched in 1986 with the designation of the first site, Delaware 

Bay in the United States.

WILDERNESS: The U.S. was the first country in the world 

to designate wilderness areas through law. Subsequently, 

countries around the world have protected areas modeled 

after the 1964 Wilderness Act. That year the nation’s leaders 

formally acknowledged the immediate and lasting benefits of 

wild places to the human spirit and fabric of our nation. In a 

nearly unanimous vote, Congress enacted the Wilderness Act to 

permanently protect some of the most natural and undisturbed 

places in America. The Act describes wilderness as lands 

affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint 

of man’s work substantially unnoticeable. Lands designated 

as wilderness are preserved and protected in their natural 

condition and devoted to the public purposes of recreation, 

scenic, scientific, educational, conservation, and historic 
Special Places Where Wildlife and People Thrive 13

use. The Refuge System plays a major role in Wilderness 

preservation and is the guardian of nearly 20 percent of the 

nation’s National Wilderness Preservation System. The Refuge 

System stewards all or parts of 74 designated Wilderness areas, 

all of which are described at http://www.wilderness.net/index.

cfm. One additional designated Wilderness area is within the 

Service’s National Fish Hatchery System.

WORLD HERITAGE SITES: World Heritage Sites are designated 

by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural 

Organization (UNESCO), which seeks to encourage the 

identification, protection and preservation of cultural and 

natural heritage sites around the world that are considered 

of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an 

international treaty called the Convention Concerning the 

Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted 

by UNESCO in 1972. There are 1,007 designated World 

Heritage sites and 22 in the U.S.

A brown bear emerges from salmon fishing in the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge in 

Alaska. Photo: Steve Hillebrand
14 Meet the National Wildlife Refuge System

Friends programs. Youth employment programs educate young 

people about career opportunities and promote public service as 

part of a lifelong commitment to natural resource conservation. 

Collectively, these programs work to foster understanding and 

appreciation of the need to conserve America’s wildlife and 

associated natural resources.

REFUGE LAW ENFORCEMENT: The Refuge System employs 

a cadre of professional law enforcement officers dedicated 

to natural resource protection and public safety. The Refuge 

Law Enforcement function provides training, equipment, and 

management of the System’s full-time officers, collateral duty 

officers, and regional and Headquarters management support 

staff. Federal wildlife officers also contribute to community 

policing, environmental education and outreach, and protection 

of native subsistence rights, as well as other activities 

supporting the Service’s conservation mission. Federal wildlife 

officers are routinely involved with the greater law enforcement 

community in cooperative efforts to combat the nation’s drug 

problems, address border security issues, and respond to 

emergencies such as major hurricanes and other pressing 

challenges.

What We Do

WHATWEDO

ANNUAL OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE FUNDED ACTIVITIES:

Management activities within the Refuge System are many and varied. One convenient

waytodescribethemis toalignwiththestructureofbudgets for theRefugeSystemas is

done in the discussion thatfollows. Annual operations and maintenance funding and

staffing occurs within five functional areas, listed in the table below.

FunctionalArea FY2015Staffing (FTEs) FY 2015 Budget

Wildlife and Habitat Management 1,505 $230,343,000

Visitor Services 599 $ 70,319,000

Refuge Law Enforcement 256 $ 38,054,000

Conservation Planning 12 $ 2,988,000

Maintenance 664 $132,498,000

TOTALAnnualOperationsandMaintenance 3,036 $474,202,000

WILDLIFEANDHABITATMANAGEMENT: This functionsupports the corebiologicalprogramofthe

Refuge System. It includes activities such as monitoring plant and animal populations;

titldftldd ihbitt; ihbittthh

Father and son birdwatchers use a spotting scope at Big 

Muddy National Wildlife Refuge, Missouri. Photo: Steve 

Hillebrand

ANNUAL OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE FUNDED ACTIVITIES: 

Management activities within the Refuge System are many and 

varied. One convenient way to describe them is to align with 

the structure of budgets for the Refuge System as is done in 

the discussion that follows. Annual operations and maintenance 

funding and staffing occurs within five functional areas, listed in 

the table below.

WILDLIFE AND HABITAT MANAGEMENT: This function 

supports the core biological program of the Refuge System. 

It includes activities such as monitoring plant and animal 

populations; restoring wetland, forest, grassland, and marine 

habitats; managing habitats through manipulation of water 

levels, prescribed burning, haying, grazing, timber harvest, 

and planting vegetation; controlling the spread of invasive 

species; air quality monitoring; investigati ng and cleaning up 

contaminants; controlling wildlife disease outbreaks; assessing 

water quality and quantity; and addressing the human 

dimensions of wildlife management. These activities are vital for 

providing scientific information needed to inform management 

decisions, and for the Refuge System to achieve its mission at 

local, landscape, and national levels.

VISITOR SERVICES: This function supports public use and 

related activities within the Refuge System. The National 

Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 identifies 

providing wildlife- dependent recreation as a prominent and 

important goal for the Refuge System. In recognition of the 

importance of a close connection between fish and wildlife 

resources, the American character, and the need to conserve 

wildlife for future generations of Americans, the Visitor 

Services program plans and implements a variety of fishing, 

hunting, interpretive, wildlife viewing, photography, and 

outreach and education programming.

This also includes managing special use permits, recreation 

fees, and concessionaires. Visitor Services also supports 

cultural resource protection, accessibility programs, and 

management of our large and mission-critical volunteers and 
Special Places Where Wildlife and People Thrive 15

fire. We employ about 360 permanent fire professionals, along 

with about 100 seasonal and temporary fire employees during 

fire season. More than 1,400 Service employees are qualified 

to assist with wildland fire management activities. The annual 

fire program budget is approximately $60 million.

TRANSPORTATION: The Refuge System and the Federal 

Highway Administration have worked together for the past 

15 years to improve public access to refuges and wetland 

management districts. Improvements to roads, parking 

lots, and trails enable access to wildlife-oriented recreation. 

Funding for these projects on public use roads is provided by 

Department of Transportation budgets under transportation 

legislation that has typically been reenacted about every 

five years. Maintaining a state of good repair, alternative 

transportation options, transportation planning, and reduction 

in use of fossil fuels are core elements associated with 

transportation programs. Although some funding is provided 

directly for Service projects, many funds within transportation 

programs involve either competitive grants or partners, so a 

variety of strategies are employed in pursuing funding to meet 

transportation needs.

CONSTRUCTION: Construction funding is used to make major 

repairs to existing buildings and structures and to construct 

new buildings or structures. Construction funding is requested 

on a project-by-project basis and is very modest (the FY 15 

budget for example was $3.4 million to complete six projects). 

The majority of major facility repairs are accomplished using 

deferred maintenance project funds.

LAND ACQUISTION: Strategic acquisition of new lands is a 

crucial tool to enable the still unfinished job of protecting 

diverse natural communities as part of the Refuge System. 

Acquisition of interests in land occurs through lease, purchase, 

exchange, donation, withdrawal from the public domain, or by 

management agreement. Primary funding for land acquisition 

comes from two sources: 1) Congressional appropriations under 

the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and 2) Migratory Bird 

Conservation Act funds, including proceeds from the sale of 

Duck Stamps and import duties on arms and ammunition.

CONSERVATION PLANNING: The National Wildlife Refuge 

System Improvement Act of 1997 requires all Refuge System 

units to prepare and implement Comprehensive Conservation 

Plans (CCP) every 15 years. Refuges also develop plans such 

as Habitat Management Plans and Visitor Services Plans that 

“step down” CCP guidance and provide specificity needed 

to inform local conservation action. Through solid planning 

and conservation design, this program enables successful 

conservation efforts on the ground. Planning contributes to 

informed decision-making that recognizes the public interest 

while never losing sight of the mission and goals of the 

Service. Our planning ensures a transparent public process 

that guides on-the-ground stewardship of threatened and 

endangered species, migratory birds, inter-jurisdictional fish, 

and other species of special concern to the American people. 

Plans incorporate the best available science and encourage 

collaboration with partners. They also explore ways to increase 

recreational opportunities, working closely with regional 

recreation, trails, and transportation planners to leverage 

resources that make refuges more accessible to the public. 

To be effective, conservation plans are written in a way that 

those who read them clearly understand what is expected and 

are inspired to take action to become a part of the Service’s 

conservation mission.

REFUGE MAINTENANCE: This funding and staffing element 

supports a complex infrastructure including habitat 

management; visitor, administrative, and maintenance facilities; 

and a fleet of vehicles and heavy equipment needed to conduct 

wildlife and habitat management activities. A critical function is 

providing access to Refuge System lands in support of wildlife 

and habitat management programs and enabling visitors to 

enjoy our nation’s rich and diverse fish and wildlife heritage. 

Refuge maintenance employees actively manage about 3.5 

million acres of wildlife habitat each year. More than $29 billion 

worth of assets such as roads, buildings, water management 

structures, and visitor facilities are continually maintained. 

Deferred maintenance funds ($35 million available in FY 14) 

are used to complete most major maintenance projects. As it is 

difficult to access off- road areas, including remote and rough 

terrain and all types of water bodies, a variety of vehicles and 

equipment is needed to meet mission needs. This includes about 

9,300 small equipment items including all-terrain vehicles, 

boats and motors, pumps, generators, trailers, agricultural 

implements, and similar equipment. It also includes about 5,000 

vehicles used for firefighting, wildlife and habitat surveys, 

transporting equipment to remote work sites, and transporting 

volunteers. About 4,000 units of heavy equipment are used 

to manage habitats, maintain roads and levees, and suppress 

growth of undesirable vegetation.

ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED BY OTHER THAN ANNUAL OPERATIONS 

AND MAINTENANCE FUNDING: In addition to the annual 

Operations & Management functions/budgets, several other 

functional activities/budgets with considerable impact on the 

Refuge System are highlighted below:

FIRE MANAGEMENT: Fire management is used to conserve, 

protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their 

habitats while protecting Service facilities and surrounding 

communities. Fire management is integrated into the Service 

land management program. An average (2001-2014) of 400 

wildfires burn 560,000 acres each year on Service lands. Also, if 

conditions and funding allow, more than 350,000 acres per year 

are burned using prescribed fire. Over 80 percent of Service 

lands in the continental U.S. (over 90 percent in Alaska) include 

fire-adapted ecosystems with vegetation dependent on periodic 

This prescribed fire at Charles M. Russell National Wildlife 

Refuge in Montana is part of a fire management strategy to 

conserve and enhance wildlife habitat. Photo: Bruce Creef
16 Meet the National Wildlife Refuge System

Our Guiding Principles

The following principles guide the work of the National Wildlife 

Refuge System. These are long- standing principles reaffirmed 

in the Conserving the Future: Wildlife Refuges and the Next 

Generation vision.

■ We are land stewards, guided by Aldo Leopold’s teachings 

that land is a community of life and that love and respect for 

the land is an extension of ethics. 

■ We seek to reflect that land ethic in our stewardship and to

instill it in others.

■ Wild lands and the perpetuation of diverse and abundant 

wildlife are essential to the quality of the american life.

■ We are public servants. We owe our employers, the 

American people, hard work, integrity, fairness, and a voice in 

the protection of their trust resources.

■ Management, ranging from preservation to active 

manipulation of habitats and populations, is necessary to 

achieve Refuge System and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

missions.

■ Wildlife-dependent uses involving 

hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, 

photography, interpretation, and 

education, when compatible, are 

legitimate and appropriate uses of 

the Refuge System.

■ Partnerships with those who 

want to help us meet our mission are 

welcome and indeed essential.

■ Employees are our most valuable 

resource. They are respected and 

deserve an empowering, mentoring, 

and caring work environment.

■ We are a science-based 

organization. We subscribe 

to the highest standards of 

scientific integrity and reflect this 

commitment in the design, delivery, 

and evaluation of all our work. 

 

■ We respect the rights, beliefs, and 

opinions of our neighbors. 

 

Between 2008 and 2010, the NWRS embarked on a strategic 

visioning process to identify new ways to accomplish our 

mission amid broad social, political, and economic changes. The 

process resulted in development of 24 recommendations, which 

are contained in Conserving the Future: Wildlife Refuges 

and the Next Generation, completed in 2010. Every partner, 

program, and refuge plays a dynamic role in implementing the 

recommendations. The strategic vision provides a path forward 

over the next decade and is crafted around three central 

themes: wildlife and wildlands; a connected conservation 

constituency; and leading conservation into the future. The 

Conserving the Future document and associated materials may 

be accessed at www.fws.gov/refuges/vision

Conserving the Future Vision

Light of sunrise shines through conifers. Photo: Kurt Svendsgaard
Special Places Where Wildlife and People Thrive 17

Wildlife Refuges are Valuable for Communities and People

The Refuge System is a place where the public can find unique 

recreation opportunities for the whole family. These include 

weekend excursions to see fields spotted with hundreds of 

sandhill cranes, father-child time spent on an early morning 

duck hunt, a raucous class of fourth graders on field trip 

exploring tide-pools, or a photography club patiently stalking 

a shot of a squawking blackbird perched on the cattails of a 

nearby pond. Refuges across the country are the public’s places 

to spend leisure time alongside the nation’s wilder residents 

taking in the sights, stretching in the open air and making 

memories with family and friends.

Refuges not only provide rest and relaxation for the public; 

they are powerful economic engines. National wildlife refuges 

hosted more than 47 million visitors in 2014 pumping

$2.4 billion into the economy and creating about 35,000 jobs 

in local economies. Below is a distribution of visits - shown in 

millions - during FY 2014 for the six priority recreation uses. 

Please note that the graph displays numbers of individuals 

estimated to be participating in a particular activity; the total 

exceeds 47 million because visitors may participate in more than 

one activity during a visit.

The Refuge System strives to make refuges welcoming, safe, 

and accessible places for visitors, and to provide visitors a 

variety of ways to enjoy, learn about, appreciate, and help 

conserve fish, wildlife, and plants. While carrying out national 

conservation goals, we strive to be valued components of local 

communities. We also strive to foster an informed and engaged 

citizenry that actively supports and understands the value 

of conservation and the role of the National Wildlife Refuge 

System.

Wildlife 

Observation, 29.8

Nature 

Photography, 8.4

Interpretive 

Programs, 2.8

Hunting, 2.4

Fishing, 6.7

Environmental 

Education, 0.7

Visits to the NWRS during FY 2014
18 Meet the National Wildlife Refuge System

Collaborative Conservation: Shared Stewardship of Nature

Local communities and citizens have long played an important 

role in the history and stewardship of the National Wildlife 

Refuge System. Due to the number of units, the expansive 

acreage of the Refuge System, and a budget that is only about 

a quarter as large as the much smaller National Park Service, 

the NWRS relies on collaboration with diverse groups and 

citizens to conserve America’s wildlife. Whether it is our longtime partnership with private landowners to conserve wildlife 

habitat; daily collaboration with thousands of volunteers to 

teach children about nature; working with neighbors to respond 

to emergency needs from floods and hurricanes; or newer 

collaborations with urban communities, the Refuge System has 

long seen its successes grow from strong relationships with 

local communities.

Volunteers — by far our largest collaborators -- contribute 

nearly 20 percent of the work hours performed on refuges. 

Volunteers of all ages, backgrounds, and interests facilitate 

recreation activities, habitat restoration, maintenance, 

administrative activities, and many other critical tasks. In FY 

2014, nearly 36,000 volunteers contributed over 1.4 million 

hours of service to the Refuge System.

We also have the advantage of our close partners: Friends 

organizations. Refuges work alongside approximately 200 

nonprofit Refuge Friends organizations that assist more than 

300 refuges. These independent organizations are critical 

to building effective community relationships, leveraging 

resources, and serving as conservation ambassadors in their 

communities.

When a full-fledged Friends organization doesn’t completely fit 

a community’s needs, refuges innovate with other community 

partnerships, using written agreements to work together on 

a mutually beneficial project (for example, hosting an annual 

birding festival). These groups could include local chambers 

of commerce, state wildlife agencies, youth groups, faithbased groups, and even private businesses. One of the Refuge 

System’s most visible current community partnerships is 

through the growing Urban Wildlife Conservation Program, 

which works to connect America’s urban communities with the 

concept and goals of wildlife conservation and stewardship. 

No matter your background, interests, or geographic location, 

the Refuge System invites you to join us in stewarding refuges 

through volunteering, joining a Friends organization, or 

becoming part of a community partnership effort.

Children at Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon meet a rough-skinned newt. 

Credit: USFWS
Special Places Where Wildlife and People Thrive 19

A Legacy for Future Generations

The American character has been molded by its connections 

with the land, and its spirit fortified by a close connection to 

the wild creatures of prairie, forest, mountain, desert, coast, 

marsh, reef, and river. The Refuge System plays a key role 

in preserving this “wild legacy." Two critical components of 

enabling the Refuge System to further this “wild legacy” are: 

assuring that existing lands and waters within the Refuge 

System are maintained in a healthy condition; and strategically 

growing the Refuge System so that all ecosystems within the 

U.S. receive conservation protection. These two goals are 

undergirded in law as described below.

The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 

provides the Refuge System with the mission “to administer 

a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, 

management, and where appropriate, restoration of the fish, 

wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within the 

United States for the benefit of present and future generations 

of Americans." The Act further directs the Secretary of the 

Interior to “ensure that the biological integrity, diversity, and 

environmental health of the System are maintained”; and “plan 

and direct the continued growth of the System in a manner that 

is best designed to accomplish the mission of the System, to 

contribute to the conservation of the ecosystems of the United 

States, to complement efforts of States and other Federal 

agencies to conserve fish and wildlife and their habitats, and 

to increase support for the System and participation from 

conservation partners and the public.”

The Refuge System has a strong history of 

excellence in land and water conservation and 

in providing unique recreation opportunities; 

however, major challenges still remain.

Many existing refuge lands and waters face 

resource threats from either within or outside 

their boundaries. Many ecosystems of the 

U.S. are not under conservation protection 

and the Refuge System is still unfinished; 

much remains to be done if the System is 

to safeguard representative areas for all 

ecosystems of the country. Today the nation 

finds itself facing daunting challenges 

of climate change and human population 

growth that are placing increasing stress 

on the natural world. Endangered species 

and imperiled habitats abound.The nation 

is at a pivotal point where failure to act will 

mean that future generations will inherit an 

impoverished natural legacy.

The Refuge System is well poised to work with partners from 

all sectors (federal and state agencies, tribes, non-government 

organizations, business, and individuals) to reduce the 

specter of handing an impoverished natural legacy to future 

generations. The Refuge System’s history of expertise in 

restoration ecology, adeptness at working with a wide variety of 

partners, adaptability in land acquisition strategies, and ability 

to provide opportunities for Americans to get onto the land and 

enjoy nature firsthand bode well for the future. m. However, 

there is a continuing need to respond to the questions: What 

remains to be done to assure that existing Refuge System lands 

and waters are healthy?

What does a complete National Wildlife Refuge System look 

like? What gaps remain for the System and how best can we fill 

them?

Providing a healthy and complete National Wildlife Refuge 

System, as envisioned by past generations of conservationists, 

would stand as a treasured testament to the nation’s ability to 

pass on a lasting natural legacy to future generations. We invite 

you to join us as we strive to make the National Wildlife Refuge 

System the best that it can be.

Bison were introduced to Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, 

Colorado, in 2007. Photo: USFWS
20 Meet the National Wildlife Refuge System

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov

March 2015