U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Toggle navigationUtility (Top) navigationAbout Us ForwardBackAbout UsMission & VisionLeadershipOur OrganizationOur FacilitiesRegionsLaws & Regulations ForwardBackLaws & RegulationsLaws, Agreements & TreatiesHunting RegulationsLibrary ForwardBackLibraryCategoriesCollectionsHomeServices ForwardBackServicesDuck Stamps ForwardBackDuck StampsBuy a Duck Stamp or E-StampBuy a Junior Duck StampFish StockingImporting & ExportingConsultation & Technical Assistance ForwardBackConsultation & Technical AssistanceESA Section 7 ConsultationHabitat Conservation Planning (HCPs)Candidate Conservation Agreements (CCA & CCAA)Safe Harbour Agreements (SHA)Conservation BankingCoastal Barrier Resources Act Project ConsultationCoastal Barrier Resources System Property DocumentationFinancial AssistanceSpecies ManagementInvestigational New Animal Drugs (INADS)PermitsSearch All ServicesDuck Stamps One of the easiest ways that anyone can support bird habitat conservation is by buying duck stamps.Species ForwardBackSpeciesExplore Taxonomic TreeFind a SpeciesInterest story Bats: “The Coolest Mammals on Earth”Visit Us ForwardBackVisit UsEventsRecreation PassesOutdoor RecreationWhere to HuntWhere to FishOur LocationsScenic Drives Tour routes of great scenic drives on National Wildlife Refuges.Get Involved ForwardBackGet InvolvedCareers and InternshipsVolunteeringFriends PartnershipsLearning OpportunitiesEducation ProgramsEventsPartnerships ForwardBackPartnershipsPartnership CategoriesPartner ListVolunteer Search for volunteer opportunities around the countryNewsroom ForwardBackNewsroomPress ReleasesCongressional TestimonyMedia ContactsWild Things News about wonderful wild things and placesInitiatives ForwardBackInitiativesCombating Wildlife TraffickingDirector's PrioritiesClimate ChangeHuntingFishingInvasive SpeciesPollinatorsProtecting WildlifeClimate Action FWS is taking steps to mitigate climate impactsI want to ForwardBackI Want ToReport Wildlife CrimeDo Business with FWSVolunteerFind a Job or InternshipVisit a RefugeBuy a Duck StampApply for a PermitFind FundingFind TrainingWild work Search employment opportunities with USFWSSearchSearchSearchEnter the terms you wish to search for. × Visitor Experience and Community EngagementImage Details
 Visitor Experience and Community EngagementWhat We DoEventsNews The Division of Visitor Services and Communications manages opportunities for outdoor recreation that draw millions of people each year to national wildlife refuges, boosting local economies. Many visitors take part in heritage sports such as hunting and fishing. Others enjoy walking, paddling, wildlife viewing or nature photography. All these activities offer visitors a chance to unplug from the stresses of modern life and reconnect with their natural surroundings.What We DoOur ServicesVisitors on a ranger-led hike point and react to a wildlife sighting at San Diego National Wildlife Refuge.Image DetailsVisitors on a ranger-led hike thrill at a wildlife sighting at San Diego National Wildlife Refuge.Customer-Centered FocusThe President’s Management Agenda identifies the National Wildlife Refuge System as a high-impact service provider. Visitor services professionals work to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction by operating visitor centers; designing, installing and maintaining accessible trails; constructing viewing blinds; issuing special use permits; contracting with private concessions and leveraging low recreation fees for facility improvements.Through a national visitor survey, the Refuge System monitors visitor satisfaction. The survey is conducted every five years on a rotating basis on refuges that have at least 50,000 visits a year.Wildlife-Driven OpportunitiesThe National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 identifies six priority recreational uses (hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, environmental education and interpretation). These activities are priorities on every refuge, if found compatible with the refuge’s statutory purposes.A young woman coaches a visitor in archery at John Heinz Refuge in Philadelphia.Image DetailsHispanic Access Foundation intern Ashley Suarez-Burgos coaches students in archery during a fall festival at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum in Philadelphia.Nearby NatureThere is at least one refuge in every state and territory and within an hour’s drive of most major cities. This accessibility makes it easy for communities to enjoy their wildlife heritage. Visitors access refuges by car, by boat, by bike and by plane. The Service works to ensure that the roads, trails and parking areas are welcoming and safe for visitors of all abilities.More About What We DoLatest Stories and TopicsStoriesPhoto of marbled godwits at the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge.Get InvolvedWild WingsA selection of stories that highlight wildlife, conservation, education, and community activities at Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge.Dec 20, 20232023 Earth Day collage of animals and Service's logo in the bottom right corner.Habitat RestorationCelebrate Earth Day 2023Since 1970, Earth Day has served to raise environmental awareness and involve citizens and communities in creating a cleaner, healthier world. Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge in Alabama, we worked with partners to restore the natural habitat around a river once mined by coal companies.Apr 21, 2023Painting of an American burying beetle and flowering Texas trillium.For Parents and Educators2022 Endangered species art exhibitionArlington Ecological Services Field Office is pleased to announce its fifth annual endangered species art show. It is open to all K-12 students and submissions should be emailed by Friday, July 15, 2022.Jun 1, 2022Painting of a green-winged teal drake floating in a wetlandGet InvolvedNevada Junior Duck Stamp ProgramDo you love conservation and want to know how to help? Consider participating in the annual Junior Duck Stamp competition!Mar 5, 2022View All NewsOur LibraryLearnLearn about the natural world through challenges, lessons, webcams, puzzles, videos, podcasts and activities.Library Collection6 ItemsHuntingThis collection includes information about hunting opportunities at national wildlife refuges and on other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters; about hunter safety; and about other topics of interest to sportsmen and sportswomen.Library Collection9 Items
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