During spring and fall migrations, these refuges become critical feeding and resting areas. Some refuges contain wilderness, designated by Congress as protected lands with no, or minimal, human impacts. These areas provide important habitat for species like the Kodiak brown bear and others that require large natural areas for their survival. Refuges also protect historical and archaeological sites that can be used to study and understand our Nation's cultural heritage. Important to wildlife and the nation is the protection many refuges provide to wetlands.
Wetlands help with flood control, filter pollutants, and recharge groundwater supplies.
Some refuges also protect coastal marshes that serve as vital nurseries for fish and crustaceans, species that are enjoyed as food by both wildlife and humans.