This year National Wildlife Refuge Week will be observed during the week of October 9 –15, 2016. If you have never visited a refuge before, this would be a great time to plan to go.
The National Wildlife Refuge System helps to protect wildlife, generate jobs, provide clean air and water, reduce flooding, educate children about nature and offer protected places to fish and hike and enjoy the outdoors. Every state has at least one national wildlife refuge, many within an hour’s drive of most major cities.
In 1964, Congress passed the Wilderness Act. The 1964 law created the National Wilderness Preservation System, which protects nearly 110 million acres of wilderness nationwide. Of those, 20 million are on refuge land. The wilderness is just that—wild land that is largely undeveloped and unmanaged—that can offer outstanding opportunities for wildlife observation, hiking, other non-motorized outdoor recreation and solitude.
“Americans are fortunate to have access to a wide network of national wildlife refuges close to where they live, from protected areas near cities like Philadelphia and Los Angeles to the coasts of the Pacific Northwest and Southeast,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell. “National Wildlife Refuge Week highlights the value of these protected spaces to wildlife and people alike and is a great time to explore your local refuge.”
“National Wildlife Refuge Week provides an ideal opportunity to discover the precious legacy that refuges represent,” said Service Director Dan Ashe. “I hope Americans use this occasion to visit a refuge and recommit to preserving these special places for generations to come.”
National Wildlife Refuge Week is celebrated at refuges with festivals, educational programs, guided tours and other events.
Nationwide, refuges support more than 35,000 jobs and pump $2.4 billion into local communities, according to a Service report issued last year. More than 47 million people visited a refuge last year. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the nation's premier habitat conservation network. As of 2014 it encompassed more than 150 million acres in 562 refuges and 38 wetland management districts with more being added each year.
So find a refuge near you, mark your calendar and go see what all the fuss is about.
James L. Cummins is executive director of Wildlife Mississippi, a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi. Their web site is www.wildlifemiss.org.
