Birds at the Merced, California National Wildlife Refuge
Credit: Linda Gast/Sierra Sun Times
October 13, 2024 - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service invites you to celebrate nature during National Wildlife Refuge Week, October 13-19, 2024. Enhance your well-being and enjoy the outdoors while experiencing the nation’s premier wildlife conservation network, the National Wildlife Refuge System. Founded in 1903, the system provides nearby nature to millions of Americans while conserving vital wildlife habitat.
“National wildlife refuges are American jewels. They serve as vital landscapes for wildlife; provide recreation for communities seeking a connection with nature; and contribute to ecosystem health through clean air, clean water, and buffers for flooding,” said Service Director Martha Williams. “I encourage all Americans to join us in celebrating these treasured outdoor spaces during National Wildlife Refuge Week and every day.”
Under the Biden-Harris administration, the Service has worked with willing sellers to conserve more than 570,000 acres and approved the potential to acquire more than 1.6 million acres in fee-title and easements across the Refuge System. These locally supported efforts demonstrate a commitment to a collaborative and inclusive approach to conservation. Investing in and increasing access to the Refuge System furthers the America the Beautiful initiative, which aims to conserve, connect and restore at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030 for the sake of our economy, our health and our well-being.
National Wildlife Refuge Week occurs yearly during the second full week of October. This year’s celebrations will kick off October 12 with Urban Wildlife Conservation Day. Admission is free October 13 at national wildlife refuges that normally charge an entrance fee. Nearly 500 national wildlife refuges and wetland management districts are open to the public and offer free admission year-round.
For the fourth year in a row, the Service will partner with the Public Lands Alliance to host more than 35 free walking events at wildlife refuges across the country in celebration of Refuge Week. Register for a free event near you or walk virtually for all of America’s Wildlife Refuges.
“Year after year, Refuge Week ‘Walk for the Wild’ events lead more people to experience the joy of nature and support the important conservation work of national wildlife refuges,” said Dan Puskar, president and CEO of the Public Lands Alliance. “Thanks to our partnership with wildlife refuges and nonprofit Friends groups, ‘Walk for the Wild’ helps thousands experience nature and enrich their lives.”
There is a national wildlife refuge within an hour’s drive of most major metropolitan areas. More than 100 urban refuges and dozens of urban partnerships and Urban Bird Treaty cities are part of the Service’s Urban Wildlife Conservation Program, which seeks to connect the 80 percent of Americans who live in and near cities with vital access to nature. These programs work with communities to understand needs, clear barriers to participation, advance urban conservation, and strengthen communities by improving access to green space, environmental education and outdoor recreation.
The Refuge System is an unparalleled wildlife conservation network of 572 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts. The Refuge System offers many healthful outdoor activities including fishing, wildlife viewing and wildlife photography while providing vital habitat for thousands of wildlife species, including many that would not likely have survived in the wild had it not been for refuge-led habitat restoration efforts. Whooping cranes, American crocodiles, California condors, manatees, sea turtles and Kirtland’s warblers are just some of the iconic species whose recovery has been bolstered by national wildlife refuges.
Wildlife refuge conservation helps wildlife and people. In Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau, Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge, newly established in 2023, will protect water quality of the Paint Rock River, support numerous threatened and endangered species and provide visitors recreational opportunities. In the Midwest, residents enjoy nature and wildlife viewing at Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, a former industrial site that now boasts a new visitor center and public fishing pier. To the Pacific Northwest, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge just outside of Portland, Oregon, is a great bird-watching destination with over 200 species plus offers a variety of public programs.
National wildlife refuges pump $3.2 billion per year into local economies and support more than 41,000 jobs, according to the Service’s report Banking on Nature. Visits to refuges have doubled in the last 10 years, reaching more than 69 million visits a year. National wildlife refuges also improve our lives by conserving wildlife, protecting against erosion and flooding and purifying our air and water.
Learn more about this year’s celebration, including virtual and in-person events by visiting: https://fws.gov/events.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information, visitwww.fws.gov, or connect with us through any of these social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, YouTube and Flickr.
Source: USFWS
