National Wildlife Refuge
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| National Wildlife Refuge System | |
|---|---|
| IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area) | |
 | |
| Location: | United States |
| Area: | 96,013,646 acres |
| Established: | 1903 |
| Visitation: | 39,847,108 (in 2004) |
| Governing body: | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge system is a network of lands and waters managed to protect wildlife and wildlife habitat.
The system consists of over 500 refuges across the nation. Nearly all of them have the words "National Wildlife Refuge", "Wetland Management District", or "Wildlife Management Area" in their names; notable exceptions include:
- Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
- Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge
- National Bison Range
- National Elk Refuge
- National Key Deer Refuge
- Patuxent Research Refuge
- Sullys Hill National Game Preserve
Contents |
[edit] History
See History of the National Wildlife Refuge System
[edit] Statistics (as of 2004)
[edit] Physical Features
- Acres of land under management (Stewardship Lands): = 96,013,646 <ref name=Sheet>National Wildlife Refuge System Fact Sheet 2004 at http://www.fws.gov/refuges/pdfs/2004_NWRSfactSheet.pdf</ref>
- Acres of land less than fee title = 3,775,246 <ref name=Sheet/>
- Acres of wetlands = 45,677,973 <ref name=Sheet/>
- Number of management units = 632 (includes 545 refuges, 37 wetland management districts, and 50 coordination areas) <ref name=Sheet/>
- Number of Wilderness areas = 75 <ref name=Sheet/>
- Acres of Wilderness = 20,698,845 <ref name=Sheet/>
- Miles of rivers within the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System = 1,051 <ref name=Sheet/>
- Miles of refuge boundary with Mexico = 120 <ref name=Sheet/>
[edit] Management
- Acres of wetlands restored in 2004 = 89,262 <ref name=Sheet/>
- Acres burned in 2004 to reduce hazardous fuels = 45,012 <ref name=Sheet/>
[edit] Visitation
- Total visitors in 2004 = 39,847,108 <ref name=Sheet/>
- Total visits in 2004 = 72,563,393 <ref name=Sheet/>
[edit] Volunteers
- Total volunteers in 2004 = 32,933 <ref name=Sheet/>
- Total volunteer hours in 2004 = 1,339,427 <ref name=Sheet/>
- Value of volunteer hours in 2004 = $23,024,750 <ref name=Sheet/>
[edit] Real Property
- Miles of roads maintained = 11,700 <ref name=Sheet/>
- Number of buildings maintained = 5,850 <ref name=Sheet/>
- Number of employee housing units = 660 <ref name=Sheet/>
- Number of bridges = 650 (0 tunnels) <ref name=Sheet/>
- Miles of fencing = 13,500 <ref name=Sheet/>
- Number of water control structures maintained = 9,100 <ref name=Sheet/>
[edit] Personnel
- Total Staff = 3,809 FTE’s (Full Time Equivalents, thus two half-time employees count as one FTE) <ref name=Sheet/>
- Number of refuge enforcement officers = 491 <ref name=Sheet/>
- Number of firefighter FTE’s = 538 <ref name=Sheet/>
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official website of the National Wildlife Refuge
- Legislation
- SSRN: The Significance of National Wildlife Refuges in the Development of U.S. Conservation Policy
- National Wildlife Refuge Association - A nonprofit entity supporting the National Wildlife Refuge system
[edit] References
<references/>
