Inventory Atlas

Supplement 1d. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wildlife Refuge System Program Description

Program Mission. It is the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System "to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans."

Authorizing Legislation. Legal authority for National Wildlife Refuges resides primarily in the Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended. Additional authorities for the establishment and management of refuges include legislation such as the Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Conservation Act, Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986, and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, among others. Refuges have been established through Executive Orders, Secretarial Orders and decrees, and direct Congressional designations. New refuges continue to be strategically established through these authorities by donation, transfer, agreements, or purchase.

Management. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the nation’s largest system of lands and waters that are managed primarily for the benefit of wildlife, where ‘wildlife’ means any wild member of the animal kingdom (NWRSAA). All units of the Refuge System, and the species and habitats they contain, are governed by the regulations found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50.

The Refuge System Administration Act identifies that it is the policy of the United States that each refuge be managed to "fulfill the mission of the System, as well as the specific purpose for which the refuge was established." In the fulfillment of this policy, some of the overarching mandates for managing refuges include to:

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(1) provide for the conservation of fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats within the System;

(2) ensure that the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health of the System are maintained for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans;

(3) plan and direct the continued growth of the System in a manner that is best designed to accomplish the mission of the System, to contribute to the conservation of the ecosystems of the United States, to complement efforts of States and other Federal agencies to conserve fish and wildlife and their habitats, and to increase support for the System and participation from conservation partners and the public;

(4) ensure effective coordination, interaction, and cooperation with owners of land adjoining refuges and the fish and wildlife agency of the States in which the units of the System are located;

(5) assist in the maintenance of adequate water quantity and water quality to fulfill the mission of the System and the purposes of each refuge;

(6) recognize compatible wildlife-dependent recreational uses as the priority general public uses of the System through which the American public can develop an appreciation for fish and wildlife;

(7) ensure that opportunities are provided within the System for compatible wildlife-dependent recreational uses; and

(8) monitor the status and trends of fish, wildlife, and plants in each refuge.

Types of Areas Protected. There are 538 National Wildlife Refuges in the System that include over 94 million acres in many different ecosystems. For the purposes of marine protection, some of the habitats that are included in the Refuge System are coastal wetlands, marshes, coastal beaches, rocky shorelines, estuaries, mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs. Management protection for refuges also extends to the species that are dependent upon the habitats.

Inventory Status of Program Sites. The National Wildlife Refuge System currently has 162 sites included in the inventory.

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