| Wildlife
and Habitat: The eighteen mile-long by ten
mile-wide refuge lies in the Ouachita River’s alluvial
flood plain (80% of the refuge floods seasonally) and consists
of
14,500 acres
of bottomland hardwood forest (bald cypress, water elm, water
hickory, green ash, overcup oak, and willow oak), 5,000 acres
of upland forest (loblolly pine, sweetgum, and red oak), 3,000
acres of shrub/wooded swamp, 16,000 acres of reforested farmland,
and 2,000 acres of open water.
Tens of thousands of
migrating ducks and geese winter on the refuge, and threatened
and endangered species like the cockaded red woodpecker,
the bald eagle, and the Louisiana black bear find year-long homes
in the refuge’s forests. Other wildlife found on the refuge
includes alligators, white-tailed deer, bobcats, foxes, turkey,
squirrels, and beaver. |
Refuge Overview: Located along the Ouachita River in northern Louisiana, Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1978 to provide habitat for migratory birds. The refuge’s 40,000+ acres were purchased with Federal Duck Stamp dollars.