A UNIQUE AREA FOR WILDLIFE
Back Bay Refuge contains over 9,000 acres, situated on and around a thin strip of coastline typical of barrier islands found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Habitats include beach, dunes, woodland, farm fields, and marsh. The majority of refuge marshlands are on islands contained within the waters of Back Bay. To assure long-term protection for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent species, the Fish & Wildlife Service is working to acquire additional wetland habitat in the Back Bay area.
Approximately 10,000 snow geese and a large variety of ducks and other waterfowl visit Back Bay Refuge during the peak of fall migration, usually in December. The refuge also provides habitat for a wide assortment of other wildlife, including threatened and endangered species such as loggerhead sea turtles, piping plovers, peregrine falcons, and bald eagles.
A RICH WILDFOWLING TRADITION
The Back Bay area has long been famous as a wildfowler's paradise where once large concentrations of wintering waterfowl and shorebirds could be found. Before refuge establishment, the Princess Anne and Ragged Island Hunting Clubs occupied the site. Other well-known hunt clubs in the Back Bay area include the Dudley Island Club, the False Cape Gunning Club, the Cedar Island Club, and the Back Bay Gunning Club. Many of these hunt clubs were founded in the late 1800s and attracted wealthy professionals from as far away as New York and Philadelphia.
Waterfowl numbers throughout North America have drastically declined in recent years. To help rebuild goose and duck populations, the United States, Canada, and Mexico signed the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Working together with the private sector under this plan will help protect and manage critical breeding, staging, and wintering areas for waterbirds of all types throughout the continent.
WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN - U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
The US Fish and Wildlife Service has a rich history of conserving our nation's resources. Find out more by visiting us at http://training.fws.gov/history/index.html.
