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| John Heinz National Wildlife
Refuge at Tinicum
Conserving the Nature of America |
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| John Heinz National Wildlife
Refuge at Tinicum
Conserving the Nature of America |
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Refuge grounds are open every day of the year
from sunrise to sunset, free of charge.
The Cusano Environmental Education Center
is open daily from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, free of charge.
The Cusano Environmental Education Center is closed for all Federal holidays.
Click here for a refuge map. 
The main entrance to the Refuge at 86th Street and Lindbergh Boulevard in
Southwest Philadelphia provides access to the Cusano Environmental
Education Center, foot trails, fishing, and wildlife observation platform.
There is an additional parking area located at west end of the Refuge, just
north of I-95 on Route 420 which provides hiking and fishing access.
Handicapped Accessible parking is available. If conditions permit, vehicles
with an HP license are able to access the observation platform by car. Please
stop by the Cusano Environmental Education Center or contact the refuge
by phone if you have concerns about getting around on the refuge.
How to get here
Public Transportation
SEPTA's Route 37 and 108 buses both stop at 84th St. and Lindbergh Blvd.
SEPTA's Regional Rail Line has a stop at the Eastwick Station. This is several blocks southeast of the Refuge's Main Entrance at 86th St. and Lindbergh Blvd.
| From the South: |
| -Traveling on I-95 South, take Exit 14 (Bartram Ave.) - At the 5th light turn right onto 84th Street -At the second light make a left onto Lindbergh Blvd .* |
| -Traveling on I-76 East, stay in left lane after passing the 28th Street Exit and follow signs for Rte.291 West - At the light, turn right onto Rte.291 West and go over the Platt Bridge Stay in the left lane as you come off the bridge-DO NOT go on to I-95 South After exiting the bridge bear to the right and onto Island Avenue-At the first traffic light turn left onto Bartram Avenue Go to the first traffic light and turn right onto 84th Street Go to the second traffic light and turn left onto Lindbergh Blvd.* |
| From the Blue Route (I-476) * In each case follow Lindbergh Blvd. to first stop sign-refuge entrance on right |
The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum is one of more than 500 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is a network of lands and waters managed specifically for the protection of wildlife and its habitat. It represents the most comprehensive wildlife management program in the world.
Remember: The refuge has been set aside for wildlife. Please help protect them and visitors by respecting refuge rules.
History
The history of Tinicum Marsh, the largest remaining freshwater tidal wetland Pennsylvania goes back to the first settlements in the region in 1634. Swedes, Dutch and English diked and drained parts of the marsh for grazing. At that time, the tidal marshes measured over 5,700 acres. The rapid urbanization since World War I, reduced tidal marshes to approximately 200 acres. The remnant of this once vast tidal marsh is protected by the refuge.
A diked, non-tidal area of 145 acres, adjacent
to the eastern end of Tinicum marsh, was donated by the Gulf Oil Corporation
to the City of Philadelphia in 1955. This area, administered for the benefit
of wildlife and people, was known as Tinicum Wildlife Preserve. The
areas of open water along with the adjacent heavily vegetated tidal wetlands,
formed an ideal habitat for thousands of migratory waterfowl.
In 1969, the remaining area was threatened by plans to route
Interstate 95 through it and by a sanitary landfill on the tidal wetlands.
These activities started a long series of injunctions, public hearings and
extraordinary efforts by private and public groups to secure rerouting of
the highway and termination of the landfill operation. Under legislation passed
by Congress in 1972, authorization was given to the Secretary of the Interior
to acquire 1200 acres to establish the Tinicum National Environmental Center.
In November 1991, in a bill sponsored by Congressman Curt Weldon
(R-PA), the name of the refuge was changed to John Heinz National Wildlife
Refuge at Tinicum to honor the late Senator who helped preserve Tinicum Marsh.