The National Wildlife Refuge System Division of Realty held a photo contest last fall as a way to gather photographs of newly acquired land to illustrate its 2011 Annual Report of Lands. More than 100 photographs of national wildlife refuge land acquired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in fiscal year 2011 were submitted to the contest. The photos on these two pages are a sampling of them.The photo from Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge in Vermont, taken by refuge manager Ken Sturm, will appear on the report’s cover.

Red River National Wildlife Refuge Louisiana Credit: Ronnie Maum

Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge New Hampshire Credit: Jerry and Marcy Monkman/Ecophotography

Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge California Credit: Andrea Pickart/USFWS

Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge Vermont Credit: Ken Sturm/USFWS

Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Montana Credit: Nathan Korb/The Nature Conservancy