American Bittern, Cokeville Meadows NWR

Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

Sign at Netherly Slough Wildlife Viewing Area, CMNWR

Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife Refuge(CMNWR) south of Cokeville, Wyoming is centered around a 20-mile stretch of the Bear River and its associated wetands and uplands. The Refuge was established in 1992. While the approved acquisition boundary for the Refuge totals 26,657 acres, only 9,259 have been purchasesd or are protected through conservation easements to date. Land acquisition is ongoing from willing sellers only.

Wetlands within the acquisition area provide excellent habitat for a variety of migratory and resident wildlife species. The area was identified as the number one priority in the Bear River Focus Area Plan for the Inter-Mountain West Joint Venture. The Refuge supports one of the highest densities of nesting waterfowl in Wyoming, species including White-faced Ibis, Black Tern, and numerous other marsh and shorebirds; provides excellent potential for reintroduction of Trumpeter Swans; and provide habitat for Mule Deer, Elk, and Pronghorn.

Currently Cokeville Meadows is managed as a satellite of Seedskadee NWR 75 miles to the east. The Refuge remains closed to the public except for the wildlife viewing station that is situated along the west side of HWY 30 approximately 10 miles south of the town of Cokeville.


Driving Directions

To reach the Refuge, travel south from Cokeville, Wyoming, on State Highway 30. The acquisition boundary of Cokeville Meadows NWR begins about one mile south of Cokeville, Wyoming and continues 16 miles to the south. Highway 30 forms the eastern acquisition boundary of the Refuge. Non-contiguius Refuge lands are located within this acquisition boundary intermingled by tracts of private, state and Bureau of Land Management lands.

Management Activities

Beaver in wetland, CMNWR

Cokeville Meadows NWR is a relatively new and growing Refuge with limited staff. Management activities are relatively diverse and often focus on working cooperatively with local ranchers to accomplish projects and management goals.

Lands that are newly acquired are posted with boundary signs and evaluated for wildlife use, habitat potential, invasive weeds, fencing needs, contaminants, and other items. Under Special Use Permits, local ranchers and Refuge managers mutually benefit by working cooperatively to reach Refuge habitat goals and project goals. Ranchers assist Refuge staff with irrigation of wet meadows and other wetlands, maintenance of ditches and other irrigation facilities, providing food plots for wildlife, maintaining vigor of wet meadow vegetation through selective haying , weed control, conversion of marginal croplands to permanent native vegetation, and other projects such as Refuge cleanups, and fence maintenance and construction. In exchange, ranchers receive hay and crop shares. Refuge staff also work closely with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to identify and achieve management goals and objectives. Refuge staff and biologists from Wyoming Game and Fish also conduct regular wildlife surveys.

Elk herd wintering, CMNWR

Maps
Cokeville Meadows Land Aquisition Map

Links
Wyoming Land Conservation Initiative

Ecology of Elk on Department of the
Interior Lands in Southwest Wyoming

Last updated: October 23, 2009