What We Do
The National Wildlife Refuge System is a series of lands and waters owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the refuge system. It drives everything we do from the purpose a refuge is established, to the recreational activities offered there, to the resource management tools we use. Selecting the right tools helps us ensure the survival of local plants and animals and helps fulfill the purpose of the refuge.
Furbearer trapping on the refuge has a longstanding tradition and has been a useful tool in maintaining balance between furbearers and habitat, and safeguarding refuge infrastructure. Trapping may be used to protect endangered and threatened species or migratory birds or to control certain wildlife populations. Trappers must obtain a special use permit and follow state and federal regulations.
Island restoration is also an important management strategy on the river. Over time, islands have been lost due to flooding and erosion. Restoring the islands offers protection from wind and waves, which allows aquatic plants to grow and create an out of the elements place for wildlife to rest and feed.
One of the partnerships the refuge has to meet these restoration needs is with the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program.
Floodplain forests are a unique and necessary habitat found along the backwaters of the Mississippi River. Through forest inventory, monitoring and restoration projects, staff and partners work hard to sustain and manage these special areas. Floodplain forests are utilized by hundreds of bird species for nesting, feeding and as migratory stopover areas along the Mississippi River Flyway.
Management and Conservation
Refuges use a wide range of land management tools based on the best science available. Some refuges use prescribed fires to mimic natural fires that would have cleared old vegetation from the land, helping native plants to regenerate and local wildlife to thrive. Other refuges contain wilderness areas where land is largely managed passively. The management tools used are aimed at ensuring a balanced conservation approach where both wildlife and people will benefit. At this field station, our conservation toolbox includes but is not limited to prescribed burning, trapping, invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
Learn more about invasive species removal, bird and bat monitoring, forest inventory and much more!
The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 requires that every national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
Learn more about national wildlife refuge develop a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and revise it every 15 years, as needed.
Science underpins all aspects of National Wildlife Refuge System planning, but comprehensive conservation plans are citizen-centered government at its best. Developing these long-term plans relies on public participation and input. Local communities, volunteers and Friends of national wildlife refuges, state conservation agencies, and such partners as the National Rifle Association and Defenders of Wildlife help guide refuge management through the development of each CCP. CCPs also provide an opportunity to improve and increase recreation critical to connecting people, particularly young people, with nature. Full Upper Miss River CCP
Our Services
Federal Recreational Lands Passes
*There are no entrance fees or parking permits required to visit the refuge*
Staff issue Federal Recreational Lands passes at the La Crosse, Winona and Savanna District Offices. Passes are available at the La Crosse District Visitor Center during Visitor Center open hours; please click the link for updated hours. Passes are available at the Winona District Office and Savanna District Office by appointment only. Please call (507) 454-7351 to request an appointment at the Winona District Office, located at 102 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Winona, MN, 55987. Please call (815) 273-2732 to request an appointment at the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center in the Savanna District, located at 7071 Riverview Road, Thomson, IL, 61285. All offices are closed on federal holidays. For fee-based passes, we can only accept cash or check payment. We cannot accept debit or credit card payments.
All pass holders must be present in-person in order for us to issue them a pass, except for the Resident Annual Pass and Non-Resident Annual Pass, which are the only passes that can be given as a gift. Some passes require specific identification or documentation - please read on for more details.
Passes available:
- Senior Lifetime Pass ($80)
- Senior Annual Pass ($20)
- Resident Annual Pass ($80)
- Non-resident Annual Pass for non-U.S. residents ($250) - coming soon! Expected to be available mid-February 2026.
- Military Annual Pass (Free to active-duty military members and their dependents, with appropriate identification)
- Military Lifetime Pass (Free to veterans and Gold Star Families with appropriate identification/documentation)
- Access Pass (Free for people with permanent disabilities, with appropriate documentation)
- Every Kid Outdoors 4th Grade Pass (free to 4th grade students during September through August of their 4th grade school year, with a completed outline voucher from https://everykidoutdoors.gov)
More information about the required identification or documentation for the passes can be found here: Digital America the Beautiful Passes.
Law Enforcement
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement officers have a wide variety of duties and responsibilities. Officers help visitors understand and obey wildlife protection laws. They work closely with state and local government offices to enforce federal, state and refuge hunting regulations that protect migratory birds and other game species from illegal take and preserve legitimate hunting opportunities.
Laws and Regulations
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is known for providing great opportunities for waterfowl hunting, fishing and wildlife observation. Refuge hunting and fishing seasons generally follow state seasons and regulations. To conserve this special place and safeguard the experience for all, we ask you to please observe the public use regulations and hunting regulations.