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An expansive view from atop a butte overlooks a wide forest

About Us

Updated November 10, 2026

Man fishing on a glassy lake that shows a reflection of the forested hills surrounding the lake.

The Little Pend Oreille, pronounced "ponderay," National Wildlife Refuge is located in northeastern Washington about 70 miles north of Spokane, 40 miles west from the panhandle of Idaho, and 40 miles south of British Columbia, Canada. Our 42,657 acres are within the Columbia River Basin Ecosystem and the Okanogan Highlands Province. The Refuge is on the western edge of the Sekirk Mountains; elevations range from 1,800 feet to 5,600 feet. Other public lands surround us- to the north the Washington Department of Natural Resources; to the east and south the U.S. Forest Service are the land stewards.

The Refuge was established on May 2, 1939 to protect and provide a breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife. Most of the land was acquired through the Resettlement Administration which retired marginal farmland. Other land was purchased from willing sellers or acquired through exchange with the Washington Department of Natural Resources.

Our Mission

The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management and, where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

Every national wildlife refuge was created for a special purpose. Some were created to protect migratory birds, others to protect threatened or endangered species or unique habitats, while others fulfill another special purpose. All activities allowed on refuges must be evaluated to make sure each activity will not conflict with the reason the refuge was founded.

Goals

Conserve, enhance, and restore native forest, riparian, in-stream, and wetland habitats and their associated fish, wildlife, and plants, representative of the native biological diversity of northeastern Washington.
Monitor, protect, and recover special status plants and animals and species of management interest.
Provide opportunities for wildlife-dependent recreation and education to enhance public appreciation, understanding, and enjoyment of Refuge wildlife, fish, habitats, and cultural history.

Peering through trees at an old, historic barn in the middle of a retired agricultural field.

Our History

The Refuge was established on May 2, 1939 to protect and provide a breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife.

1879 – 1931 - One hundred and eighty eight homestead claims were patented within what would later become the refuge boundary.
1935 - The Resettlement Administration classifies much of the land as “submarginal” due to short growing seasons, harsh winters, and overgrazed conditions. Most of the homesteads were acquired through the Soil Conservation Service by outright purchases or trades for parcels in more productive areas.
1939 - The Little Pend Oreille Wildlife Refuge is established by Executive Order signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
1940 - Proclamation No. 2416 changes the name to Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge.
1965 - Washington Department of Game assumes management responsibility through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The area becomes known locally as the “Game Range”.
1967 - A land exchange with the Washington Department of Natural Resources consolidated state and refuge ownerships. Federal lands on the northeastern part of the refuge were exchanged for state inholdings within the core of the refuge.
1994 - Prompted by an internal audit by the General Accounting Office, the agency resumes active management of the refuge.
2000 - Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan is completed, guiding refuge management into the future.
2014 - Refuge celebrates its 75th anniversary.

Other Facilities in this Complex

The Inland Northwest National Wildlife Refuge Complex comprises three refuges - Little Pend Oreille and Turnbull Refuges in northeast Washington and Kootenai Refuge in northern Idaho. We share work priorities, budgets and some staff. Turnbull Refuge is the complex headquarters.

Despite common management oversight, each of the three complex refuges is unique. Little Pend Oreille, at 42,657 acres, is a mountainous forested Refuge with clear streams, scattered lakes, and diverse outdoor pursuits; Turnbull, at 18,217 acres, features over 130 wetlands, ponderosa pine forest, steppe grassland, aspen, and rock set in a distinctive landscape that offers many possibilities for experiencing nature; Kootenai, at 2,774 acres, is a small gem of diverse wetland, cropland, and upland habitats and recreational opportunities.

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.

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 regenerate and local wildlife to thrive. Other refuges contain Wilderness areas where land is largely managed in passively. The management tools used are aimed at ensuring a balanced conservation approach where both wildlife and people will benefit.

Scenic view of hilly pine forest from Black-Tail Mountain

Our goal is to conserve, enhance and restore native forest, riparian , stream and wetland habitats and the fish, wildlife and plants that live here. We use fire, forest and weed management to meet this goal.

The forests of northeast Washington are fire-adapted ecosystems. The tree, shrub, forb and grass species present here developed adaptations that allow them to not only survive fire but to thrive with fire.

Beginning in the early 1900’s, fire suppression policies resulted in flammable vegetation and woody debris accumulating, compromising forest health and increasing the intensity of natural fires. Forests became overcrowded with small trees, fuels built up and shade tolerant species expanded. The buildup of forest litter, brush and younger trees creates ladder fuels which enables fire to reach mature, older tree tops more readily. When fire has easier access to tree crowns, fire control is more difficult and dangerous and more trees are killed.

Prescribed fire is used as a tool for the re-introduction of fire into our forests, leaving them less susceptible to devastating wildfires. Carefully planned prescribed fire conserves, protects and enhances fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats while protecting refuge facilities, neighboring lands and surrounding communities.

We use silviculture, the art and science of managing forests, to provide wildlife habitats that are missing from the surrounding landscape. Commercial thinning (removing selected trees that have value as lumber products) and non-commercial thinning (removing trees too small to be processed into wood products) reduces competition between the remaining trees for sunlight, water and other nutrients. After thinning, the residual fuels, or slash, may be stacked into piles and burned. The benefits of thinning include: reducing the threat of large wildfires; increasing protection for surrounding homes and property; reducing stand density, canopy closure, ladder fuels and fuels on the forest floor; and recycling nutrients into the soil.

Western white pine was once a primary component of the forests of the Refuge. However, due to deaths from the accidentally introduced fungus- white pine blister rust- more than 95% of Western white pine trees have died in the last 75 years. The Refuge is working to restore these trees to a place in the ecosystem by encouraging the remaining western white pine and planting blister rust resistant seedlings.

Early settlers cleared suitable sites to create fields for growing crops and raising livestock. We maintain many of those open areas with fire and mowing to provide habitat for native grassland species.

Invasive plant management, including European water milfoil in the lakes, is a continuing challenge.

Supporting Documents

Little Pend Oreille NWR Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) - Volume 1

Little Pend Oreille NWR Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) - Volume 2

Little Pend Oreille NWR Fire Management Plan

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.

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