Welcome to the Fergus Falls Wetland Management District, where we care for 50,000 acres of wildlife habitat scattered across five counties in western Minnesota. Situated on the eastern edge of North America's Prairie Pothole Region, also known as the duck factory, we strive to preserve, restore, and manage wetlands and prairies for nesting waterfowl (ducks, geese, and swans). You can enjoy many types of outdoor recreation here through the seasons while you observe wildlife, like bird watching, hiking, nature photography, snowshoeing, and hunting. The best place for many visitors to start their adventure is at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center.
Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, and volunteers is our top priority. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Fergus Falls Wetland Management District is following federal, state and local public safety guidance and making every effort to provide continued access to recreational opportunities on public lands.  For more information, please visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Coronavirus Response web site. Local updates are posted here and on the PWLC Facebook page. 

Our timeline for fully re-opening depends on state and local conditions and may move forward or backward to adapt to current conditions.  Some staff are working in offices in addition to those already working in the field.  The district headquarters office and the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center welcome visitors to our indoor facilities on a limited basis.  

District Headquarters

Open days:  Monday through Friday

Open hours:  7:00 am – 3:30 pm. 

Visitors entering the facility may be limited to the entry area where staff will greet you and answer questions. Restroom facilities and drinking fountains are not available.

Visitor Center

Open days:  Friday

Open hours:  8:00 am – 4:00 pm

The Bluestem Store in the visitor center is open Fridays from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.  

Visitors may occupy the visitor center and access the information desk, exhibit area, and restrooms.  Staff-led outdoor programs are taking place as well.  Please watch for announcements here and on our Facebook page regarding our calendar of events; click the Events tab for an events listing.

Outdoor Sites

The lands and waters of the District are open for public enjoyment.  Outdoor sites remain open during daylight hours in the Fergus Falls Wetland Management District, including Waterfowl Production Areas and trails at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center.  During the coronavirus pandemic, we urge visitors to do their part and follow Center for Disease Control guidelines to prevent the spread of infectious diseases for our public health and safety.  

Other Updates

Remember to leave pets and bikes at home.  They are not allowed at the PWLC.  Thank you for keeping the PWLC a safe place for people and wildlife.

Volunteer opportunities are available. 

If you have questions or need assistance, you may call our office at 218-998-4480 or email us.  

 

Latest News

2 photos of people on road with trash bags
Get Involved
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manages Lands and Waters for You
Saturday marks the annual National Public Lands Day. Throughout the country, national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries, and all public lands, are planning cleanups to make the lands look their best and give the critters there the best home possible. Many facilities also have festivals...
J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge Sandhill Crane observed taking flight
Habitat Restoration
Working to Prevent a New Dust Bowl
More than 80 years ago, Dust Bowl storms tore the topsoil off the Central Plains and uprooted thousands of families. Some wildlife refuges are working to prevent a repeat of that catastrophe.
Image of a watercolor painting of a white-breasted nuthatch perched upside-down on the trunk of a birch tree
Native birds in watercolor
We invite visitors to join us in celebrating the opening of Native Birds in Watercolor, an exhibition opening Friday, April 15, 2022, at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center. Kick off the spring birding season with artist and birder, Marion Otnes, who will be on-site for the opening in the visitor...
New England aster in bloom with big bluestem and a large wetland in the background studded with trumpeter swans
Conservation Partner of the Year
“We have the amazing benefit of working with many dedicated partners and individuals that help us on a recurring basis to accomplish conservation priorities,” stated district manager Neil Powers. “We are shining the spotlight on the City of Fergus Falls and Dan Gahlon for their steadfast...
4 youth standing in a line behind an aluminum canoe outside
Apply Now for Summer Work Crew
Do you love being outdoors? Maybe you are interested in a career in conservation or wildlife management. Then the Youth Conservation Corps is for YOU! The corps is a well-balanced, work-learn-earn program that develops an understanding and appreciation of the nation’s environment and heritage.
An uniformed adult stands in front of one end of a long drain pipe in a grassy prairie
Our Partners
Fergus Falls Wetland Management District recipient of major donation
After celebrating an enormously successful 100 years of conservation in 2020, the Fergus Falls Fish and Game Club is poised to embark on its next 100-year legacy. The club recently directed a sizeable donation to the Fergus Falls Wetland Management District as an anchor point for leveraging...
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Visit Us

Several visitors walk across a wooden bridge on a frozen wetland in the winter prairie.
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Visitors cross Mallard Marsh on the frozen floating bridge in winter.

We invite you to join us in enjoying and caring for this spectacular landscape. Wetland management districts offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and connect with our natural surroundings. The Prairie Wetlands Learning Center provides quality environmental education and outdoor recreation for visitors. We hope you visit as regularly and often as possible, because each experience holds unexpected wonders to delight your heart and mind and link you to land and sky, water and wildlife.

Location and Contact Information

      Tours

      A line of about a dozen children and adults snowshoe across a bridge
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      The Fergus Falls Wetland Management District provides interpretive programs at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center for the general public and for organized groups of 10 or more people.  For more information, see our calendar of events or call us.

      Our Species

      9 mallard eggs in a nest hidden in dry brown prairie grasses
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      Mallard nest hidden in prairie grasses

      Fergus Falls Wetland Management District is located in North America’s duck factory, a region historically rich in wetlands, prairie and waterfowl. We manage district lands most notably for nesting ducks, geese and swans, as well as migratory songbirds. You can observe and appreciate hundreds of species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians through the seasons that are dependent upon this ecosystem to complete part or all of their life cycles.