The National Wildlife Refuge System is the largest network of lands in the nation dedicated to wildlife conservation, with 565 national wildlife refuges covering more than 150 million acres. A hundred years in the making, the refuge system is a network of habitats that benefits wildlife, provides unparalleled outdoor experiences for all Americans, and protects a healthy environment.

Great Thicket NWR is currently in an interim period which is defined by policy as the “time between establishment of a new refuge… and the completion of an approved Comprehensive Conservation Plan.