Neches River National Wildlife Refuge was established to protect wintering, nesting and migratory habitat for migratory birds of the central Flyway and to ensure protection of the bottomland hardwoods for their diverse biological value.
In 2021, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service added nearly 7,000 acres of public land to the National Wildlife Refuge System in Texas. This brings the total number of Service-managed lands in the state to nearly 700,000 acres at 19 National Wildlife Refuges and three National Fish Hatcheries.