For the past 50 years, anglers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts have flocked to Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge in southern Illinois in pursuit of their favorite pastimes. This mecca for wildlife and wildlife lovers, an all too rare haven for both, is all the more remarkable for its other roles. Crab Orchard, celebrating its 50th birthday on August 5, is the nations only 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 that combines wildlife management, recreation, agriculture and industry.
Established in 1947 on the site of a munitions factory, Crab Orchard has managed to retain its place in the economic picture of southern Illinois while developing into a premier refuge for waterfowl, especially Canada geese. The 43,560-acre refuge encompasses excellent waterfowl and deer habitat, productive agricultural fields, and an industrial compound supporting several businesses. While these uses may seem at odds with each other, current Refuge Manager Daniel Doshier says they are what give Crab Orchard its special character.
"Crab Orchard occupies a unique place in the National Wildlife Refuge System," Doshier said. "Nowhere else are there more diverse purposes for which a refuge was established, but over the past 50 years, Crab Orchard has managed to be successful in all its roles."
While agriculture and industry are a part of the Crab Orchard landscape (there are 5,000 acres in crop production), the majority of the refuges 1.2 million visitors each year come for its recreation and wildlife values. Anglers, boaters, and swimmers seek out the refuges 8,700 acres of water in three man-made lakes. Almost half the refuge is forested, with more than 4,000 acres of wilderness. The refuge is famous for its excellent goose hunting, attracting sportsmen from around the Midwest. An auto tour route, camping and picnicking facilities, and hiking trails make the refuge an ideal spot for wildlife observation, photography, and environmental education. Each September, Crab Orchard co-sponsors the nations largest National Hunting and Fishing Day celebration.
Crab Orchards 50th anniversary and some of the refuges recent accomplishments will be highlighted this year at the National Hunting and Fishing Day celebration, September 27 and 28. Doshier says many improvements are the result of the new Recreation User Fee System now in place at Crab Orchard. User fees collected by visitors go directly to the refuge for improvements to popular facilities and programs. Plans are underway for parking areas to be paved and expanded, for campground roads and boat ramps to be upgraded, and for the Playport marina to be renovated.
In addition, the refuge will be implementing its recently approved plan to restore natural resources damaged from contamination of refuge lands by industrial operations. The refuge received $2.5 million to carry out the restoration.
Crab Orchard has come a long way since its 1947 beginning, Doshier said. The refuge is a testimony to those who had the forethought to create it 50 years ago, and we hope to carry on that creativity over the next 50 years.
More information about Crab Orchards 50th birthday celebration is available by contacting Refuge Manager Daniel Doshier at (618) 997-3344.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 530 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our home page at: http://midwest.fws.gov
