The refuge system was born March 14, 2003, when President Theodore Roosevelt ordered the protection of herons, egrets and pelicans on three-acre Pelican from poachers and aggressive market hunters. Paul Kroegel, who had been hired a year earlier by Florida Audubon Society to protect the islands birds and their eggs from hunters, was hired as the sanctuarys first warden and only employee.
Pelican National Wildlife Refuge will take the national spotlight March 14, 2003, when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service joins with local communities and other partners to host special events commemorating the birthplace of the National Wildlife Refuge System and its Centennial. Similar celebrations and events will be across Minnesota and the nation during 2003.
The Service staffs 12 of 13 refuges and five of eight wetland management districts in Minnesota. These wildlife sanctuaries are conserving more than 450,000 acres of Minnesotas diverse natural areas for hundreds of species of fish, migratory birds, waterfowl, bald eagles, timber wolves and countless other wildlife and plants. Minnesotas refuges are visited by more than 3 million people annually to participate in the states valued outdoor traditions of hunting and fishing, and other activities including wildlife viewing and photography Last year, more than 40,000 students participated in educational programs at refuges and wetland management districts.
Minnesota has been home to National Wildlife Refuges since 1924, when the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge was established in Winona, Minnesota. The "Upper Miss" refuge was the first refuge created specifically for migrating waterfowl and harbors more than 10,000 migrating swans and 70 percent of the worlds canvasback ducks every fall. The state is also home to the smallest refuge in the nation, Mille Lacs NWR. Located on a rocky, half-acre in Mille Lacs Lake, this refuge provides a nesting haven for common terns, a species of concern in Minnesota.
From the wetlands and prairie grasslands of Agassiz NWR in the northwest, to the islands and backwater sloughs of the Upper Mississippi River NW&FR along the Mississippi River in southeast, most Minnesotans are within an hours drive of a refuge. Twin Cities residents are a short drive from Sherburne NWR, just north of Elk River, Minn., and Minnesota Valley NWR, headquartered a stones throw from the Mall of America in Bloomington. Both refuges offer city dwellers and suburbanites opportunities to experience nature in places where "Wildlife Comes First."
More than 60 special Centennial events are schedule at Minnesota refuges and wetland management districts this year. During March 14-15, nearly all staffed locations will be hosting special open houses and time capsule dedications. Some will join local post offices to host special second day cancellation events for the new Pelican NWR postage stamp to be issued March 14. Refuge locations, directions and a calendar of events is available on the web at http://midwest.fws.govInformation is also is available by emailing r3centennial@fws.gov Event information is also available by phone from the following Minnesota refuges and wetland management districts:
Agassiz NWR, Middle River, Minn. 218-449-4115
Big Stone NWR/ Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR, Odessa, Minn. 320-273-2130
Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District, Detroit Lakes, Minn. 218-847-4431
Fergus Falls Wetland Management District, Fergus Falls, Minn. 218-739-2291
Prairie Wetlands Learning Center, Fergus Falls, Minn. 218-736-0938
Hamden Slough NWR, Audubon, Minn. 218-439-6319
Litchfield Wetland Management District, Litchfield, Minn. 320-693-2849
Minnesota Valley NWR, Bloomington, Minn. 952-854-5900
Morris Wetland Management District, Morris, Minn. 320-589-1001
Rice Lake NWR/ Mille Lacs NWR/ Sandstone NWR McGregor, Minn. 218-768-2402
Rydell NWR, Erskine, Minn. 218-687-2229
Sherburne NWR/ Crane Meadows NWR, Zimmerman, Minn. 763-389-3323
Tamarac NWR, Rochert, Minn. 218-847-2641
Upper Mississippi River NW&FR, Winona, Minn. 507-452-4232
Windom Wetland Management District, Windom, Minn. 507-831-2200
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 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 540 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 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.
ATTENTION EDITORS: Some electronic photos, artwork and broadcast PSAs are available to help illustrate this article. Please contact Scott Flaherty 612-713-5309 or scott_flaherty@fws.gov with your requests.
