Minnesota’s Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge scored a solid “A” for visitor satisfaction, according to a national survey of selected refuges conducted by the National Wildlife Refuge System. The survey, commissioned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, shows that 93 percent of visitors to the Sherburne NWR are “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their experiences on the refuge.
Sherburne NWR, located 50 miles north of the Twin Cities in Zimmerman, is one of 19 national wildlife refuges and wetland management districts managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Minnesota. The refuge boasts 30,700 acres of oak savanna, prairie opening, and wetland habitats and is home to an astounding array of wildlife. Bald eagles, sandhill cranes, hawks, songbirds, otter, beaver and white-tailed deer all might be seen by the careful observer. The Refuge provides a variety of opportunities for experiencing nature. The Prairie’s Edge Wildlife Drive, a 7.3 mile auto tour route, is open from mid April through October. Two scenic hiking trails, the Blue Hill and the Mahnomen, offer a total of nine miles of hiking. Fishing, small game, waterfowl and big game hunting opportunities are available during the state seasons. Special events available free to the public include the Wildlife Festival held in October, the Winterfest held in February, and the upcoming International Migratory Bird Day scheduled for May 14. The Refuge is open seven days a week during daylight hours free of charge.
Located within an hour’s drive from the Twin Cities metropolitan area, Sherburne attracts 120,000 visitors each year. “This refuge offers exceptional opportunities for people to enjoy the outdoors. It’s clear from our staff’s interaction with people on the Refuge that the community values Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge as a resource for people as well as for wildlife,” said Refuge Manager Anne Sittauer. “We are hoping to add a dedicated visitor center in the future that will enhance the visitor experience even more.”
National survey results are based on responses from 2,456 visitors to 47 National Wildlife Refuges in fall 2004, during the peak migration of millions of waterfowl and songbirds. The surveyed refuges represent a cross-section of National Wildlife Refuges, based on number of visitors and staff, physical size, and geographic location. The survey was administered in the fall because that is when visitors flock to wildlife refuges.
National wildlife refuges are premier vacation and outdoor destinations. Each year, more than 40 million people visit wildlife refuges to fish, hunt, photograph or observe wildlife, often from the 2,500 miles of land and water trails, and to participate in environmental education programs.
Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge is part of a national network of 545 wildlife refuges covering about 100 million acres. The Refuge System has been the foundation of American conservation for more than 100 years. Established on March 14, 1903, by President Theodore Roosevelt, the National Wildlife Refuge System provides habitat for more than 700 species of birds, 220 kinds of mammals and more than 200 types of fish. Each year, millions of migrating birds use National Wildlife Refuges wildlife refuges as steppingstones to rest and feed as they fly thousands of miles south for the winter and return north for the summer.
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 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 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 Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
