National Wildlife Refuge Week features scores of festivals and special events that help connect people with nature at the countrys 545 National Wildlife Refuges. The 11th consecutive National Wildlife Refuge Week will be celebrated this year October 8-14th with events in New Mexico.
Established in 1903 when President Theodore Roosevelt designated the three-acre Pelican in Florida as the nations first wildlife refuge, the National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, today encompasses 545 National Wildlife Refuges and more than 3,000 waterfowl production areas across more than 97 million acres.
More than 40 million people each year visit National Wildlife Refuges for close-to-home wildlife-dependent recreation that is second to none.
"National Wildlife Refuges are Americas promise to its citizens that there will always be places where wildlife and wildlife habitats can thrive," said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director H. Dale Hall. "Just as important, the Refuge System offers some of the finest outdoor recreation in the country, from fishing and hunting, to nature photography and nature interpretation.
"One of our most pressing challenges in society today is to teach our children - kids growing up in a digital age - that there is a world of nature beyond the computer and television screen," Hall continued. "National Wildlife Refuges are some of the greatest places to learn the lessons of nature, and National Wildlife Refuge Week is the perfect time to start."
With national wildlife refuges in every state, people in most major metropolitan areas can find unsurpassed opportunities to hunt, fish, photograph and see wildlife within an easy drive of their homes during Refuge Week and throughout the year.
"Our National Wildlife Refuges are among our nations most treasured places," said National Wildlife Refuge System Chief Geoffrey L. Haskett. "There is at least one 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 in every state. In many communities, there is a wildlife refuge less than an hours drive from your front door. National Wildlife Refuge Week is a great time for families to find a national wildlife refuge, and the fun they can have together."
Several events are being held in New Mexico during National Wildlife Refuge Week at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in Socorro. The refuge is located at 13 LaJoya Refuge road, west I-12, exit 169, west .5 miles San Acacia.
To kick things off, on Friday, October 13 there will be a Star Party at 8 p.m. Participants at this event can learn about the Milky Way and other celestial entities.
On Saturday, October 14 there will be an "open house" with exhibits from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Activities will include guided tours and a Mexican Grey Wolf exhibit with a speaker. There will be an award ceremony held in honor of the school youngster who won the endangered species poster contest at 1:30 p.m.
On Sunday, October 15 there will be a birding tour at 7 a.m. and a Las Pinas tour at 8 a.m.
For more information on these events, contact Kimberly King-Wrenn at 505-864-4021, or go to Kimberly_king-wrenn@fws.gov
Also, on Saturday, October 14 the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge will be holding an Artists Reception where the public can meet photographers, painters and other artists who find inspiration in the plants, animals and landscapes of the Bosque Del Apache Refuge. This years Festival of the Cranes cover artist Adabel Allen will be featured. To reach the refuge from Socorro, drive eight miles south on I-25 to exit 139, continue east one forth mile on US 380 to the flashing signal at San Antonio, turn right onto Old Highway 1, continue south nine miles to visitors center. For more information call 505-835-1828.
For a more complete listing of Refuge Week events across the country, go to
http://www.fws.gov/refuges/SpecialEvents/FWS_SpecialEvents_Search.cfm
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.
For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
visit our homepage at http://www.fws.gov
