Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Jane Lyder recently praised the Friends of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, a volunteer group supporting the refuge, for its landmark purchase and donation of 6,272-foot Chupadera Peak and 140 surrounding acres to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, located near Socorro, New Mexico.
In September, Congress designated wilderness status to the land parcel, incorporating it into the adjacent Chupadera Wilderness. This marks the first time that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has accepted a land donation for inclusion into a designated wilderness. The National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the Service, is the world’s premier system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America’s fish, wildlife and plants.
Speaking at a special Friends Group dinner, held during the refuge’s 22nd annual Festival of the Cranes, a nationally celebrated wildlife event, Lyder said, “The extraordinary dedication and commitment shown by the Bosque del Apache Friends means that people and wildlife will be able to enjoy these wildlands for generations to come, freed from the pressures of modern development.”
The 57,191-acre refuge, located along the Rio Grande River, celebrated its 70th birthday on November 22, 2009. Acquiring the desert lands, which form part of the refuge’ popular nearly 10-mile Chupadera Wilderness Hiking Trail and provide habitat for coyotes, cottontails, nighthawks and other species, has been a longtime priority. In 2007, the Friends raised more than $72,000 from more than 270 individuals, service clubs and organizations enabling the purchase of the land from the Highland Springs Ranch development.
Chupadera Peak can be seen from anywhere on the refuge, where thousands of cranes and geese migrate each fall. The peak and it surroundings have long been sought for inclusion into the refuge. The donation now makes visitor access to the top of the mountain possible. The peak, once part of a 19th-century land grant, will also provide a key buffer from development for the refuge.
Bosque del Apache Refuge (http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/newmex/bosque/), which in Spanish means “woods of the Apache,” provides habitat and protection for migratory birds and endangered species, while offering the public a high-quality wildlife and educational experience. It is one of 550 refuges nationwide — one within an hour’s drive of most major cities — offering people a welcoming, safe and accessible place to nourish their spirits and reconnect with the land.
Wildlife refuges are home to more than 700 species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 reptile and amphibian species and more than 200 species of fish. Nearly 40 million people visit National Wildlife Refuges each year, generating almost $1.7 billion in sales for regional economies. In additional to wildlife observation, many refuges provide rich opportunities for hiking, canoeing, hunting and fishing.
To learn more about the National Wildlife Refuge System, visit http://www.fws.gov/refuges/. You can learn more about the endangered species that many refuges protect at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/.
