National Wildlife Refuge 341948 219090595 2008-06-13T14:58:45Z Sillago 6312472 correctr image {{Infobox_protected_area | name = National Wildlife Refuge System | iucn_category = IV | image = US_Locator_Blank.svg | caption = Map of the [[United States]] | locator_x = | locator_y = | location = [[United States]] | nearest_city = | lat_degrees = | lat_minutes = | lat_seconds = | lat_direction = | long_degrees = | long_minutes = | long_seconds = | long_direction = | area = 96,013,646 acres (388,533 km²) | established = 1903 | visitation_num = 39,847,108 | visitation_year = 2004 | governing_body = [[United States Fish and Wildlife Service|U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]] }} [[Image:USNWRsystemlogo.png|left]] '''National Wildlife Refuge''' is a designation for certain [[protected areas of the United States]] managed by the [[United States Fish and Wildlife Service]]. The National Wildlife Refuge system is a network of lands and waters managed to protect wildlife and wildlife habitat. The system consists of over 500 refuges across the nation. Nearly all of them have the words "National Wildlife Refuge", "Wetland Management District", or "Wildlife Management Area" in their names; notable exceptions include: * [[Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge]] * [[Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge]] * [[National Bison Range]] * [[National Elk Refuge]] * [[National Key Deer Refuge]] * [[Patuxent Research Refuge]] * [[Sullys Hill National Game Preserve]] ==History== :''See main article: [[History of the National Wildlife Refuge System]]'' ==Statistics (as of 2004)== [[Image:PelicanIslandNWR.jpg|right|thumb|300px|[[Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge|Pelican Island]] was the nation's first wildlife refuge]] ===Physical Features=== *Area of land under management (Stewardship Lands): = 96,013,646 acres (388,533 km²)<ref name=Sheet>National Wildlife Refuge System Fact Sheet 2004 at [http://www.fws.gov/refuges/pdfs/2004_NWRSfactSheet.pdf http://www.fws.gov/refuges/pdfs/2004_NWRSfactSheet.pdf]</ref> *Area of land less than fee title = 3,775,246 acres (15,278 km²)<ref name=Sheet/> *Area of wetlands = 45,677,973 acres (184,852 km²)<ref name=Sheet/> *Number of management units = 632 (includes 545 refuges, 37 wetland management districts, and 50 coordination areas)<ref name=Sheet/> *Number of Wilderness areas = 75<ref name=Sheet/> *Area of Wilderness = 20,698,845 acres (83,765 km²)<ref name=Sheet/> *Length of rivers within the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System = 1,051 miles (1,691 km)<ref name=Sheet/> *Length of refuge boundary with Mexico = 120 miles (193 km)<ref name=Sheet/> ===Management=== *Area of wetlands restored in 2004 = 89,262 acres (361 km²)<ref name=Sheet/> *Area burned in 2004 to reduce hazardous fuels = 45,012 acres (182 km²)<ref name=Sheet/> ===Visitation=== *Total visitors in 2004 = 39,847,108<ref name=Sheet/> *Total visits in 2004 = 72,563,393<ref name=Sheet/> ===Volunteers=== *Total volunteers in 2004 = 32,933<ref name=Sheet/> *Total volunteer hours in 2004 = 1,339,427<ref name=Sheet/> *Value of volunteer hours in 2004 = $23,024,750<ref name=Sheet/> ===Real Property=== *Length of roads maintained = 11,700 miles (18,800 km)<ref name=Sheet/> *Number of buildings maintained = 5,850<ref name=Sheet/> *Number of employee housing units = 660<ref name=Sheet/> *Number of bridges = 650 (0 tunnels)<ref name=Sheet/> *Miles of fencing = 13,500<ref name=Sheet/> *Number of water control structures maintained = 9,100<ref name=Sheet/> ===Personnel=== *Total staff = 3,809 FTE’s (Full Time Equivalents, thus two half-time employees count as one FTE)<ref name=Sheet/> *Number of refuge enforcement officers = 491<ref name=Sheet/> *Number of firefighter FTE’s = 538<ref name=Sheet/> ==See also== * [[List of National Wildlife Refuges]] * [[Timeline of environmental events]] * [[United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges|Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges]] * [[Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus]] ==External links== *[http://www.fws.gov/refuges Official website of the National Wildlife Refuge] *[http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/nwrsact.html Legislation] *[http://www.bluegoosealliance.org/about Official Web site of the Blue Goose Alliance] - a Non-profit organization promoting the establishment of the NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SERVICE as a separate agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior *[http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=699482 SSRN: The Significance of National Wildlife Refuges in the Development of U.S. Conservation Policy] *[http://refugenet.org/ National Wildlife Refuge Association] - A nonprofit entity supporting the National Wildlife Refuge System *[http://www.refugewatch.org RefugeWatch] - A blog that follows news and events from the National Wildlife Refuge System ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:National Wildlife Refuges of the United States| ]] [[Category:United States Fish and Wildlife Service|Wildlife Refuges]] [[de:National Wildlife Refuge]] [[es:Refugio de Fauna Nacional]] [[fr:National Wildlife Refuge]]