Contacts

Rachel F. Levin, 612/713-5311
rachel_levin@fws.gov

It began in March 1903 with a decisive, conservation-minded president, one man, and one tiny island on east coast of Florida. Now, 100 years later, the National Wildlife Refuge System has emerged as one of the world's conservation success stories, helping to protect wildlife and habitats on more than 540 refuges encompassing 95 million acres across the United States.

The refuge system was born March 14, 2003, when President Theodore Roosevelt ordered the protection of herons, egrets and pelicans on three-acre Pelican Island from poachers and aggressive market hunters. Paul Kroegel, who had been hired a year earlier by Florida Audubon Society to protect the island's birds and their eggs from hunters, was hired as the sanctuary's first warden and only employee.

Pelican Island 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 Wisconsin and the nation during 2003.

The Service staffs five of eight refuges and two wetland management districts in Wisconsin. These wildlife sanctuaries conserve some 200,000 acres of Wisconsin's diverse natural areas for hundreds of species of fish, migratory birds, waterfowl, bald eagles, and countless other wildlife and plants. Nearly 2 million people visit Wisconsin's refuges annually to participate in the state's valued outdoor traditions of hunting and fishing, and other activities including wildlife viewing and photography.

Wisconsin has been home to national wildlife refuges since 1912, when the Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge was established on an island in Lake Michigan. Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge followed in 1936, Necedah NWR in 1939, and Horicon Refuge in 1941. Wisconsin's most recent national wildlife refuge is Whittlesey Creek, established in 1999 on Lake Superior.

Horicon Marsh, covering 32,000 acres, is the largest fresh water cattail marsh in the United States and is designated as a "Wetland of National Importance." Trempealeau and Horicon National Wildlife Refuges are designated as "Globally Important Bird Areas."

Necedah NWR serves as the summer home for two groups of highly endangered whooping cranes that are being taught to migrate using ultralight aircraft. If successful, this experiment will result in only the second group of whooping cranes in the world to migrate on its own.

More than 20 special Centennial events are scheduled at Wisconsin refuges and wetland management districts this year. During March 14-15, nearly all staffed locations will host special open houses and time capsule dedications. Some will join local post offices to host second day cancellation events for the new Pelican Island NWR postage stamp, to be issued March 14. Refuge locations, directions and a calendar of events are available on the Web at http://midwest.fws.gov Information is also is available by emailing r3centennial@fws.gov Event information is also available by phone from the following Wisconsin refuges and wetland management districts:

Horicon NWR, Mayville, 920-387-2658

Leopold WMD, Mayville, 920-387-0336

St. Croix WMD, New Richmond, 715-246-7784

Necedah NWR, Necedah, 608-565-2551

Trempealeau NWR, Trempealeau, 608-539-2311

Upper Mississippi River NFWR, LaCrosse District, 608-783-8405

Whittlesey Creek NWR, Ashland, 715-685-2678

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.

-FWS-