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Refuge Workforce Planning

The National Wildlife Refuge System is the only network of federal lands dedicated specifically to wildlife conservation. In addition, more than 40 million people visit the nation’s refuges each year to hunt, fish, observe and photograph wildlife, and participate in environmental education or interpretation programs.  

The Refuge System is currently undergoing a nationwide workforce planning effort.  This effort is being conducted to help ensure the Refuge System is able to complete its high priority mission activities in the face of relatively flat annual budgets and increasing personnel and operational costs.

Refuge supervisory and program staff at each of eight USFWS regional offices direct the management of refuges within each region. The California and Nevada Operations Office (CNO) directs the management of 51 National Wildlife Refuges and Wildlife Management Areas covering 2.3 million acres in California, Nevada and the Klamath Basin in southern Oregon.  Each region, including CNO, is reviewing its mission, personnel and operational costs in order to develop a plan that best fits the unique character and needs of each section of the country.

Workforce Planning for National Wildife Refuges in California and Nevada( 149 kb .pdf)

Map of CNO National Wildlife Refuge Complexes (3mb pdf)