U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Realty Celebrating a Century of ConservationU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of RealtyU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of RealtyNational Wildlife Refuge SystemU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Emblem

Cartography, simply stated, is the art and science of making maps. Maps that portray the surface of the earth as well as the oceans and heavens are as necessary today as they have been for centuries. The first wildlife refuge maps were drawn by hand, and reflected little more than a dashed boundary line surrounding the land and water being protected. While the days of using ink pens to create maps are mostly a thing of the past, accurate and detailed maps of our wildlife refuges are needed more than ever.

The Cartographers working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today create a variety of maps for a multitude of purposes. Using computers and special software, they produce maps that show the boundaries of the refuge, the land ownerships inside those boundaries, the wildlife habitats, and refuge management plans. Employing geographic information system (GIS) technology, the maps can be made 'intelligent' by linking to a variety of databases that provide information about the lands the FWS currently manages and those lands proposed as future refuges.

For more information about Cartography & GIS within the various Regions of the Fish and Wildlife Service, contact:

  • Region 1 (Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Pacific Islands): David Drescher, Chief, Branch of Refuge Information (503) 231-6196 or e-mail David_Drescher@fws.gov
  • Region 2 (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas): Billy W. Rasberry, Regional Land Surveyor (505) 248-741 or e-mail Billy_Rasberry@fws.gov
  • Region 3 (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin): Sean Killen, Regional Cartographer (612) 713-5481 or e-mail Sean_Killen@fws.gov
  • Region 4 (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, Caribbean Islands): Kimberly Eldridge, Regional Cartographer (404) 679-7207 or e-mail Kimberly_Eldridge@fws.gov
  • Region 5 (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia): Mike Hayden, Regional Land Surveyor (413) 253-8535 or e-mail Mike_Hayden@fws.gov
  • Region 6 (Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming ): Mark Ely, Regional Cartographer (303) 236-4368 or e-mail Mark_Ely@fws.gov
  • Region 7 (Alaska): John Brewer, Chief, Mapping Sciences Branch (907) 786-3462 or e-mail John_Brewer@fws.gov
  • CNO (California and Nevada Office): Valerie Howard, Regional Cartographer (916) 414-6454 or e-mail Valerie_Howard@fws.gov
  • Region 9 (Headquarters - Washington, D.C.): Doug Vandegraft, Chief Cartographer, (703) 358-2404 or e-mail Doug_Vandegraft@fws.gov

Cartography Resources
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