U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

 Division of Refuge Planning

Compatible use | Cultural resources and Native Americans | Environmental analysis | Federal advisory committees | Fish, wildlife, and biodiversity | Partners | Planning | Realty | Recreation | Refuge System | Water resources | Wilderness

Law, policy, and plans—in that order—direct management of lands in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Servicewide law and policy dictate "musts," things that must happen because they have been mandated by Congress or the leadership of the Fish and Wildlife Service. The below links are for the major laws and policies that guide refuge planning.

Compatible use

Law

Digest of Federal resource laws

Executive Order 13443—Facilitation of Hunting Heritage and Wildlife Conservation (PDF)

National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (PDF)

Policy

Appropriate refuge uses

Compatibility

Environmental education

General guidelines for wildlife-dependent recreation

Hunting

Interpretation

Recreational fishing

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manual

Wildlife observation

Wildlife photography

Cultural resources and Native Americans

Law

Antiquities Act

Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (PDF)

Digest of Federal resource laws

National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (PDF)

Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act

Policy

The Native American Policy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (PDF)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manual

Environmental analysis

Law

Digest of Federal resource laws

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (PDF)

Policy

Forty most asked questions concerning CEQ’s National Environmental Policy Act (PDF)

Managing the NEPA process—U.S. Department of the Interior (PDF)

NEPAnet—U.S. Department of Energy

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manual

Federal advisory committees

Law

Digest of Federal resource laws

Federal Advisory Committee Act (PDF)

The Unfunded Mandate Reform Act of 1995, Title II, Section 204: State and Local Exemption to Federal Advisory Committee Act (PDF)

Policy

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manual

Fish, wildlife, and biodiversity

Law

Digest of Federal resource laws

Endangered Species Act of 1973

Executive Order 13443—Facilitation of Hunting Heritage and Wildlife Conservation (PDF)

Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956

Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1980

Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 1929

Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act of 1934

Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918

National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (PDF)

Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 2000 (1 MB PDF)

Policy

Biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health

Mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manual

Partners

Law

Digest of Federal resource laws

Policy

Coordination and cooperative work with State fish and wildlife agencies

Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manual

Planning

Law

Digest of Federal resource laws

National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (PDF)

Policy

Comprehensive conservation planning process

Habitat management plans

Land acquisition

Refuge planning overview

Step-down management planning

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manual

Realty

Law

Digest of Federal resource laws

 

Policy

Division of realty

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manual

Recreation

Law

Digest of Federal resource laws

Executive Order 13443—Facilitation of Hunting Heritage and Wildlife Conservation (PDF)

Refuge Recreation Act of 1966

Policy

Environmental education

General guidelines for wildlife-dependent recreation

Hunting

Interpretation

Recreational fishing

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manual

Wildlife observation

Wildlife photography

Refuge System

Law

Digest of Federal resource laws

National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966

National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (PDF)

Policy

National Wildlife Refuge System mission and goals and refuge purposes

National Wildlife Refuge System mission and guiding principles

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manual

Water resources

Law

Digest of Federal resource laws

Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986 (2 MB PDF)

Executive Order 11988—Floodplain Management

North American Wetlands Conservation Act (PDF)

Policy

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manual

Wilderness

Law

Digest of Federal resource laws

The Wilderness Act of 1964 (PDF)

Policy

General overview of wilderness stewardship policy

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Manual

Wilderness administration and resource stewardship

Wilderness review and evaluation

Wilderness stewardship planning

Compatible use | Cultural resources and Native Americans | Environmental analysis | Federal advisory committees | Fish, wildlife, and biodiversity | Partners | Planning | Realty | Recreation | Refuge System | Water resources | Wilderness