Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon. (Photo: Steve Hymon)Founded by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903 and administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Wildlife Refuge System is a diverse network of lands and waters dedicated to conserving America’s rich fish and wildlife heritage.
- By the Numbers
- 95 MILLION Land Acres
- 760 MILLION Acres Submerged Lands and Waters
- 50 STATES
- 5 U.S. TERRITORIES
- 568 NATIONAL Wildlife Refuges
- 38 WETLAND Management Districts
- 5 MARINE National Monuments
- 63 REFUGES with Wilderness Areas
Habitat Across the Refuge System
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Wetlands More than 200 Refuge System units conserve wetlands for migratory bird populations. -
Rivers Refuge System units along rivers promote the health of fish that reach commercial fisheries. -
Prairies
Refuges System units conserve prairie lands that are home to native pollinators and bison.
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Coasts More than 180 coastal refuges help protect communities from flooding, storm surges and saltwater intrusion while providing habitat for sea turtles, shorebirds and fish. -
Marine Areas The Refuge System cooperates with partners to manage more than 740 million acres of submerged lands and waters, primarily in marine national monuments. -
Wilderness
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages more than 20 million acres of Congressionally designated wilderness in the Refuge System.
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Forests Refuge System units conserve woodlands, including hardwood forests of the Southeast that are a source of regional and cultural pride. -
Deserts Refuge System units in the desert Southwest are home to vibrant plant communities that come to life during the summer monsoon season. -
Alaska
More than 75 percent of Refuge System acreage is in Alaska, where 16 state-size refuges protect entire river systems and iconic landscapes.
Northern harrier, Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge, Wyoming. (Photo: Tom Koerner/USFWS)