The national wildlife refuge system is an unparalleled network of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife, and plants. Each unit serves a purpose distinct from others and uses scientifically sound management tools to meet that goal. Refuges protect and preserve various habitat types, including wetlands, prairies, coastal areas, boreal forests, and temperate rainforests. They also manage and mitigate invasive species, use fire in a prescribed manner, and ensure sufficient water resources.

Protects Wildlife

Wildlife refuges help protect endangered species and their habitats. Wildlife needs places to live and thrive, whether for food, shelter, or raising their young. National wildlife refuges protect and manage land for various habitats, from wetland to prairie and coastal to tundra. The management of each is a complex process that requires controlling or eradicating invasive species, using fire in a prescribed manner, and assuring adequate water resources. A wildlife refuge is also a place where hunting and fishing are allowed to the extent that they don't harm or disturb the environment. This lets the public get close to the natural world and helps preserve our nation's wildlife heritage.

Preserves Landscapes

Refuges offer havens for species on the edge of extinction. They protect the habitats that enable these animals to survive in their natural environment, which may be huge (more than 9 million acres, in the case of the Indiana bat) or small (a few community parks, for the Palos Verdes blue butterfly). The refuge system is an essential component of Endangered Species Conservation: Almost all federally endangered species in the United States are protected in national wildlife refuges, as shown on the defenders' story map. High-quality refuges have a range of attributes that facilitate species persistence and recolonization, which vary among species and between ecosystems. These include within-patch structural and biotic characteristics, the habitat patch's size and shape, and landscape context.

Preserves Cultural Heritage

Conservation efforts worldwide have moved in new directions, acknowledging the conflicting relationships between people and their environments. This includes a shift in methodology to natural-cultural approaches, incorporating governance into management strategies, and integrating scientific and traditional knowledge in valuation processes. Many protected lands, monuments, and refuges are popular places to visit, providing recreational activities that help support local economies. In addition, these lands often offer educational opportunities, such as learning at a visitor center and guided hikes.

Prevents Pollution

Refuges prevent pollution by providing natural filters for the air we breathe. Plants, trees, and shrubs absorb carbon dioxide and filter fine particles of pollutants from the air, reducing our exposure to harmful pollution that can lead to respiratory diseases such as coughing, aggravated asthma, bronchitis, heart disease, and premature death. In addition, plants in wildlife refuges also help clean local water. Marsh plants remove pollutants and excess nutrients from water before it flows into streams, rivers, and lakes that provide communities with drinking water. Wildlife refuges are vital habitats for endangered species, including alligators, bald eagles, red wolves, California condors, and Louisiana black bears. They are also the only places in the world for many of these species, which were once on the edge of extinction.