National Wildlife Refuge System Map
type: Dataset
description: When President Theodore Roosevelt made Florida's tiny Pelican Island a refuge for birds in 1903, he wrote the ¬first chapter of a great American conservation success story. Entering its second century, the National Wildlife Refuge System comprises 150 million acres, protected within more than 565 Refuges and thousands of small prairie wetlands that serve as waterfowl breeding and nesting areas. There are wildlife refuges in every State, and at least one within an hour's drive of every major American city, providing refuge for people as well as wildlife. National Wildlife Refuges are far more than havens for wild plants and animals. In fact, visitors–more than 40 million each year–are welcome on 98 percent of wildlife refuges, where they are encouraged to take part in outdoor pursuits designated by law as priority activities offered by the National Wildlife Refuge System. From environmental education and interpretation to hunting and fishing to photography and wildlife watching, refuges offer visitors the most natural and wild outdoor experience, teaching millions the importance of taking care of our natural resources. This map shows the lands and waters managed by the National Wildlife Refuge System. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is a Federal Agency whose mission, working with others, is to conserve fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
keyword: AmeriGEO
keyword: AmeriGEOSS
keyword: CKAN
keyword: GEO
keyword: GEOSS
keyword: National
keyword: North America
keyword: United States
keyword: boundaries
keyword: cartography
keyword: locations
keyword: map
keyword: refuges
issued: 2021-01-28T00:00:00+00:00
modified: 2021-01-28T00:00:00+00:00
theme: {Map}
contact point: Organization
  fn: Todd Sutherland
spatial: Location

US Migrating
type: Agent

NWRS_National_Map.gif
type: Distribution
description: NWRS National Map January 2021 gif format
media type: image/gif
format: GIF
access URL: https://iris.fws.gov/APPS/ServCat/DownloadFile/195804
issued: 2025-09-14T21:58:11.490151
modified: 2025-09-24T22:19:43.077685