Wilderness in the National Wildlife Refuge System Escape from a Hectic, Noisy World and Find Solitude in the Something Will Have Selawik Wilderness in Alaska

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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Welcome to Wilderness In the National Wildlife Refuge System Escape from a hectic, noisy world and find solitude in the Something will have Selawik Wilderness in Alaska. Photo: Brian Anderson gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed… Wallace Stegner, American historian, novelist, and environmentalist Experience Wilderness in the The National Wilderness National Wildlife Refuge System Preservation System

Wilderness areas are wild, roadless, The first European explorers

undeveloped places where you can nick kontonicolas encountered an American continent see wildlife in its natural habitat. that presented an almost unbroken wilderness. Within 500 years, it was Wilderness is a place for primitive nearly gone. The drive to conserve and unconfined recreation. It is remnants of our wilderness legacy a place of solitude and of peace stirred the nation to pass the and quiet. Wilderness Act of 1964, creating the National Wilderness Preservation Wilderness is a place where children Encounter System. This Wilderness System can connect with nature and learn diverse wildlife, protects more than 107 million acres. about the intricate web of life. like this young It is a place where families can piping plover Only Congress can designate create memories with challenging (a threatened wilderness, but every year local aaron drew adventures in remote forests, or species), in citizens and national conservation through more gentle pursuits such as the Brigantine groups successfully recommend The Chupadera wildlife photography and observation Wilderness in many additional areas to Congress Wilderness in in coastal wetlands. New Jersey. for designation. New Mexico is home to ornate You can find about 20 million acres Wilderness Stewardship box turtles. of designated wilderness in 63 national wildlife refuges. These lands In wilderness, the forces of nature are

contribute valuable wetlands, coastal aterra unrestrained by man. But protection islands, and deserts to the National does not ensure sanctuary from ray p ray Wilderness Preservation System. external threats. In some wilderness, the Refuge System tries to restore National wildlife refuges allow natural conditions to benefit wildlife. Enjoy wildlife visitors to explore wilderness Prescribed fire and endangered photography without motor vehicles, motorized species re-introduction are important along a canoe equipment, or mechanical transport tools for restoration. Destruction and trail in the such as bicycles. Some refuges may fragmentation of wildlife habitat and Okefenokee limit public use to protect wildlife Management- natural areas due to development, Wilderness and its habitat. ignited fires in non-native plant and animal species, in Georgia. Cape Romain and global climate change, all Wilderness in threaten the Wilderness System. South Carolina help restore the Together we can work to preserve natural habitat. our wilderness legacy: natural places ally Gentry S ally of spiritual revitalization that will preserve wildlife, clean air, and clean water forever. We must “secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness.” (Wilderness Act of 1964) Least terns Alligators control their temperature by mouth- frequent the gaping in the Okefenokee Wilderness in Georgia. Brigantine Wilderness in New

Jersey Gooch Gracie during the summer.

Nick Kontonicolas

ryan hagerty donna dewhurs donna Pigments from a diet of small Moose are common residents in Alaska wilderness and aquatic life give roseate spoonbills in the Ding Darling the Red Rock Lakes Wilderness in Montana. Wilderness in Florida their striking color. The Oregon Island Wilderness provides outstanding Paddle the Monopoly Marsh of the opportunities for marine and wildlife Mingo Wilderness in Missouri.

observation.

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Saguaros in the Cabeza Discover the secrets of an inviting trail in the Crab Prieta Wilderness in Arizona Orchard Wilderness in Illinois. provide safe havens for Gila woodpeckers and elf owls. How YOU Can Help Safeguard Wilderness To me, a wilderness ste v e chase Practice Leave is where the flow of USFWS No Trace Follow these seven steps as you enjoy the wildness is essentially wilderness areas. www.lnt.org/programs uninterrupted by n Plan ahead and prepare n Travel and camp on durable technology; without surfaces n Dispose of waste properly wilderness the world n Leave what you find Hike in the is a cage. untrammeled n Minimize campfire impacts David Brower, Environmentalist and beauty of n Respect wildlife the Havasu ﬁrst executive director of the Sierra Club Wilderness in n Be considerate of other visitors Arizona. Join Get involved by joining a local Refuge Friends group. www.fws.gov/friends

Volunteer Check with your local refuge office or register online to volunteer. fws.gov/volunteers

Plan Your Trip Visit www.wilderness.net for a map of all federal wilderness locations, history of wilderness, and other information.

Learn More National Wildlife Refuge Wilderness www.fws.gov/refuges/whm/ wilderness.html

Help preserve habitat. Volunteers restore native J oanna W e bb plants in the Pelican Island Wilderness in Florida. Arctic

Selawik Alaska Maritime Koyukuk

Innoko Yukon Delta NationalAlaska Wildlife Maritime Refuge System Designated Wilderness Kenai Yukon Delta Togiak Arctic Sixty-three national wildlife Alaska Selawik Alaska Maritime refuges and one fish hatchery have Maritime Koyukuk Becharof designated wilderness. The Refuge Alaska Maritime Innoko

A System administers its part of the Yukon Delta la AlaskaAlaska Maritime Maritime s National WildernessAlaska PreservationIzembek Kenai ka Yukon Delta Togiak Alaska Maritime Alaska System M ainri partnershipMaritime with Maritime time Becharof the National Park Service, Alaska Maritime

A l Alaska Maritime Bureau of Land Management, as Alaska Izembek ka Maritime Alaska Maritime and Forest Service. Maritime

Flattery Flattery Rocks San Juan Islands Rocks San Juan Islands Quillayute Needles Medicine Quillayute Needles Medicine Copalis Copalis Lake Lake Three Arch Rocks Lostwood Agassiz Moosehorn Lostwood UL Bend Huron Three Arch Rocks Chase Lake Tamarac Moosehorn UL Bend Agassiz Huron Seney Michigan Islands Green Bay Michigan Islands Chase Lake Red Rock Lakes Gravel Island Oregon Islands Tamarac Seney Michigan Islands Monomoy Green Bay Red Rock Lakes MichiganFort Niobrara Islands Great Swamp Gravel Island West Sister Oregon Islands Edwin B. MonomoyIsland Forsythe Farallon Leadville Fish Hatchery

Fort Niobrara Crab OrchardGreat Swamp West Sister Mingo Swanquarter Havasu Bosque Big Lake Edwin B. del Apache Island Kofa Wichita Mountains Forsythe Farallon Imperial Bitter Lake Cape Romain Cabeza Prieta Leadville Fish Hatchery Blackbeard Island Okefenokee Wolf Island St. Marks Crab Orchard Lacassine Breton Cedar Keys Lake Woodruff Mingo Chassahowitzka PassageSwanquarter Key Pelican Island Bosque Island Bay Havasu Big Lake J.N. “Ding” Darling National Key Deer del Apache Great White Heron Wichita Mountains Imperial Kofa Bitter Lake Cape RomainKey West Cabeza Prieta Blackbeard Island Okefenokee Wolf Island St. Marks Lacassine Breton Cedar Keys Lake Woodruff Chassahowitzka Passage Key Pelican Island Island Bay J.N. “Ding” Darling National Key Deer Great White Heron Key West The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

Cover: Water lilies in the Okefenokee Wilderness trail in Georgia.

Photo: Shawn Gillette