The History of the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge
HOW WE GOT HERE: The History of the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge By the Friends of the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge The Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge encompasses nearly 6,000 acres that protects important natural areas and a great diversity of wildlife habitat. Established in 1995, this unique refuge is owned by federal, state, town, and private conservation groups who share a common goal of conserving nature for the continued benefit of wildlife and people. PREFACE National Wildlife Refuges are valuable assets in a variety • Located in the towns of Mashpee and Falmouth, of ways. They provide a window into past cultures and with 6000 acres, it is the Cape’s second largest open, untouched landscapes while preserving these resources accessible conservation land, behind only the National well into the future, furthering the continuum. Refuges Seashore. sustain necessary wildlife habitats and resources critical in their seasonal needs for foraging, raising young, • It was named after the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, and avoiding predators to live yet another day. These “the people of the first light.” preserved landscapes purify water and air providing yet another valuable service. Likewise, for humans, refuges • It is unique within the National Wildlife Refuge offer solitude in our daily lives and, as the name implies, System in that it is the ONLY refuge that is managed are a great place to view wildlife too. cooperatively by eight conservation landowners and the Friends organization: a consortium of federal, state, I grew up in Minnesota, where we often headed to a tribal, private, & nonprofit. It’s the model for future local refuge in the spring to witness one of the most refuges.
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