blue goose PASSPORT THIRD EDITION | 2016 blue goose PASSPORT THIRD EDITION | 2016 The first edition of the Blue Goose Passport was produced by Lee and Marvin Cook, operating as Wilderness Graphics, Inc., with assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ISBN 978-0-9671292-1-1 Contents Introduction ............................................................................................1 How To Use This Passport ...................................................................4 Get Involved ............................................................................................5 Refuges Alabama................................................................................................................... 7 Alaska .................................................................................................................... 11 Arizona ................................................................................................................... 18 Arkansas................................................................................................................ 22 California ............................................................................................................... 27 Colorado ................................................................................................................ 41 Connecticut ........................................................................................................... 45 Delaware ............................................................................................................... 45 Florida .................................................................................................................... 46 Georgia .................................................................................................................. 56 Hawaii and Pacific Islands ................................................................................. 60 Idaho ...................................................................................................................... 69 Illinois ..................................................................................................................... 73 Indiana ................................................................................................................... 78 Iowa........................................................................................................................ 80 Kansas ................................................................................................................... 84 Kentucky ................................................................................................................ 86 Louisiana ............................................................................................................... 87 Maine ..................................................................................................................... 96 Maryland ............................................................................................................. 100 Massachusetts ................................................................................................... 102 Michigan.............................................................................................................. 107 Minnesota ........................................................................................................... 112 Mississippi .......................................................................................................... 121 Missouri ............................................................................................................... 127 Montana .............................................................................................................. 130 Nebraska ............................................................................................................. 142 Nevada................................................................................................................. 145 New Hampshire.................................................................................................. 149 New Jersey ......................................................................................................... 151 New Mexico........................................................................................................ 153 New York ............................................................................................................. 157 North Carolina .................................................................................................... 162 North Dakota....................................................................................................... 167 Ohio ...................................................................................................................... 194 Oklahoma............................................................................................................. 195 Oregon ................................................................................................................. 199 Pennsylvania....................................................................................................... 206 Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands ........................................................................ 208 Rhode Island ....................................................................................................... 211 South Carolina .................................................................................................... 213 South Dakota ...................................................................................................... 216 Tennessee ........................................................................................................... 222 Texas .................................................................................................................... 225 Utah ...................................................................................................................... 233 Vermont ............................................................................................................... 235 Virginia ................................................................................................................. 237 Washington ......................................................................................................... 242 West Virginia....................................................................................................... 255 Wisconsin............................................................................................................ 257 Wyoming .............................................................................................................. 262 Regional Offices ................................................................................................. 266 NWR Map ............................................................................................................ 268 Introduction When President Theodore Roosevelt established the first national wildlife refuge in 1903, he began a system that has become the nation’s premier network of public lands dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and wildlife habitat. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service within the Department of the Interior, national wildlife refuges belong to the American people. The mission of the National Paul Krogel, the nation’s first National Wildlife Refuge Wildlife Refuge System manager. 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. With more than 560 units and 150 million acres, the System represents a diverse sampling of the country’s natural ecological communities. 1 More than 47 million people annually visit national wildlife refuges and participate in world-class recreation: birding and other wildlife-watching, fishing and hunting, photography, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, environmental education and more. National wildlife refuges generate millions of dollars in economic benefit, and protect the natural resources that are the foundation of America’s strength. There is at least one wildlife refuge in each state and U.S. Territory. About 500 national wildlife refuges are open to the public; most charge no entry fee. More than 100 wildlife refuges are within an easy drive of cities. Each refuge was established for its importance to wildlife. Be sure to check with the refuge staff to learn about current regulations and which activities are permitted. Many refuges are along the nation’s flyways and great places for new and veteran birders. These places provide critical habitat for waterfowl and songbirds to breed, rest, and feed along their seasonal migration routes. 2 Refuges also play a vital role in the survival of endangered plants and animals. In addition to maintaining the natural landscape for wildlife, refuges are restoring native habitats into productive places for wildlife and people. At the same time, national wildlife refuges protect important pieces of the nation’s cultural history, including archaeological and historic sites. These range from the homes of North America’s earliest native peoples to historic places and structures. You will see the Blue Goose icon on the boundary