Wildlife Refuge
Renowned for its wildlife, Arctic Refuge is inhabited by 45 species of land and marine mammals, ranging from the pygmy shrew to the bowhead whale. Best known are the polar, grizzly, and black bear; wolf, wolverine, Dall sheep, moose, muskox, and the animal that has come to symbolize the area's wildness, the free-roaming caribou. Thirty-six species of fish occur in Arctic Refuge waters, and 180 species of birds have been observed on the refuge.
Eight million acres of the Arctic Refuge are designated Wilderness, and three rivers (Sheenjek, Wind, and Ivishak) are designated Wild Rivers. Two areas of the refuge are designated Research Natural Areas. Because of distinctive scenic and scientific features, several rivers, valleys, canyons, lakes, and a rock mesa have been recommended as National Natural Landmarks.
Perhaps the most unique feature of the refuge is that large-scale ecological and evolutionary processes continue here, free of human control or manipulation. A prominent reason for establishment of the Arctic Refuge was the fact that this single protected area encompasses an unbroken continuum of arctic and subarctic ecosystems. Here, one can traverse the boreal forest of the Porcupine River plateau, wander north up the rolling tiaga uplands, cross the rugged, glacier-capped Brooks Range, and follow any number of rivers across the tundra coastal plain to the lagoons, estuaries, and barrier islands of the Beaufort Seas coast, all without encountering an artifact of civilization.
The refuge encompasses the traditional homelands and subsistence areas of Inupiaq Eskimos of the arctic coast and the Athabascan Indians of the interior.
Directions
Vast and wild, the Arctic Refuge remains roadless. Limited access is provided by the Dalton Highway (a gravel road) which passes the western tip of the refuge. The Arctic Refuge is a very remote area. Be prepared to handle any situation completely on your own. Most of the refuge is accessible only by aircraft. From Fairbanks, many visitors take a commercial flight to Fort Yukon, Arctic Village, Deadhorse or Kaktovik, and charter a smaller bush plane into the refuge from there. A list of authorized air taxi operators is available at .
More info at http://arctic.fws.gov
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Sale Price: $21.62*
Retail: $29.95 (28% off!)
(Overstock Books)
Examines the threats to the ecological stability of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from global warming and oil development. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.
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Privatizing Public Lands
In the United States, private ownership of land is not a new idea, yet the federal government retains title to roughly a quarter of the nation's land, including national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges.
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Scientific American, May 2001: The Arctic Oil and Wildlife Refuge
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(Audible.com)
The last great onshore oil field in America may lie beneath the nation's last great coastal wilderness reserve. W. Wayt Gibbs reports on "The Arctic Oil and Wildlife Refuge"...
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GROWING UP WILD CATS
Originally broadcast on the Animal Planet television network, this wildlife series chronicles the births and early years of wild animals raised in refuges and orphanages. This program compiles four episodes dedicated to various big cat species includ...
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Milepost: The Alaska Wilderness Guide (Book)
Info on where to go hiking, sea kayaking, camping; detailed descriptions of 250+ towns, 7 bush villages; profiles of 100+ national and state parks, monuments, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas and national forests. 508 pages.
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2008 Bald Eagle Coin & Medal Set
The Bald Eagle Coin and Medal Set is limited to 50, 000 units and features a Bald Eagle uncirculated silver dollar and a bronze Bald Eagle medal from the National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial Medal Series.
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Phone: 207-646-9226
Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1966 in cooperation with the State of Maine to protect valuable salt marshes and estuaries for migratory birds. Scattered along 50 miles of coastline in York and Cumberland counties, the refuge consists of ten divisions between Kittery and Cape Elizabeth. It will contain approximately 7,600 acres when land acquisition is complete.
Our namesake, Rachel Carson, was a world-renowned marine biologist, author and environmentalist. She served as an aquatic biologist and Editor-in-Chief for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. During her tenure, she composed a series of articles on Atlantic Coast wildlife refuges.
Ms. Carson was born in Pennsylvania in 1907. Though the mystery of the sea and its creatures captivated her at an early age, the Maine coast particularly inspired her. Beginning in 1952, she summered on Southport Island, where she studied its beach and tide pools to research The Edge of the Sea (1955).
Through tireless investigation for her greatest work, Silent Spring (1962), she linked the unrestrained use of post-World War II chemical pesticides with fearsome, biological consequences. Overcoming industry and government pressure to abandon her research, she persevered. Carson simply and convincingly explained the connections between humans and all creatures of the Earth. She alerted generations to use chemicals with utmost caution, warning that their improper use has dreadful effects on public health and the environment.
Rachel Carson died in 1964, a victim of cancer. As fitting recognition of her tireless work, this refuge, first known as the Coastal Maine National Wildlife Refuge, was renamed in her honor on October 28, 1969 and formally dedicated June 27, 1970.
Directions
FROM MAINE TURNPIKE EXIT #2 (WELLS EXIT): At Exit #2, travel east on Route #109/#9 to Wells. Turn left (north) onto Route #1. Proceed approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) and turn right (east) onto Route #9. Travel 0.7 miles (1.1 km); the Refuge will be on your right. Look for the large wooden sign at our entrance.
FROM ROUTE #1 NORTH: From points north of Wells on Route #1: Proceed south on Route #1 through Kennebunk. Approximately 3.0 miles (4.8 km) south of Kennebunk, turn left (east) onto Route #9. Proceed as above.
FROM ROUTE #1 SOUTH: From points south of Wells on Route #1: Proceed north on Route #1 through Wells. Turn right (east) onto Route #9 (approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of Wells Center). Proceed as above.
FROM KENNEBUNKPORT: Travel west on Route #9. Approximately 5 miles (8.1 km) from Kennebunkport Center, look for the large wooden sign at our entrance on the left.
More info at http://rachelcarson.fws.gov
Grizzly Bear Excursion
Alaska's Kenai Peninsula is, in geologic terms, still quite "young," since its entire land mass was covered by glacial ice as recently as 10,000 years ago. Much of that frozen blanket still exists today, in the form of the more than 800-square mile Harding Ice Field, which the refuge "shares" with Kenai Fjords National Park.
The grudging withdrawal of the Harding Ice Field has helped to make the lands of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge a "miniature Alaska." Today, the refuge includes examples of every major Alaska habitat type. The refuge is an Alaska in miniature in its diversity of wildlife, as well. Sport fish bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to the peninsula each year. Eager anglers can pursue chinook, sockeye, coho and pink salmon; as well as northern pike, Dolly Varden char, rainbow trout, arctic grayling and steelhead. The refuge is also home to brown and black bears, caribou, Dall sheep, mountain goats, wolves, lynx, wolverines, eagles and thousands of shorebirds and waterfowl, not to mention the mighty Alaska-Yukon moose that the refuge was originally established (as the Kenai National Moose Range) to protect.
Today. The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge's wealth of habitat, scenery and wildlife draws a half a million visitors a year, more than any other wildlife refuge in Alaska.
Directions
Driving from Anchorage, take the Seward Highway south to the Sterling Highway; the eastern refuge boundary is at milepost 55 of the Sterling Highway. Another five miles from the boundary is a Visitor Contact Station (open from Memorial Day through Labor Day) and the west entrance to the Skilak Wildlife Recreation Area. Continuing on to Soldotna will bring you to the refuge visitor center and headquarters, which is found by taking a left onto Funny River Road, then turning right (before the hardware store) onto Ski Hill Road.
More info at http://kenai.fws.gov
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Phone: 772-562-3909
The Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge stretches across 20.5 miles between Melbourne Beach and Wabasso Beach along Florida's east coast. The refuge was established in 1991 and was named after the late Dr. Archie Carr, Jr., in honor of his extraordinary contribution to sea turtle conservation. The Refuge is a direct result of Dr. Carr bringing attention to the world's declining turtle populations due to over-exploitation and loss of safe habitat.
The refuge was designated to protect habitat for what is the most significant area for loggerhead sea turtle nesting in the Western Hemisphere, and the most significant area for green turtle nesting in North America. This represents 25-35% of all loggerhead and green sea turtle nests in the US. It also serves as a minor nesting area for the leatherback turtle, which is one of the world's largest and rarest sea turtles. The long stretches of quiet, undisturbed sandy beaches, with little or no artificial light, are essential to the reproductive success and survival of the 15,000 to 20,000 sea turtles nesting annually.
The 248-acre refuge is also unique for its placement within a patchwork of protected lands and among properties that have already been developed. To help preserve this globally important nesting ground the Service has established a partnership with State and County governments and private conservation groups to acquire and manage this dune habitat. The primary management thrust is to provide long term protection of this habitat for sea turtles and other listed species as well as providing compatible public use. Collaboratively, this partnership, known as the Archie Carr Working Group has protected over 900 acres and continues to educate thousands of residents and visitors about the unique characteristics of the barrier island ecosystem.
Directions
Northbound on I-95: Exit Fellsmere / Sebastian SR 512 east to SR510, then to A1A. Head north on A1A approximately two miles. An entrance sign located at Golden Sands County Park designates the southern boundary. Access to the refuge is managed through County-managed parks and Sebastian Inlet State Park.
Southbound on I-95: Exit Melbourne taking US 192 east to A1A. Head south on A1A approximately 5 miles to get to the northern boundary of the Refuge. An entrance sign located at Coconut Point Park designates the northern boundary of the Refuge.
More info at http://archiecarr.fws.gov