Agassiz NWR Agassiz NWR is located in northwest Minnesota. Packs of wolves, moose, waterfowl and 280 species of birds make Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge a wildlife wonderland. ItÂ’s 61,500 acres is in the transition zone between the coniferous forests, tallgrass prairie, and the prairie pothole region of the Red River Valley. The refuge lies in the bed of glacial Lake Agassiz and is dominated by expansive wetlands. A diversity of wildlife species inhabit the refuge including 280 bird species, 49 mammals, 12 amphibians and nine reptiles. A large FranklinÂ’s gull colony including 20,000 breeding pairs is located on the refuge. Agassiz is one of only a few refuges with resident packs of grey wolves in the lower 48 states. The resident moose herd of approximately 110 animals has long attracted refuge visitors from many states and countries. In 1976, 4,000 acres of the refuge were designated a Wilderness Area. Each year over 17,000 visitors enjoy wildlife viewing on Agassiz RefugeÂ’s self-guiding auto tour route and hiking trails.
Big Stone NWR Straddling the headwaters of the Minnesota River in extreme west-central Minnesota, Big Stone Refuge is within the heart of the tallgrass prairie’s historic range. Today, less than one-percent of tallgrass prairie remains. Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge serves as the “keeper of the prairie” by working to maintain and restore native prairie habitat while providing optimum nesting cover for waterfowl and other grassland nesting birds. The refuge serves as a wintering area for white-tailed deer and is a major migratory stopover for more than 20 species of waterfowl. It harbors the only population of ball cactus in Minnesota. The refuge has been designated as a Globally Importantly Bird Area supporting Eastern Prairie Population Canada geese, high waterfowl numbers, and numbers of least sandpipers, pectoral sandpipers, and stilt sandpipers. The refuge is a candidate site of the Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network. A new management focus has also allowed summer visitors to view bison grazing on the prairie.
Big Stone WMD The specific purpose of this district is to expand the FWS effort to acquire and manage Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA) in Lincoln and Lyon Counties. In addition to WPA acquisition, private land resource interests are served through involvement with Department of Agriculture programs in a technical assistance role and also through Service wetland restoration projects on private lands. Currently there are six WPAs, two FmHA conservation easements and four wetland or habitat protection easements totaling 1748 acres in these two counties. The area remains a critical waterfowl breeding and migration area and offers great potential for a large number of resource protection/enhancement projects within several watersheds all entering into the Minnesota River.
Chippewa National Forest Located in northern Minnesota, lies the Chippewa National Forest. The Forest boundary encompasses about 1.6 million acres, of which about 665,000 acres are managed by the USDA Forest Service. Aspen, birch, pines, balsam fir, and maples blanket the rolling uplands of the forest. In between, water is abundant, with over 700 lakes, 920 miles of rivers and streams, and 150,000 acres of wetlands. The forest landscape is a reminder of the glaciers that blanketed northern Minnesota some 10,000 years ago.
Crane Meadows NWR Crane Meadows NWR was established in 1992 to preserve a large, natural wetland complex. The Refuge is located in central MN and serves as an important stop for many species of migrating birds. The refuge harbors one of the largest nesting populations of greater sandhill cranes in Minnesota. Unique habitats include native tallgrass prairie, oak savanna, and wetlands with dense stands of wild rice. The refuge also serves as the base for an aggressive private lands program in Morrison County focusing on the restoration of drained wetlands through voluntary agreements. Acquisition of land for Crane Meadows is continuing as funding is appropriated.
Detroit Lakes WMD Detroit Lakes Wetlands Management District is bordered on the west by the flat Red River valley floodplain and on the east by the rolling hardwood/conifer forest/lake region. Acquisition efforts have preserved remnants of the tallgrass prairie and prairie wetlands. Management activities include restoration of prairie wetlands and reestablishment of native prairie plant communities. The District currently has over 39,000 acres in 159 waterfowl production areas. Approximately 3200 acres of this area is considered native prairie. These areas are open to hunting during established seasons.
