The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (US FWS) has announced the addition of a new unit to the National Wildlife Refuge System: the Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area. Spanning 4 million acres, this conservation area will be managed alongside other units within the wildlife refuge system by the US FWS.
Established to safeguard wildlife on designated refuges while simultaneously offering recreational opportunities, the National Wildlife Refuge System celebrates its 121st anniversary this week. It was founded on March 14, 1903, when President Theodore Roosevelt established the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge. The system now encompasses more than 1,000 miles of wild and scenic rivers, wetlands management districts, marine national monuments and over five hundred national wildlife refuges. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service's website, these components attract an average of 67.03 million visits annually. Teams within the refuge system strive to comprehend conservation issues at individual refuges in order to devise optimal conservation strategies that protect local community interests and groups that utilize and appreciate the refuge system.
On March 11 at Pelican Island, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland joined others including Shannon Estenoz, assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks; and Martha Williams, director of the US FWS in celebrating the creation of the Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area. This initiative aims to promote conservation across a vast stretch of land spanning from southwest Florida to Northern Florida.
Haaland emphasized the commitment of the Biden-Harris administration towards conserving lands and waters for present and future generations. She stated: "The National Wildlife Refuge System plays an invaluable role in providing vital habitat for wildlife species, offering outdoor recreation access to public, and bolstering climate resilience across the country. Today we celebrate efforts to preserve this working rural landscape, provide wildlife linkages, address biodiversity crisis, and build resilience in face of climate change not just for our kids and grandkids, but for all future generations to come."
The establishment of the Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area represents a confluence of public and private land protection opportunities. It has been established in response to public concerns over wildlife loss, access to natural lands and waters, habitat loss, and water quality issues. The refuge is intended to complement existing conservation lands and waters in the region.
