Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge

10/20/2026

This past weekend at Iroquois, we had a great turnout for our Dyeing for Fall program! Everyone got creative by making different patterns using natural materials around the visitor center. Participants used UV-activated dyes to leave behind outlines of the different plants and foliage they chose. They arranged the materials in unique ways, leaving behind beautiful patterns!

Don’t worry if you missed this past weekend, there are plenty of fun events happening on the refuge. Join us for a Tree ID Walk with Dave Shepherd October 24th at 1pm, or our Fall Luminary Walk and Seneca Clan Origins presentation with Marve Jacobs on November 14th! Keep an eye out for new programs as well!

10/20/2026

📣ATTENTION📣

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge is hiring a full-time/permanent Maintenance Worker! Note: this job announcement is open to the public and under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority so you must live within 50 miles of the wildlife refuge to apply. Please apply or spread the word if you are qualified or know someone who is. Feel free to email [email protected] for any questions.

APPLY HERE:

You will serve as a Maintenance Worker with the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 5, Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Basom, NY You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.

10/17/2026

We hope you’ve enjoyed celebrating National Wildlife Refuge Week with us and learning more about the other National Wildlife Refuges in our region. Feeling inspired to go explore your public lands?

Please share in the comments why you think everyone should come visit [insert your refuge name here] and if you have any recommendations. Then, go give the other refuges a “like” on Facebook and read through the comments on their matching post to give you some ideas as you start planning your trip!

Learn more about the National Wildlife Refuge System here: https://www.fws.gov/program/national-wildlife-refuge-system.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 570 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.

10/16/2026

We are wrapping up National Wildlife Refuge Week with a final refuge spotlight! Established in 2001 on former factory brownfield, the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge (Detroit River IWR) is located in Trenton, MI. Detroit River IWR is the only international wildlife refuge in North America, and sprawls more than 6,000 acres of discontinuous lands along a major migratory bird pathway.

Trails, grounds, and a 700-foot long fishing pier are open during daylight hours. The John D. Dingell, Jr. Visitor Center is open Thursday-Sunday from 10am-4pm year round. The front desk lends out free binoculars, fishing poles, tackle boxes, and explorer backpacks. Free programs including Story Time, First Thursday Hikes, and more are offered to all ages all year long and can be found on Facebook or the website (www.fws.gov/refuge/detroit-river).



Photo: The JohnD Dingell Visitor Center is located at the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, with a prairie full of yellow native flowers and grasses in the foreground by Maddie Drury/USFWS.

10/15/2026

Erie National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1959 with funds provided from the sale of the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, more commonly known as Duck Stamps. The refuge covers almost 9,000 acres of forest, wetland, and shrubland habitat that supports waterfowl, migratory birds, and other wildlife species.

The refuge is not on the shores of Lake Erie, but lies in Crawford County, 35 miles south of the city of Erie and Lake Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania. The refuge’s diverse aquatic habitats support 60+ fish species and 22 freshwater mussels, and Erie NWR is the only refuge in the nation protecting the endangered northern riffleshell and clubshell mussels.

Refuge outdoor facilities are open daily, ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset. The refuge has 5 hiking trails (3 in the Sugar Lake Division, and 2 in the Seneca Division) which cover over 8 miles, and offers ample opportunities to enjoy wildlife and nature, from wildlife photography, to fishing and hunting, and cross-country skiing in the winter!



Photo: A small stream flows through a dense and heavily shaded hemlock grove in the Seneca Division of Erie NWR by Yianni Laskaris/USFWS.

10/14/2026

Established in 1961, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, located in Oak Harbor, OH, protects a network of wetlands, grasslands, and forests to provide habitat for a variety of migratory birds, resident wildlife, and threatened and endangered species. This network of land covers more than 8,000 acres, and when combined with the other refuges in the complex (Cedar Point NWR and West Sister Island NWR), it protects more than 11,000 acres. It has been recognized with global significance for its value to wildlife.

The grounds are open to visitors daily from dawn to dusk, and the Visitor Center is open Thursday through Sunday from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Ottawa NWR provides ample opportunities for hiking (over 10 miles of hiking trails), birding, nature photography, kayaking and more! A great way to see the refuge is by taking a Puddles Shuttle Tour, which run Thursday to Sunday at 11:00am and 1:00pm year-round (reservations can be made on Eventbrite) or by driving the Wildlife Drive, which is open on select dates. The most popular time to visit is during spring migration, which takes place in early to mid-May. Birders from all over the world flock (see what we did there) to this area to see countless species of warblers and other birds as they pause to rest and refuel on their journey north.

Cedar Point NWR and West Sister Island NWR are closed to the public, but there are sometimes opportunities to visit through guided tours. Check the events tab of the website (https://www.fws.gov/refuge/ottawa) or page for upcoming events and details!



Photo: The Ottawa NWR Visitor Center by T. Everhardt.

10/13/2026

The 10,000-acre Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1953 for use as an inviolate sanctuary and for any other management purposes of migratory birds. Since its establishment, the refuge has shown its importance to migratory waterfowl, including Canada geese, American black ducks, the production of waterfowl, and for other wildlife. During the spring and fall migrations, tens of thousands of migratory birds pass through the refuge along the Mississippi Flyway.

The refuge’s bottomland hardwood forests and wetlands provide critical ecological services to the surrounding communities. In 2020, a record-breaking flood occurred upstream from the refuge, and Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge absorbed millions of gallons of water, to the point that the entire refuge was under ten feet of water. This lessened the flood impacts to Saginaw, Bay City, and surrounding communities.

The refuge is open daily from sunrise to sunset, with the refuge headquarters open Monday-Friday from 7:30am to 4:00pm. Activities in the refuge include driving the 7-mile wildlife drive, hiking and biking along more than 12 miles of trails, canoeing, kayaking, hunting, and fishing.



Photo: A view of the wetlands in Shiawassee NWR by A. Martinson/USFWS.

10/12/2026

The Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1990 to protect, conserve, and restore habitat for wildlife native to the river and its floodplain. Refuge islands are gradually returning to forested conditions after years of farming, oil and gas extraction, and other activities. Migratory birds and endangered freshwater mussels are among the important wildlife emphasized for protection on the refuge, which consists of twenty-four islands and four mainland tracts scattered along 362 miles of the upper Ohio River. The refuge is important in conserving the "wild" Ohio within one of our nation's busiest inland waterways.

The Refuge visitor center in Williamstown, WV is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Trails at the visitor center and on the Middle Island unit are open from dawn until dusk.

The refuge is an excellent place for birding throughout the year and also offers fishing and seasonal hunting.



Photo: The tangled roots of a silver maple on the shore of Phyllis Island, part of Ohio River Islands NWR by Michael Schramm/USFWS.

10/11/2026

Established as the nation’s 500th national wildlife refuge back in 1994, Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge protects relict boreal forest and the largest wetland complex in central and southern Appalachia in the high-elevation Canaan Valley. The plant communities found in the valley are more reminiscent of those in southern Canada than the rest of West Virginia, earning itself the moniker, “A Little Bit of Canada Gone Astray.” The nearly 19,000-acre refuge provides important habitat for migratory birds as well as threatened and endangered species.

The refuge has over 34 miles of trails to explore and is open year-round from sunrise to sunset. You can start your adventure by going to the Visitor Center in Davis, WV, open Wednesday to Saturday, 10AM-4PM.

The refuge offers four seasons of recreation with trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing as well as abundant opportunities for fishing and seasonal hunting. A great way to connect with the refuge is by attending a guided program, offered on most weekends throughout the year. Check out the events tab on the website (https://www.fws.gov/refuge/canaan-valley/events) or page for more details!

Photo: A photo of a grassy wetland in Canaan Valley NWR by Ken Sturm/USFWS.

10/10/2026

Today is Urban Wildlife Conservation Day, which is part of the National Wildlife Refuge Week celebration. This day recognizes urban national wildlife refuges, urban wildlife conservation partnerships, and migratory bird treaty cities for enriching the lives of Americans and their communities.

80 percent of Americans live in or near cities, and urban national wildlife refuges provide vital access to nature and outdoor recreation, boosting residents’ physical and psychological well-being.

More than 100 wildlife refuges, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are located within 25 miles of a city of 250,000 or more people. Urban wildlife refuges are committed to deepening human connections with nature and protecting the thriving ecosystems we depend on and also promote local economies.

These unique spaces offer Americans nearby outdoor recreation opportunities such as wildlife viewing, hiking, hunting, and fishing all near city living. People thrive on nature, wherever they live. What is your nearest National Wildlife Refuge? Explore them all here: https://www.fws.gov/locations.



Photo: A park ranger shows a fish to a group of laughing adults and children in a grassy area by Michael Schindler/USFWS.