Wildlife Refuges

CLOSED TO PUBLIC. Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge is located on the mainland, east of Wattsville in Accomack County, Virginia, immediately adjacent to Highway 175, which provides access to the Town of Chincoteague and Chincoteague NWR. Wallops Island NWR is comprised mainly of salt marsh and woodlands and contains habitat for a variety of species, including upland and wetland dependent migratory birds. Wallops Island NWR is managed as a satellite refuge of Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Wallops Island NWR is adjacent to the NASA Wallops Flight Facility. Favorite

Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge consists of 325 acres of woodland and freshwater tidal marsh. It lies along the northern shore and mouth of Neabsco Creek and north around Featherstone Point along Occoquan Bay. It is located approximately 4 miles southwest of Mason Neck Refuge, and 22 miles from Washington, D.C. in Prince William County, Virginia. Potomac River Refuge Complex staff is responsible for its management. Featherstone Refuge was established with the purpose to protect the features of a contiguous wetlands area. In 1970, 164 acres of land was acquired by the Department of the Interior “to protect the features of a contiguous wetland area.” It was not until 1979 that the Service acquired land to establish Featherstone Refuge from the District of Columbia. The refuge then consisted of 164 acres of land along Farm Creek in eastern Prince William County. An additional 161 acres of land were acquired for the refuge with a donation from Prince William County in 1992. Elizabeth Hartwell, a noted conservationist in the region, was also instrumental in the establishment of Featherstone Refuge, along with Mason Neck Refuge and Mason Neck State Park. Favorite

CLOSED TO PUBLIC. Martin National Wildlife Refuge includes the northern half of Smith Island, which lies 11 miles west of Crisfield, MD, and Watts Island, which is located between the eastern shore of Virginia and Tangier Island. Both islands are situated in the lower Chesapeake Bay. The Refuge was established in 1954 when the late Glenn L. Martin donated 2569 acres to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Since then, donation and purchase has increased the size of the Refuge to 4548 acres. The tidal marsh, coves and creeks, and vegetated ridges of the Refuge form an important stopover and wintering area for thousands of migratory waterfowl and nesting habitat for various wildlife species… Martin National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the Chesapeake Marshlands NWR Complex, located in Cambridge, Maryland, which also supervised the Eastern Neck NWR, Susquehanna NWR, and Blackwater NWR which includes Bishops Head, Barren Island, Garrett Island, and Spring Island divisions. Glenn Martin NWR is closed to the public to protect wetland habitats. Favorite

CLOSED TO PUBLIC. Susquehanna National Wildlife Refuge, also known locally as Battery Island, is located at the mouth of the Susquehanna River in Harford County, Maryland. In the early 1940’s, the island and over 13,000 acres of water were closed to hunting migratory waterfowl by presidential order and designated as the Susquehanna NWR. The refuge and surrounding areas were once covered with wild celery, pond weeds, redhead grass and other desirable waterfowl food sources. At their peak, waterfowl included over 500,000 canvasback and redhead ducks as well as over 200,000 American wigeon. These rich areas of aquatic growth began declining in the 1960’s due to changes in the water quality and quantity. Development above the Conowingo Dam caused more rapid drainage and greater water flow through the dam. Currents in the upper Chesapeake Bay deposited heavy loads of silt in the Susquehanna flats area. The remaining waterfowl vegetation was destroyed by Hurricane Agnes in 1972. Only a few thousand geese remained around the refuge during winter. Due to the sharp decrease in waterfowl population and vegetation in the area, the presidential proclamations which originally closed the water areas were lifted on September 1, 1978 and returned to Maryland for supervision. […]