Lake Mason National Wildlife Refuge

Last updated
Lake Mason National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Location Musselshell County, Montana, United States
Nearest city Billings, MT
Coordinates 46°43′55″N108°47′31″W / 46.73194°N 108.79194°W / 46.73194; -108.79194 [1]
Area16,814 acres (6,804 ha)
Governing body U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Website Lake Mason National Wildlife Refuge

Lake Mason National Wildlife Refuge is located in the center of the U.S. state of Montana. [2] [3] The refuge has numerous lakes and extensive marshlands along Willow Creek, which provide nesting habitat for over a hundred bird species. The refuge is managed from the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge and is normally unstaffed and has few visitor improvements. The refuge consists of three discontinuous areas; the Lake Mason area which has seasonal wetlands, the North section consisting primarily of uplands and the Willow Creek section which was set aside to protect habitat for the mountain plover. [4]

Animals that roam in this refuge include red-tailed hawk, raccoon, coyote, ferruginous hawk, beaver, Canada goose, ring-necked pheasant, red fox, northern harrier, porcupine, bald eagle, rough-legged hawk, long-tailed weasel, short-eared owl, golden eagle, mink, burrowing owl, mallard, muskrat, and badger.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex</span> Part of the United States system of National Wildlife Refuges

The Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex is part of the United States system of National Wildlife Refuges (NWR). It is located in northern California, in the valley of the Sacramento River.

Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is a wildlife refuge located north and east of the city of Hartford, Kansas, United States, in northwestern Coffey and southeastern Lyon Counties. It was established in 1966 as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, John Redmond Reservoir flood control project. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages 18,463 acres (75 km2) upstream of the reservoir, most of which is in the floodplain of the Neosho River. Refuge habitats, consisting of prairie grasslands, bottomland hardwood timber, shallow wetlands, and croplands, are managed to provide food and habitat for migratory birds and resident wildlife.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Innoko National Wildlife Refuge</span> National wildlife refuge in Alaska, USA

The Innoko National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge of the United States located in western Alaska. It consists of 3,850,481 acres (15,582 km2), of which 1,240,000 acres (5,018 km2) is designated a wilderness area. It is the fifth-largest national wildlife refuge in the United States. The refuge is administered from offices in Galena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge</span>

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife refuge, one of the national wildlife refuges operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, located in the westernmost part of Clark County, Washington. The refuge protects more than 5,200 acres (2,100 ha) of marshes, grasslands, and woodlands. The refuge was established in 1965, in response to a need to establish vital winter habitat for wintering waterfowl with an emphasis on the dusky Canada goose whose nesting areas in Alaska were severely impacted by the violent earthquake of 1964. Ridgefield NWR is part of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Complex, headquartered in Ridgefield, Washington, which oversees the management of four refuges in the southwestern part of the state: Ridgefield, and three refuges in the Columbia River Gorge: Franz Lake, Pierce, and Steigerwald Lake. This place was closed in spring of 2019 to cut down Douglas fir and change the trail. In fall of 2020, the construction of a new multi-purpose building began. The new multi-purpose building will be a construction type V-B and consist of a 4,415 square foot single story building with an associated balcony and basement area. The building is being constructed to provide the fish and wildlife staff office space, meeting space, and an area for public visitors including volunteers and conservation partners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge</span>

Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a 12,459-acre (5,042 ha) National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in the central part of the U.S. state of Montana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge</span>

Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge is a 8,834-acre (3,575 ha) National Wildlife Refuge of the United States located in Montana. Established in 1999, it is one of the newest National Wildlife Refuges in the U.S. and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The refuge was originally a sprawling horse and cattle ranch dating back to the late 19th century and was known as the Lost Trail Ranch. The refuge consists of prairie and wetlands, and has a wide diversity of plant and animal species, including over 100 species of birds such as canada geese, sandhill crane, wood duck, green-winged teals and herons. Several species of grouse also inhabit the refuge. Predatory bird species such as the great horned owl and red-tailed hawk are also found here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swan River National Wildlife Refuge</span>

Swan River National Wildlife Refuge is a 1,778-acre (720 ha) National Wildlife Refuge in Lake County of northwestern Montana. It is a unit of the National Bison Range Complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape May National Wildlife Refuge</span> Wildlife habitat in New Jersey, USA

The Cape May National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area on the Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey. It is part of the National Wildlife Refuge System and managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Established in January 1989 with 90 acres (0.36 km2) acquired from the Nature Conservancy, it has since grown to more than 11,000 acres (45 km2) in size, and plans call for its further expansion to more than 21,200 acres (86 km2). It comprises three distinct and non-contiguous units: the Delaware Bay Division, the Great Cedar Swamp Division and the Two Mile Beach Unit. Located in the Middle Atlantic coastal forests ecoregion, the cape provides habitat for large numbers of migratory birds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge</span>

Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States located in South Dakota. It covers 16,410 acres (66.4 km2) and is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge</span>

Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge is in northwestern Oregon, 10 miles (16 km) west of Salem in Polk County. The Refuge consists of 1,173 acres (4.75 km²) of cropland, which provide forage for wintering geese, 300 acres (1.2 km²) of forests, 550 acres (2.2 km²) of grasslands, and 500 acres (2.0 km²) of shallow water seasonal wetlands and 35 acres (0.14 km²) of permanent open water. In 1965, Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge was created to help ensure some of the original habitat remained for species preservation. The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge</span> Wetlands and lowlands sanctuary in the U.S. state of Oregon

The Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge is a 1,856 acres (751 ha) wetlands and lowlands sanctuary in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. Established in 1992 and opened to the public in 2006, it is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Located in southeastern Washington County, 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Portland, the refuge is bordered by Sherwood, Tualatin and Tigard. A newer area, extending into northern Yamhill County, is located further west near the city of Gaston surrounding the former Wapato Lake.

Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge is located 60 mi (97 km) northeast of New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., and encompasses 36,000 acres (150 km2) of Pearl River Basin swampland.

Lake Ophelia National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1988 to protect the Mississippi/Red River floodplain ecosystem. The refuge is located in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, east central Louisiana. The refuge is named for its most prominent water body, the 350-acre (1.4 km2) Lake Ophelia that was at one time a channel of the nearby Red River of the South.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Becharof National Wildlife Refuge</span> National Wildlife Refuge in the Aleutian Range of the Alaska Peninsula of southwestern Alaska

Becharof National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in the Aleutian Range of the Alaska Peninsula of southwestern Alaska. It is adjacent to Katmai National Park and Preserve. This national wildlife refuge, which covers an area of 1,200,000 acres (4,900 km2), was established in 1980 to conserve major brown bears, salmon, migratory birds, caribou, marine birds, and mammals and to comply with treaty obligations. It lies primarily in the east-central part of Lake and Peninsula Borough, but extends eastward into the mainland portion of Kodiak Island Borough. The refuge is administered from offices in King Salmon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imperial National Wildlife Refuge</span> Nature preserve in Arizona and California

The Imperial National Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife habitat along 30 miles (50 km) of the lower Colorado River in Arizona and California, including the last un-channeled section before the river enters Mexico. The Imperial Refuge Wilderness, a federally designated, 15,056-acre (60.93 km2), wilderness area is protected within the refuge. It also surrounds the Picacho State Recreation Area. This section of the Colorado River is popular for boating, hiking, fishing, camping, exploring old mining camps and wildlife watching.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge</span> Wetlands and forest river valley sanctuary in the U.S. state of Idaho

The Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States located in northern Idaho. It is about 20 miles (32 km) from the Canada–United States border and 5 miles (8.0 km) from the town of Bonners Ferry. It is bordered by the Selkirk Mountains to the west, the Kootenai River to the east, and state lands to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge</span> National Wildlife Refuge near Canyon, Texas

Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area in Randall County in the Texas Panhandle. Its shortgrass prairies spill into marshes, woodlands, riparian habitat, croplands, and water-carved canyon walls that together form 7,664 acres (31.02 km2) of homes for migratory and year-round wildlife. The area forms a habitat for black-tailed prairie dogs and burrowing owls, among many other species. Some 175 acres (0.71 km2) of the refuge carries the designation of National Natural Landmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franz Lake National Wildlife Refuge</span>

Franz Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in southwest Washington state, within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The refuge provides a variety of habitats including riparian wetlands, Columbia River riparian corridor blocks, transitional woodlands from lower elevation willows, and cottonwoods to mid-elevation old-growth fir and cedar with associated native understory shrubs, open meadows, and numerous streams and seeps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summer Lake Wildlife Area</span> Wildlife refuge in Oregon

The Summer Lake Wildlife Area is a 29.6-square-mile (77 km2) wildlife refuge located on the northwestern edge of the Great Basin drainage in south-central Oregon. It is administered by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The refuge is an important stop for waterfowl traveling along the Pacific Flyway during their spring and fall migrations. The Summer Lake Wildlife Area also provides habitat for shorebirds and other bird species as well as wide variety of mammals and several fish species. The Ana River supplies the water for the refuge wetlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Living Coast Discovery Center</span> Nature center, aquarium and zoo in Chula Vista, California

The Living Coast Discovery Center is an environmental education center with marine animal, animal and bird exhibits located in the Sweetwater Marsh Unit of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge in Chula Vista, California. Permanent displays at the Living Coast focus on native animals and plants found in Southern California and San Diego Bay.

References

  1. "Lake Mason National Wildlife Refuge". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  2. Lake Mason NW, MT (Map). Topoquest (USGS Quads). Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  3. "Annual Report of Lands Under Control of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service" (PDF). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. September 30, 2010. p. 23. Archived from the original (pdf) on October 30, 2011. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  4. "Lake Mason National Wildlife Refuge". U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved February 24, 2014.