Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge

Last updated
Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Early morning mist (9610162672).jpg
Early-morning scenery at the refuge
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Location Volusia / Lake counties, Florida, United States
Nearest city DeLeon Springs, Florida
Coordinates 29°05′N81°26′W / 29.083°N 81.433°W / 29.083; -81.433
Area21,574 acres (87 km2)
Established1964
Governing body US Fish & Wildlife Service
Website Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge

The Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, located in north central Florida, twenty-five miles west of Daytona Beach, off U.S. Highway 17 in DeLeon Springs.

Contents

Description

The refuge was opened in 1964 in order for both migrating and wintering birds to have habitats. [1] In 1982, the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center reported that the refuge included 18,400 acres of water. [2] The refuge currently has over 30,000 acres of water, which includes marshes and swamps. Activities for visitors include boating, hiking, and wildlife viewing. Bodies of water are managed so that only desired plants grow. Law enforcement officials are present in order to protect the animals and plants. [1] Touring by boat is the only way to explore a large part of the refuge. [2]

The Lake Woodruff Wilderness Area is part of the refuge, and consists of 1,066 acres (4.31 km2) or 4.9% of the Refuge's total area. Alligators, bald eagles, and limpkins are among the wildlife that can be found in the area. Deer hunting is allowed, but the hunting is managed. [3]

Development

When the land was bought in 1964, the management did not have the money to help the wildlife. They did not have much money left after paying salaries. With a large donation of money in 1979, the managers were able to start working on the important projects that they were unable to do before. It wasn't until 1979 that the number of fishermen, who had been few, tripled. Projects that were funded through the donation included regulating the amount of water, improving hiking trails, and doing more to protect the wildlife such as the bald eagles and ospreys. [4]

Wildlife

215 species of birds, including species that are threatened or endangered, can be found in the refuge. A 2011 article from the journal Southeastern Naturalist documented 22 species of amphibian and 50 species of reptiles that researchers found within the refuge. The report concluded that the refuge's census of species, will help people understand the changes in amount of species within the Florida ecosystem. [5] Bodies of water are set aside for manatees to breed. The refuge's volunteers document the amount of wildlife and restore their habitats, according to current needs. [6]

Many ducks over-winter in the refuge. A drought in 1988 affected the nests of ducks that migrate to the refuge. The extent of aquatic plants for ducks, at minimum, is 450 acres. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge</span> Wildlife refuge located in White County, Arkansas

The Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge is a 15,022 acres (60.79 km2) (2014) wildlife refuge located in White County, Arkansas about two miles south of the town of Bald Knob. The refuge is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge features large numbers of migratory waterfowl and bald eagles during the winter months.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge</span> Protected area in Florida, US

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is a 140,000-acre (57,000 ha) U.S. National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) on the Atlantic coast of Florida's largest barrier island. NASA's Kennedy Space Center and visitor complex are also situated on the island and NASA can restrict access to the refuge based on its operational needs.

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, encompassing part of the Montezuma Swamp at the north end of Cayuga Lake. The 10,004-acre preserve is composed of swamps, pools and channels and is a stopping point for migratory birds. It is the largest contiguous wetland complex in the northeastern United States and comprises a portion of the larger Montezuma Wetlands Complex, which is a partnership between the USFWS, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, as well as several other non-profit support organizations.

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

Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in the U.S. state of Vermont located on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain and the southern side of Missisquoi Bay. The refuge is in Franklin County in the northwest corner of the state near the International Boundary with Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge</span> Refuge on the western coast of Florida, U.S.

The Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge (LSNWR) is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System. It is located in southeastern Dixie and northwestern Levy counties on the western coast of Florida, approximately fifty miles southwest of the city of Gainesville.

<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">Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge</span> Nature center in Folkston, Georgia, USA

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is a 402,000‑acre (1,627 km2) National Wildlife Refuge located in Charlton, Ware, and Clinch Counties of Georgia, and Baker County in Florida, United States. The refuge is administered from offices in Folkston, Georgia. The refuge was established in 1937 to protect a majority of the 438,000 acre (1,772 km2) Okefenokee Swamp. Though often translated as "land of trembling earth", the name "Okefenokee" is likely derived from Hitchiti oki fanôːki "bubbling water".

North Platte National Wildlife Refuge is located in the U.S. state of Nebraska and includes 5,047 acres (20.42 km2). Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the refuge is broken into four separate sections that are superimposed on U.S. Bureau of Reclamation–managed lakes and reservoirs. Together with the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge, the two refuges form the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

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

The Erie National Wildlife Refuge is an 8,777-acre (3,552 ha) National Wildlife Refuge located in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Named after the Erie tribe, it was established to provide waterfowl and other migratory birds with nesting, feeding, brooding, and resting habitat.

<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">St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge</span> United States National Wildlife Refuge in Florida

The St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, located in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Apalachicola, on the barrier island of St. Vincent. The refuge includes Pig Island, located in the southwest corner of St. Joseph Bay, nearly 9 miles west of St. Vincent and 86 acres of mainland Florida along Franklin County Road 30A. The 12,490 acre (51 km2) refuge was established in 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge</span> Waterfowl sanctuary in Maryland, U.S.

The Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1933 as a waterfowl sanctuary for birds migrating along the critical migration highway called the Atlantic Flyway. The refuge is located on Maryland's Eastern Shore, just 12 mi (19 km) south of Cambridge, Maryland in Dorchester County, and consists of over 28,000 acres (110 km2) of freshwater impoundments, brackish tidal wetlands, open fields, and mixed evergreen and deciduous forests. Blackwater NWR is one of over 540 units in the National Wildlife Refuge System, which is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake George State Forest</span> State forest in Florida, United States

The Lake George State Forest is a designated protected area and state forest in the U.S. state of Florida. The 21,176-acre (8,570 ha) forest is located in northwestern Volusia County, Florida, near Lake George and the communities of Pierson, Barberville, and Volusia. It is overseen by the Florida Forest Service within the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area</span> State park in Illinois, USA

Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area is an Illinois state park on 10,360 acres (4,190 ha) in Cass, Schuyler, and Mason County, Illinois, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge</span> Wildlife refuge in Louisiana

Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge is located in Cameron and Evangeline Parishes in southwestern Louisiana, was established in 1937 by Executive Order No. 7780 as "a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife." The refuge is nearly 35,000 acres (140 km2) in size, including 653 acres (2.64 km2) leased from the Cameron Parish School Board. The Evangeline Parish unit is called Duralde Prairie and is currently being developed. It is located south of the city of Eunice.

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.

Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1978 and is located in Union and Morehouse Parishes in northern Louisiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge</span> National wildlife refuge

Located in Coos County, New Hampshire and Oxford County, Maine, Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge is a northern treasure in the National Wildlife Refuge System. The diversity of exceptional habitats provides excellent breeding and foraging areas for migratory birds, endangered species, resident wildlife, and rare plants. The refuge protects over 25,650 acres (103.8 km2) of wetland and forested upland habitat along Umbagog Lake. About 70% of its area is in New Hampshire and 30% in Maine.

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

Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States, which is located in the state of Ohio. This refuge was established in 1961, under the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, the purpose of the refuge being created was “… for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds.” 16 U.S.C. 715d. This refuge provides ideal habitat for a wide range for migratory birds and waterfowl, along with the native wildlife, and any endangered and threatened species. The property of the refuge was purchased from hunt clubs and farmlands with the Federal Duck Stamps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge</span> Nature reserve in northwestern Grayson County, Texas, United States

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge (HNWR), a haven for migratory birds and other wildlife, lies in northwestern Grayson County, Texas, on the Big Mineral Arm of Lake Texoma, on the Red River between Oklahoma and Texas. This National Wildlife Refuge is made up of water, marsh, and upland habitat. Visitors can hike, observe wildlife, hunt, and fish throughout the year.

References

  1. 1 2 "Overview". Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Bird Checklists of the United States". Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1982. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  3. "National Wildlife Refuges". Great Outdoor Recreation Pages. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  4. Harris, Eric (July 27, 1979). "Wildlife Refuge Project To Begin". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  5. M. Farrell, Terence; A. Pilgrim, Melissa; G. May, Peter; Boyd Blihovde, W. (2011). "The Herpetofauna of Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge, Florida". Southeastern Naturalist. 10 (4). Eagle Hill Institute: 647–658. doi:10.1656/058.010.0405. S2CID   84336053.
  6. K. Brodowsky, Pamela (2010). Ecotourists Save the World. Penguin. ISBN   9781101186596 . Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  7. "Drought may endanger lake's migrating ducks". The News-Journal. June 18, 1988. Retrieved July 2, 2013.