From wetlands to forests, prairies to seashores, the National Wildlife Refuge System includes more than 95 million acres of some of the most visually stunning and biologically diverse lands and waters in America. Our national wildlife refuges are the only federal public lands established to protect species and their habitat. The Wilderness Society is working to ensure that national wildlife refuges in New England are managed to protect the species and habitat for which they were established to protect.

Policy Background

With the enactment of the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, for the first time refuges were given a solid, system-wide set of guidelines and standards for an ecosystem-based approach to refuge management and conservation. The Act requires that a management plan is developed to explain, in detail, how a refuge will be managed for the following 15 years. This plan, called a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP), is necessary to ensure that the biological integrity, diversity and environmental health is maintained or restored on every refuge, as well as within the Refuge System as a whole. Every refuge in the entire Refuge System must finalize its CCP by 2012.

The Wilderness Society was at the forefront of the effort to pass the planning requirements and remains committed to developing the best possible management plans for wilderness and wildlife conservation. Toward that end, The Wilderness Society regularly submits comment letters on CCPs on behalf of our members nationwide. In addition, we encourage the public to seize the opportunity to improve local refuges, and the Refuge System, by getting actively involved in refuge planning. Both of Vermont’s refuges are still working on their CCPs. Subscribe to our free WildAlert list and we'll keep you apprised of key refuge management plans so that you can participate.