Support the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus

Since 1903, when President Theodore Roosevelt established Pelican Island in Florida as our nation's first wildlife refuge, the National Wildlife Refuge System?s network has grown to include 545 refuges. Every state has a national wildlife refuge and there is a refuge within an hour's drive of almost every major U.S. city. National wildlife refuges are the only federal public lands created primarily for the protection of wildlife and they enjoy the diverse public support of conservation groups, sportsmen's groups, and schools and families that use them as living classrooms.

But despite the Refuge System's inherent value, it has not managed to escape the severe budget cuts that plague our nation's public lands. Due to an increase in fixed costs and inflation, our refuges need an additional $16 million every year just to be level funded. The Refuge System's budget allocation, however, has decreased since 2004.

Support of the Wildlife Refuge Caucus is one of many ways we can make National Wildlife Refuges a priority for our elected officials. The new Refuge Caucus will create a bipartisan voice for refuges in Congress, support adequate Refuge System budgets, and engender strategic growth in our Refuge System for generations of future Americans to enjoy.

Take Action Today

We need your help to ensure that the Wildlife Refuge Caucus is a success. The more members our new Wildlife Refuge Caucus has from both sides of the aisle, the more influential it will be. Please e-mail your U.S. Representative and urge him or her to support our National Wildlife Refuge System by joining the Caucus.