Exploring Coastal Wildlife in the National Wildlife Refuge System
A particular and vital reserve for coastal wildlife is the National Wildlife Refuge System. The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management and, where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
The Refuge System protects some of the country’s most iconic ecosystems and the fish and wildlife that rely on them: prairies of the heartland, teeming with native pollinators and bison; hardwood forests of the Southeast, a source of regional and cultural pride; desert Southwest landscapes, home to vibrant and rare plant communities that draw new life during the summer monsoon season. The Refuge System also conserves waterways that give life to all of them — critical ecosystems along rivers, streams, wetlands, coasts and marine areas.
Mark Seth Lender is the Explorer in Residence at Living on Earth (http://LOE.org), nationally broadcast on Public Radio to weekly audience of 1,600,000 listeners. Mark produces wildlife content for the program, based on his fieldwork with wild animals spanning three decades and seven continents.
Further examples of his work can be found on his website, http://marksethlender.com. Learn more about the National Wildlife Refuge System at http://www.fws.gov.
Sierra Photo NYC 