A Brief History of the Growth of the National Wildlife Refuge System

A Brief History of the Growth of the National Wildlife Refuge System. . , 1903 . Pelican Island established in Florida, 1905 . Congress establishes the Wichita Mountains Forest and Game Preserve, 1908 . National Bison Range established in Montana, 1912 . National Elk Refuge established in Wyoming, 1918 . Congress passes the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, 1933 . The Civilian Conservation Corps provides the labor for many refuge projects, 1934 . FDR convenes a committee to save waterfowl. Aldo Leopold, cartoonist J.N. Darling, and publisher Thomas Beck suggest the duck stamp. The Duck Stamp Act is passed by Congress., 1935-36 . J.N. "Ding" Darling, head of the U.S. Biological Survey sends J. Clark Salyer to purchase prime wetlands nationwide, 1940 . Service scientist Rachel Carson writes the Conservation in Action series, 1956 . The Fish and Wildlife Act broadens the authority for acquisition and development of refuges, 1958 . Congress amends the Duck Stamp Act to authorize the Waterfowl Production Area (WPA) program, 1960 . Arctic National Wildlife Range established by the Eisenhower Administration, 1962 . Refuge Recreation Act, 1964 . The Wilderness Act, 1966 . The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act, 1973 . The Endangered Species Act, 1976 . The Bicentennial Land Heritage Program, 1980 . The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, 1994 . 500th National Wildlife Refuge established at Canaan Valley in West Virginia, 1997 . National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act, 1998 . The Volunteer and Community Partnership Enhancement Act, 2000 . National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial Act, 2003 . Celebrating a Century of Conservation!