As the ongoing sequester threatens to close down visitor programs at refuges around the country, it’s important to consider what we could be losing.
The Winona Daily News recently published a profile on Ranger Ed at the Winona district of the Upper Mississippi Natural Wildlife and Fish Refuge in Minnesota.

[Ed] Lagace took his job with [...]

Outdoor News posted details about the 100,000-gallon sewage leak into Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in February.
The leak occurred when a blockage in a pipe caused sewage to back up and overflow into the refuge. The sewage leaked for at least two days, possibly longer.

While much of the solid waste will have been removed, [...]

The Examiner in Missouri is reporting that a local plan by Kansas City Power and Light to run power lines as close as two miles from Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge is raising concerns from Ron Bell, the refuge manager, as well as local hunting groups who are economically dependent on waterfowl hunting.

“I think what [...]

Dubois-Pike County News reports that Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana has grown by 1,043 acres:

Acquisition of this land has been a top priority for the managers of Patoka River NWR for over five years, but a deal failed to materialize. Peabody Energy ultimately agreed to sell the property to Sycamore Land Trust, who [...]

Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced today that he has authorized the establishment of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois. The refuge will eventually provide up to 11,200 acres of habitat for wildlife as well as outdoor recreational opportunities within easy driving distance of millions of people.
The U.S. Fish and [...]

The Thief River Falls Times reports that Maggie Anderson has retired as manager of the Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota after 16 years as manager and after 38 years with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
According to the article, prior to her time at Agassiz NWR, she was refuge manager at Petit Manan NWR [...]

KETV in Omaha has posted a video report on the major changes occurring at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, which is near Omaha, Nebraska and has been closed since a levee breech resulted in massive flooding at the refuge.
DeSoto NWR, which won’t likely reopen until spring of 2012, saw $3 million of damage and an end [...]

The Friends of Seney National Wildlife Refuge in Michigan have a wonderful Flickr account that you can visit for charming photos such as this one — showing a piping plover chick in the process of being banded at the refuge.

KCAUtv.com in Sioux City, Iowa has posted video of flood waters entering DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa.

In less than 24 hours, the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge near Missouri Valley, Iowa has been overwhelmed by the Missouri River.
All this fast flooding is due to a secondary levee breach nearby. The main levee did not protect [...]

The Midland Daily News reports that Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in central Michigan has been having a hard time getting its Wildlife Drive open.
First there were late-nesting bald eagles along the road, then April floods, then a flood control levee that washed out, causing substantial damage.

“Several hundred acres (of the federal refuge) went [...]

The Star-Times in Wisconsin is reporting that Necedah National Wildlife Refuge will no longer be the Wisconsin home of Operation Migration, which uses ultralight aircraft to train migrating endangered whooping cranes.
Richard King, NNWR biologist, said that recent completion of the 10-year plan by Operation Migration has led to the ultralight-led chick training being held elsewhere [...]

Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge is located in northwestern Missouri. The 7,415-acre refuge was established in 1935 as a resting, feeding, and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife. Early March is a great time to view snow geese at Squaw Creek NWR, which hosts upwards of 500,000 of the geese, as seen in [...]