National Wildlife Refuges: Providing Habitat for Species in the Face of Climate Change 

Climate impacts are being seen across the National Wildlife Refuge System. Hurricanes ravage national wildlife refuges along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts yearly, destroying visitor centers and washing out roads and parking lots. High tides are exposing turtle eggs along washed-out beaches, inundating freshwater ponds, and turning brackish marshes into open water. Marine national monuments in the Atlantic and Pacific are seeing impacts from ocean acidification and coral bleaching. Western refuges are being deeply affected by severe droughts and fires that are getting worse each year. 

Leadership and staff of the National Wildlife Refuge System are actively planning for climate impacts to worsen in severity on national wildlife refuges. It is our responsibility as advocates of the Refuge System to promote changes to the Refuge System that will enable wildlife populations to migrate and find habitable lands across ecosystems, even as these ecosystems shift and move over the years. Without large, systemic changes to our policy systems in this country, there are two substantive ways national wildlife refuge supporters can advocate for continued healthy ecosystems and wildlife habitat:

1. Seek expansion of current existing national wildlife refuges to increase their size out to the approved acquisition boundaries.

2. Help to build wildlife corridors through critical landscapes so non-winged species can safely move between protected areas. 

Expanding National Wildlife Refuge System Boundaries to Meet 30x30 Goals 

In January of 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) on “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.” Section 216 of the EO directs the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with others, to develop a report detailing potential federal actions to conserve 30 percent of United States lands and waters by the year 2030. The EO also outlines solicitation of input from diverse stakeholders and the establishment of measures of success in reaching the goal. The 30 percent by 2030 target has roots in groups like the Wyss Campaign for Nature, The Convention on Biological Diversity, and, per National Geographic, “years” of advocacy by conservation scientists. 

The Biden Administration has adopted it as part of a broader focus on climate and the environment, and refers to their plan as “America the Beautiful.” The National Wildlife Refuge Association fully supports these efforts and encourages stakeholders to support all types of protected land in 30x30, including private lands, federally-protected lands, and state lands. We cannot hope to provide corridors for the movement of species without each of these landowners working together. 

There is a sizable gap between the 30 percent target and today’s permanently protected land. Currently, only 12 percent of land in the United States is permanently protected, amounting to 289 million acres. The National Wildlife Refuge System accounts for about one-third of all protected acreage in the United States (95 million acres of protected land). Expansion of the Refuge System to cover more acreage will be critical to help the Biden Administration reach its 30 by 30 goal. The National Wildlife Refuge Association plans to advocate for the strong funding and planning of potential expansion within the National Wildlife Refuge System. 

National Wildlife Refuge System's Contributions To 30x30

Expanding individual refuges or creating new ones is more complicated than designating land as a national wildlife refuge. First, national wildlife refuges are created by negotiating the sale of land to the National Wildlife Refuge System, not through eminent domain or other means. This involves negotiations with landowners, land trusts, local or state governments, tribes, and other actors. This process in and of itself can take years due to high property values, unwilling sellers, and more. National wildlife refuge lands are acquired only from willing sellers, and never through legal mechanisms such as condemnation or eminent domain.

Second, national wildlife refuges have a primary purpose of conservation, management, and restoration of species and habitats within their land. By creating a national wildlife refuge, there is a multi-faceted planning and design process to ensure the refuge is fulfilling its purpose. This includes employing Landscape Conservation Design, where actions on a refuge contribute to a “landscape-level vision”. Each national wildlife refuge also has a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP), which are by law created and revised every 15 years and require extensive partnering with other interested parties to ensure the refuge is meeting its goals. The purchasing of land and the planning process is thoughtfully considered and time-consuming but crucial for the success of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Tools for Implementation

To help the Biden Administration meet its 30 by 30 goal, the National Wildlife Refuge System can employ multiple tools. One is the purchase of land within acquisition boundaries. Each national wildlife refuge has an acquisition boundary that confines the total size of the refuge to a specific geographical area. Many refuges are currently smaller than their acquisition boundary, leaving available acreage to be purchased and managed by the Refuge System. Across the National Wildlife Refuge System, there are an estimated 8 million acres of unacquired land. Acquiring some of this acreage could substantially move the needle for a 30 by 30 target.

The National Wildlife Refuge System is also interested in creating wildlife corridors between national wildlife refuges to provide a safe and well-managed pathway for migrating species between refuges. Acquiring acreage to connect two or more refuges would benefit habitat and wildlife species, as well as increase the overall acreage of the Refuge System and aid in the Biden Administration’s goals. 

Next Steps 

The National Wildlife Refuge Association consistently advocates for improved funding for the National Wildlife Refuge System, as well as fighting for or against helpful or hurtful legislation on a state or national level. As the Refuge System looks into expansion options, proper funding for staff capacity and planning will be critical. The National Wildlife Refuge Association looks forward to advocating for that funding, and for working in partnership with the National Wildlife Refuge System and other agencies to locate and plan for potential expansions.