Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge is located on part of the former Loring Air Force Base
, in Aroostook County
, Maine
. It was established in 1998, when 4700 acres (19 km²) were transferred from the United States Air Force
to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
. The refuge also administers some 2400 acres (971.2 ha) of wetland
conservation easements throughout Aroostook County. In a portion of Maine where the landscape is dominated by agricultural crops such as potato
es and broccoli
, Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge protects valuable wildlife habitat. The variety of habitat types attracts a diversity of wildlife species.
The refuge has a surface area of 5,252.25 acre
s (21.26 km² or 2,126 ha
). It is part of the Town of Limestone
.
, wood ducks, and hooded mergansers; Canada geese may be seen on East Loring Lake and the Little Madawaska River upstream from the dam during periods of spring and fall migration. River otters, mink muskrats, beaver, and snowshoe hares are a few of the smaller, less conspicuous species that inhabit portions of the refuge.
The majority of the refuge is forested upland, which offer nesting habitat for migratory songbirds. Warblers such as the black-throated green, Canada, bay-breasted, Cape May, and Blackburnian, are common in the spring and summer. These "neotropical migrants" breed here and winter in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Refuge grasslands provide habitat for upland sandpipers, bobolinks, and Savannah sparrows. Woodcock use grassy areas for courtship and upland forested areas for nesting.
Resident species such as black bear and moose can be seen on the refuge. River otters, mink, fishers, beavers, and snowshoe hares are a few of the smaller, less conspicuous species that are found here.
Loring Air Force Base
Loring Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base that was under the operational control of the Strategic Air Command for most of its existence. In 1992, it was transferred to the newly-established Air Combat Command, and it was finally closed as an active Air Force installation in...
, in Aroostook County
Aroostook County, Maine
Aroostook County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, its population was 71,870. In land area, it is the largest county in the state and the largest U.S. county east of the Mississippi River. Its seat is Houlton...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. It was established in 1998, when 4700 acres (19 km²) were transferred from the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
. The refuge also administers some 2400 acres (971.2 ha) of wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
conservation easements throughout Aroostook County. In a portion of Maine where the landscape is dominated by agricultural crops such as potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es and broccoli
Broccoli
Broccoli is a plant in the cabbage family, whose large flower head is used as a vegetable.-General:The word broccoli, from the Italian plural of , refers to "the flowering top of a cabbage"....
, Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge protects valuable wildlife habitat. The variety of habitat types attracts a diversity of wildlife species.
The refuge has a surface area of 5,252.25 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s (21.26 km² or 2,126 ha
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
). It is part of the Town of Limestone
Limestone, Maine
Limestone is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,314 at the 2010 census. The town is best known for being the home of the Loring Commerce Center...
.
Wildlife
Resident species like deer and moose can often be seen feeding on the farm fields adjacent to the new refuge boundary. They feed along stream banks and forested wetlands. Waterfowl that use the refuge wetlands include black ducksAmerican Black Duck
The American Black Duck is a large dabbling duck. American Black Ducks are similar to Mallards in size, and resemble the female Mallard in coloration, although the Black Duck's plumage is darker...
, wood ducks, and hooded mergansers; Canada geese may be seen on East Loring Lake and the Little Madawaska River upstream from the dam during periods of spring and fall migration. River otters, mink muskrats, beaver, and snowshoe hares are a few of the smaller, less conspicuous species that inhabit portions of the refuge.
The majority of the refuge is forested upland, which offer nesting habitat for migratory songbirds. Warblers such as the black-throated green, Canada, bay-breasted, Cape May, and Blackburnian, are common in the spring and summer. These "neotropical migrants" breed here and winter in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Refuge grasslands provide habitat for upland sandpipers, bobolinks, and Savannah sparrows. Woodcock use grassy areas for courtship and upland forested areas for nesting.
Resident species such as black bear and moose can be seen on the refuge. River otters, mink, fishers, beavers, and snowshoe hares are a few of the smaller, less conspicuous species that are found here.