Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge is a 30700 acres (124 km²) National Wildlife Refuge
in Sherburne County
, Minnesota
. The habitat it protects is a mix of oak savanna
, Big Woods
, and wetland
s. The St. Francis River
flows through the eastern side of the park. Over 230 species of birds, 58 species of mammals, and 25 species of reptiles and amphibians have been recorded in the refuge.
village sites dating back to 1300 CE have been found within the refuge, although the area is assumed to have been inhabited for much longer. The mixture of habitats and abundance of water bodies produced a large and diverse wildlife population. The first European settlers arrived in the 1870s. As land use was altered for agriculture, wildfire
s were suppressed and drainage ditches cut. This had the effect of reducing the number of year-round wetlands and increasing the density of the wooded areas.
By the 1940s conservationists and sportsmen recognized the former quality of the area and its potential for restoration. Minnesota's conservation department investigated the possibility of creating a state wildlife area. However it was ultimately conceded that the state simply did not have the funds to acquire the land from its nearly 300 separate owners, and in 1960 a formal request was made to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
to consider the site for federal protection. This was formally approved on May 18, 1965 and purchase of refuge lands was begun with revenue from the sale of duck stamps
.
Hikers can pick berries and mushrooms for personal consumption within 100 feet of the trails. Big game, small game, and waterfowl hunting seasons are held in the fall.
The entire refuge is for day-use only. Overnighting visitors are referred to a campground in the adjacent Sand Dunes State Forest.
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the world's premiere system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants...
in Sherburne County
Sherburne County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 64,417 people, 21,581 households, and 16,746 families residing in the county. The population density was 148 people per square mile . There were 22,827 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. The habitat it protects is a mix of oak savanna
Oak savanna
An oak savanna is a type of savanna, or lightly forested grassland, where oaks are the dominant tree species. These savannas were maintained historically through wildfires set by lightning, grazing, low precipitation, poor soil, and/or fires set by Native Americans...
, Big Woods
Big Woods
Big Woods refers to a type of temperate hardwood forest ecoregion found in south-central Minnesota. "Big Woods" is a direct translation of the name given to the region by French explorers: Grand Bois.-Trees:...
, and 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....
s. The St. Francis River
St. Francis River (Minnesota)
The Saint Francis River is a tributary of the Elk River, long, in east-central Minnesota in the United States. Via the Elk River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area historically characterized by mixed hardwood and coniferous forests on flat to rolling till...
flows through the eastern side of the park. Over 230 species of birds, 58 species of mammals, and 25 species of reptiles and amphibians have been recorded in the refuge.
History
Native AmericanNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
village sites dating back to 1300 CE have been found within the refuge, although the area is assumed to have been inhabited for much longer. The mixture of habitats and abundance of water bodies produced a large and diverse wildlife population. The first European settlers arrived in the 1870s. As land use was altered for agriculture, wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
s were suppressed and drainage ditches cut. This had the effect of reducing the number of year-round wetlands and increasing the density of the wooded areas.
By the 1940s conservationists and sportsmen recognized the former quality of the area and its potential for restoration. Minnesota's conservation department investigated the possibility of creating a state wildlife area. However it was ultimately conceded that the state simply did not have the funds to acquire the land from its nearly 300 separate owners, and in 1960 a formal request was made 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...
to consider the site for federal protection. This was formally approved on May 18, 1965 and purchase of refuge lands was begun with revenue from the sale of duck stamps
Federal Duck Stamp
The federal duck stamp was created through a wetlands conservation program. President Herbert Hoover signed the Migratory Bird Conservation Act in 1929 to authorize the acquisition and preservation of wetlands as waterfowl habitat....
.
Recreation
In winter most of the refuge lands are open for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking. However from March 1 to August 31 visitor access is restricted to the following areas so that wildlife can breed without disturbance.- Prairie's Edge Wildlife Drive, which is open to automobiles, bicyclists, and hikers from late April through October. This 7.3 miles (11.7 km) gravel road loops through wetlands and prairie and features three observation decks and three short loop hikes.
- Blue Hill Trail, with three loops and a short spur to the top of 90 feet (27 m) Blue Hill, the highest point in the refuge.
- Mahnomen Trail, with another three interconnected loops through wooded uplands.
- Canoe route on a stretch of the St. Francis River and its tributary Battle Brook.
- Designated fishing access points.
Hikers can pick berries and mushrooms for personal consumption within 100 feet of the trails. Big game, small game, and waterfowl hunting seasons are held in the fall.
The entire refuge is for day-use only. Overnighting visitors are referred to a campground in the adjacent Sand Dunes State Forest.
External links
- Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge official website from the USFWS.