Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States in

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

. Eastern hardwood forests stretching from the

Atlantic seaboard The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the coastline along which the Eastern United States meets the North Atlantic Ocean. The eastern seaboard contains the coa ...

give way to the western

prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

at the area, in Audubon Township, near

Audubon, Minnesota Audubon is a city in Becker County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 560 at the 2020 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. It is located near Lake Park as well as ...

. Prior to settlement, its diverse vegetation was attractive to wildlife:

waterfowl Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which i ...

, upland birds, bison,

wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly un ...

, and other prairie wildlife. When fully restored, the refuge will provide the largest contiguous block of

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The p ...

prairie habitat in the region, encompassing nearly . The Refuge's objective is to restore of wetlands and of upland grass. This will provide resting and nesting cover for 219 species of migratory and nesting birds. Currently, waterfowl,

shorebird 245px, A flock of Dunlins and Red knots">Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflat ...

s, neotropical migratory

songbird A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds (Passeriformes). Another name that is sometimes seen as the scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin ''oscen'', "songbird". The Passeriformes contains 5000 ...

s, and

birds of prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predat ...

rely on the shallow water and prairie habitat that has been restored on the refuge. Refuge

habitat restoration Restoration ecology is the scientific study supporting the practice of ecological restoration, which is the practice of renewing and restoring degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment by active human interrupt ...

s have resulted in an increase in shorebird and prairie songbird populations. This has generated opportunities for wildlife-dependent recreation and serves as an educational model for land and watershed stewardship. Approximately 50% of the private property within the refuge's future boundary has been acquired from willing sellers. Funding to acquire land and fully develop the refuge's infrastructure is expected to be near $10,000,000. Approximately 15–20 years of work is anticipated to complete the refuge.

References

Refuge profile

External links

* National Wildlife Refuges in Minnesota Protected areas of Becker County, Minnesota Wetlands of Minnesota Landforms of Becker County, Minnesota Protected areas established in 1989 1989 establishments in Minnesota {{Minnesota-protected-area-stub