The North American Game Warden Museum is a

museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make th ...

in the

International Peace Garden The International Peace Garden is a park located adjacent to the International Peace Garden Border Crossing along the Canada–United States border between the province of Manitoba and the state of North Dakota. It was established on July 14, ...

on the Canada–United States international border between the

Canadian province Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British Nor ...

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

and the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minnesota to the east, ...

. The museum is located on the American side of the border. Initially founded on a temporary basis at the

in the 1990s, it became a permanent museum in 2005. The museum is sponsored by the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association and aims to raise the professional profile and celebrate the work of

game warden A conservation officer is a law enforcement officer who protects wildlife and the environment. A conservation officer may also be referred to as an environmental technician or technologist, game warden, forest ranger, forest watcher, forest g ...

s and conservation officers. This museum's states on its website that its purpose is to "honor these heroes and educate the public about their work and the

natural resource Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest and cultural value. ...

s they protect."North American Game Warden Museum
/ref>

History

This museum has been located at the International Peace Garden since its inception. Founded on a temporary basis in the 1990s, the permanent museum opened in 2005 at the same location "for its natural beauty, central North American location and recognition as an

international tourism International tourism is tourism that crosses national borders. Globalisation has made tourism a popular global leisure activity. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual en ...

destination."

Purpose

Its underlying purpose is to raise the professional profile and celebrate the work of

s and their colleagues, '' conservation officers''. The name each group of professionals goes by depends on their governmental jurisdiction; for example, in

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...

the title "conservation officer" is used. This museum's management has set forth a fourfold mission statement: # protecting "the wild" in an overcrowded, polluted and too-civilized planet, so that "natural gifts" are preserved for future generations through legal enforcement and public education; # recognizing the important and dangerous role of

s who often work alone in desolate and remote locations, facing armed foes; # honoring and memorializing fallen heroes and other officers, who work in a largely unsung role, thereby helping their morale, and # educating the public about the work and mission of conservation officers, thereby increasing support for their efforts. 73 Game Wardens/Protectors/Conservation Officers are listed on

The Officer Down Memorial Page The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc. (ODMP) is a non-profit organization that maintains a website listing American law enforcement officers, prison officers and police dogs who have died in the line of duty. History The ODMP was established i ...

Recognizing the wardens' roles

The museum emphasizes the multifaceted nature of the game warden's role. Confronting armed

poachers Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set a ...

rural In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are de ...

and even remote locations can be lonely, dangerous and even fatal work for game wardens. Recognition of the ultimate sacrifice of these officers at this museum is considered to be important, concomitant to recognition at the

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is in Washington, D.C., at Judiciary Square, adjacent to the National Law Enforcement Museum. It honors 23,229 U.S. law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty throughout American hist ...

.Fallen Officers, Michigan Conservation Officers Association.
Officers are exposed to other risks beyond being killed by

hunters Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

, trappers and armed

fishermen A fisher or fisherman is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishers and fish farmers. Fishers may be professional or recreati ...

Heart attacks A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may ...

motor vehicle A motor vehicle, also known as motorized vehicle or automotive vehicle, is a self-propelled land vehicle, commonly wheeled, that does not operate on rails (such as trains or trams) and is used for the transportation of people or cargo. The ...

, boating, snowmobile and airplane accidents, animal attacks,

drowning Drowning is a type of suffocation induced by the submersion of the mouth and nose in a liquid. Most instances of fatal drowning occur alone or in situations where others present are either unaware of the victim's situation or unable to offer as ...

hypothermia Hypothermia is defined as a body core temperature below in humans. Symptoms depend on the temperature. In mild hypothermia, there is shivering and mental confusion. In moderate hypothermia, shivering stops and confusion increases. In severe ...

, etc. also take their toll while on duty. In

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

game wardens are typically employees of

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

or provincial

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government i ...

s. 26 of the 50 U.S. states have government departments entitled

Department of Natural Resources This article lists subnational environmental agencies in the United States, by state. Agencies with a variety of titles and responsibilities are included, e.g. Department of Environment, Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of E ...

or a similar title. These departments typically patrol

provincial park Ischigualasto Provincial Park A provincial park (or territorial park) is a park administered by one of the provinces of a country, as opposed to a national park. They are similar to state parks in other countries. They are typically open to t ...

s and public lands and waterways dedicated to

hunting Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

and

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from fish stocking, stocked bodies of water such as fish pond, ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. ...

, and also enforce state or provincial game and environmental laws on

private property Private property is a legal designation for the ownership of property by non-governmental legal entities. Private property is distinguishable from public property and personal property, which is owned by a state entity, and from collective or ...

. Game wardens/conservation officers are front and center in keeping out (or in check)

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species adv ...

. In an increasingly interconnected and

globalized Globalization, or globalisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is the process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments worldwide. The term ''globalization'' first appeared in the early 20t ...

world, their concerns are much more comprehensive than local enforcement. They also enforce broader conservation laws, such as the

Endangered Species Act The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA or "The Act"; 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.) is the primary law in the United States for protecting imperiled species. Designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of ec ...

, the

Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA), codified at (although §709 is omitted), is a United States federal law, first enacted in 1918 to implement the convention for the protection of migratory birds between the United States and Canada ...

and similar laws/treaties. or the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (in Canada) which implements the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).''CITES Vigilance'', Alberta Game Warden Magazine, October, 1999.
As necessary, they will work in tandem with appropriate national or federal agencies, such as the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

Environment Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC; french: Environnement et Changement climatique Canada),Environment and Climate Change Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of the Environment ...

Notes

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External links

*'
North American Game Warden Museum
''

Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies

Association of Midwest Fish and Game Law Enforcement Officers, ''North American Game Warden Museum''.

Badge of Honor Memorial Foundation

North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association

International Game Warden magazine

Ehlebracht, Mike, Wyoming Conservation Officer, ''Familiar Story by a Different Name: Pogue and Elms: A Tragic Loss'', International Game Warden Magazine
Law enforcement memorials Law enforcement museums in Canada Law enforcement museums in the United States Museums in Rolette County, North Dakota History museums in North Dakota Monuments and memorials in North Dakota Sculpture gardens, trails and parks in Canada Sculpture gardens, trails and parks in the United States Museums established in 1994 1994 establishments in North Dakota

History

Purpose

Recognizing the wardens' roles

See also

Notes

External links