Secretary Haaland Establishes Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge to Conserve Vital Habitat and Support Recreation

Date: Friday, December 13, 2024
Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov

NANJEMOY, Md. — Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams today joined partners and community members to celebrate the establishment of Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge as the 573rd and newest unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System. A newly acquired 31-acre parcel is the first of several donations that will become part of the new refuge and provide crucial protected habitat for threatened and endangered species and expand outdoor recreational opportunities for the 10 million people who visit, live and work in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan region. 

"Today, we mark an incredible milestone in locally led conservation efforts as we welcome the Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge into our National Wildlife Refuge System," said Secretary Haaland. “Across the nation, the Biden-Harris administration has partnered with local communities, partners and Tribes to protect treasured places, bolster climate resilience, and ensure current and future generations have public lands and waters to enjoy and recreate. Our collective work will ensure the health and enduring legacy of the National Wildlife Refuge System.” 

“Today’s announcement is a great example of the collaborative conservation that happens when longstanding partners work together in support of community-led priorities to conserve and restore important landscapes,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams. “Thanks to these relationships, the Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge will help support the region’s outdoor economy, protect and restore threatened and endangered species, and sustain recreational opportunities for generations to come.” 

Today marks the sixth addition to the Refuge System by Secretary Haaland, who also established the Willamette Valley Conservation Area in Oregon, Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area in Florida, Wyoming Toad Conservation Area in Wyoming, Paint Rock River National Wildlife Refuge in Tennessee, and the Lost Trail Conservation Area in Montana. The Department has also announced the expansion of several existing national wildlife refuges, which will allow for the voluntary conservation of up to 1.13 million acres of important wildlife habitat.  

Under the Biden-Harris administration, the Service has added over 610,000 acres through willing-seller acquisition (including fee-title and easements) and approved the potential to acquire more than 1.6 million acres in fee-title and easements across the Refuge System. These efforts are locally supported and showcase a commitment to a collaborative and inclusive approach to voluntary conservation. Investing in and expanding the Refuge System furthers the Biden-Harris administration’s work to support community-driven efforts to conserve and restore the nation’s lands and waters through the President’s America the Beautiful Initiative. 

The Service worked closely with the Southern Maryland Conservation Alliance to establish priorities for habitat management and land acquisition for the new refuge, as reflected in the final Land Protection Plan.  

The 31-acre parcel near Nanjemoy in Charles County, Maryland, is the first of several intended donations by The Nature Conservancy that over the next few months will permanently protect and conserve more than 300 acres of interior forest and riparian wetlands habitat, supporting northern long-eared bats, forest-interior songbirds, box turtles and several species of salamanders that are of conservation concern. The Service will continue working with partners and willing sellers to secure voluntary conservation of up to 40,000 acres of important wildlife habitat within four watershed-based focus areas in Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties. The areas identified for conservation through this new national wildlife refuge support a wide range of species including waterfowl, shorebirds, forest-interior and grassland-dependent birds, and threatened and endangered species such as the dwarf wedgemussel, Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon, puritan and northeastern tiger beetles, and the northern long-eared bat.  

More than half of Maryland’s forests and wetlands have been lost in the conversion of important natural areas to other land uses, with more than 1 million acres developed since 1973. The region’s population is projected to surpass 20 million people in the next 10 years. Such habitat loss represents the primary threat to Maryland’s fish and wildlife and the communities and local economies that depend upon them.  

The National Wildlife Refuge System is an unparalleled network of 573 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts. There is a national wildlife refuge within an hour’s drive of most major metropolitan areas. More than 69 million Americans visit refuges every year. Refuges provide vital habitat for thousands of species and access to world-class recreation, from fishing, hunting, and boating to nature watching, photography and environmental education. This recreation on national wildlife refuges supports regional economies to the tune of $3.2 billion per year and support more than 41,000 jobs. 

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