Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge is part of the National Wildlife Refuge
system.
Established in 1990 by Public Law 101-593, the refuge straddles 9 miles (14.5 km) of the Wallkill River
at and just south of the New York-New Jersey
border. Most of the refuge is in Sussex County, New Jersey
, with the remainder in Orange County, New York
. Two miles of the Appalachian Trail
travel through the refuge, and the refuge has four additional walking trails.
The refuge has more than 5100 acres (20.6 km²) of land and is managed primarily for migratory bird habitat, the endangered bog turtle
and wetlands. Where compatible, the refuge offers outdoor recreation opportunities including hunting, fishing, interpretation, environmental education, photography, wildlife viewing, hiking, canoeing and cross-country skiing. At the northern end of the refuge, in the black dirt wetlands, the refuge manages a series of waterfowl impoundments for migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. Wood duck
s, canvasback
s, mergansers, mallard
s and many other species frequent the refuge during spring and fall migrations. Raptors commonly use the refuge as well, with red-shouldered hawk
s, northern harriers and kestrel
s frequently observed.
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...
system.
Established in 1990 by Public Law 101-593, the refuge straddles 9 miles (14.5 km) of the Wallkill River
Wallkill River
The Wallkill River, a tributary of the Hudson, drains Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, flowing from there generally northeasterly to Rondout Creek in New York, near Rosendale, with the combined flows reaching the Hudson at Kingston....
at and just south of the New York-New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
border. Most of the refuge is in Sussex County, New Jersey
Sussex County, New Jersey
The County of Sussex is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 Federal decennial census, 149,265 persons resided in Sussex County...
, with the remainder in Orange County, New York
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
. Two miles of the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
travel through the refuge, and the refuge has four additional walking trails.
The refuge has more than 5100 acres (20.6 km²) of land and is managed primarily for migratory bird habitat, the endangered bog turtle
Bog turtle
The bog turtle is a semiaquatic turtle endemic to the eastern United States. It was first scientifically described in 1801 after an 18th century survey of Pennsylvania. It is the smallest North American turtle, measuring about long when fully grown...
and wetlands. Where compatible, the refuge offers outdoor recreation opportunities including hunting, fishing, interpretation, environmental education, photography, wildlife viewing, hiking, canoeing and cross-country skiing. At the northern end of the refuge, in the black dirt wetlands, the refuge manages a series of waterfowl impoundments for migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. Wood duck
Wood Duck
The Wood Duck or Carolina Duck is a species of duck found in North America. It is one of the most colourful of North American waterfowl.-Description:...
s, canvasback
Canvasback
The Canvasback is the largest of the North American diving ducks, that ranges from between long and weighs approximately , with a wingspan of . The canvasback has a distinctive wedge-shaped head and long graceful neck. The adult male has a black bill, a chestnut red head and neck, a black...
s, mergansers, mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
s and many other species frequent the refuge during spring and fall migrations. Raptors commonly use the refuge as well, with red-shouldered hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
The Red-shouldered Hawk is a medium-sized hawk. Its breeding range spans eastern North America and along the coast of California and northern to northeastern-central Mexico.-Description:...
s, northern harriers and kestrel
Kestrel
The name kestrel, is given to several different members of the falcon genus, Falco. Kestrels are most easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviour which is to hover at a height of around over open country and swoop down on prey, usually small mammals, lizards or large insects...
s frequently observed.