Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge
Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge | |
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IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Map of the United States | |
Location | Big Stone County, Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota, United States |
Nearest city | Ortonville, Minnesota |
Coordinates | 45°14′31″N 96°20′49″W / 45.242°N 96.347°W[1] |
Area | 11,586 acres (46.89 km2) |
Established | 1975 |
Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
Website | Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge |
Straddling the headwaters of the Minnesota River in west-central Minnesota, Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge is within the heart of the tallgrass prairie's historic range. Today, less than one-percent of tallgrass prairie remains.
Big Stone Refuge serves as the "keeper of the prairie" by working to maintain and restore native prairie habitat while providing optimum nesting cover for
The primary refuge purposes stated in authorizing documents are flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife conservation. The refuge's principal objective is to provide optimum nesting cover for ground-nesting waterfowl production.
Geography and geology
The park is located at the headwaters of the Minnesota River, near the border of South Dakota and Minnesota. Big Stone Lake lies a mile north of the refuge.
Geology
The refuge lies at the southern extent of what was once glacial
Glacial retreat at the end of the
Climate
Big Stone experiences a temperate climate, with warm-to-hot summers and cold winters. Average summer temperatures are 81.6°F with highs above 100°F (maximum recorded temperature of 108°F). Average winter high temperatures are 20°F (minimum recorded temperature of -36°F). Average annual precipitation is 24.08 in and annual average snowfall is 40 in.[2]
History
Drought in the mid-1930s caused water levels at Big Stone Lake to drop below desired levels. To counter this, the state of Minnesota initiated the Big Stone Lake-Whetstone River project. This project established a water control structure near the outlet of the lake and was supposed to divert the Whetstone River into the lake. However, the project was not completed as planned, and locals claimed that the Whetstone River was accelerating sediment flows into the lake.
A
Wildlife and ecology
Flora
Wetlands and grasslands represent the dominant cover types at the refuge.
About 4,500 acres of the refuge is covered in wetlands, with
Of the 5,500 acres of grassland, about 1,700 acres are considered
Fauna
Over 250 bird species have been observed in the refuge. The site represents an important migration stopover at the edge of the Mississippi and Central flyways. Audubon Minnesota includes the refuge in its Lac qui Parle-Big Stone Important Bird Area (IBA).[3] In the spring, upwards of 75,000 ducks and 84,000 geese have been counted. Dominant species include Canada goose, mallard, blue-winged teal, gadwall, green-winged teal, lesser scaup, and ring-necked duck. Big Stone is an important breeding area for grassland bird species of concern including bobolinks and grasshopper sparrows. Black terns commonly nest in wetland areas. Eastern wild turkey were reintroduced to the refuge in 1995 and their population have since reached levels sustainable for hunting. Greater prairie-chickens were reintroduced between 1999 and 2005, but most settled off refuge. A sharp-tailed grouse lek was recorded on the refuge in 2007.[2]
The refuge has recorded 45 mammal species. The most common species include white-tailed deer, coyote, Eastern cottontail, and several species of squirrel. North American river otter were first reintroduced to Minnesota at the refuge in 1981 and are frequently observed.[2]
The
Other species found on the refuge include 12
Recreation
Approximately 30,000 people visit the refuge annually to engage in activities including wildlife viewing, hunting, fishing, hiking, and non-motorized boating within the Minnesota River channel. Hiking trails and scenic overlooks are accessed along the 6-mile auto tour.
See also
References
- ^ "Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge (Fws)". protectedplanet.net. Archived from the original on 2012-06-14. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
- ^ a b c d e f g USFWS (2012). Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan (PDF) (Report). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
- ^ "Lac Qui Parle - Big Stone IBA". Audubon. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
[www.fws.gov/midwest/Planning/BigStoneNWR/CCP_and_Summary/bst_final_ccp_complete_5Dec2012.pdf]
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.