Valentine National Wildlife Refuge

Valentine National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)

Location	Cherry County, Nebraska, United States
Nearest city	Valentine, NE
Coordinates	42°29′37″N 100°34′22″W / 42.49361°N 100.57278°W / 42.49361; -100.57278Coordinates: 42°29′37″N 100°34′22″W / 42.49361°N 100.57278°W / 42.49361; -100.57278
Area	71,516 acres (289 km²)
Established	1935
Governing body	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Website	Valentine National Wildlife Refuge

U.S. National Natural Landmark
Designated	1976

Valentine National Wildlife Refuge is located in the U.S. state of Nebraska and includes 19,131 acres (77.42 km²). The refuge protects a portion of the largest remaining area of tall and mid grass prairie remaining in the U.S. Collectively known as the sand hills region of Nebraska, the dunes were the end result of the last ice age known as the Pinedale glaciation. During the Holocene glacial retreat the sand dunes that been deposited in their current location by the vast continental glaciers, were exposed and grasses eventually took over. The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and along with Fort Niobrara and John and Louise Seier National Wildlife Refuges, they form the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

White-tailed deer

Numerous lakes and ponds are located on the refuge, fed by underground seeps and springs. 260 species of birds have been identified over the years on the refuge, and during migratory periods in the spring and fall, 150,000 birds pass through the protected area. Coyote, blanding's turtle, prairie grouse, white-tailed and Mule deer are commonly found by visitors in this refuge. Muskrat and beaver inhabit the wetlands and streams.

Valentine NWR is located about 20 miles (32 km) south of Valentine, Nebraska off U.S. Highway 83.

External links

Media related to Valentine National Wildlife Refuge at Wikimedia Commons
"Valentine National Wildlife Refuge". U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
"Valentine National Wildlife Refuge". Recreation.gov. Retrieved 2011-08-12.

Protected areas of Nebraska

Federal

National Monuments	Agate Fossil Beds Homestead Scotts Bluff

National Historic Trails	California Trail Lewis & Clark Trail Mormon Trail Oregon Trail Pony Express Trail

National Wildlife Refuges	Boyer Chute Crescent Lake DeSoto Fort Niobrara John and Louise Seier Karl E. Mundt North Platte Rainwater Basin Valentine

National Forests	Nebraska Samuel R. McKelvie

National Grasslands	Oglala (Hudson-Meng Bison Kill & Toadstool Geologic Park)

USFS National Recreation Areas	Pine Ridge

National Wilderness	Fort Niobrara Soldier Creek

Wild and Scenic Rivers	Missouri Niobrara

State

State Parks	Chadron Eugene T. Mahoney Fort Robinson Indian Cave Niobrara Platte River Ponca Smith Falls

State Historical Parks	Ashfall Fossil Beds Ash Hollow Arbor Lodge Bowring Ranch Buffalo Bill Ranch Fort Atkinson Fort Hartsuff Fort Kearny Rock Creek Station

State Recreation Areas	Alexandria Arnold Atkinson Lake Blue River Bluestem Bowman Lake Box Butte Reservoir Branched Oak Bridgeport Brownville Calamus Champion Lake Cheyenne Conestoga Cottonmill Crystal Lake Dead Timber DLD Enders Reservoir Fort Kearny Fremont Lakes Gallagher Canyon Johnson Lake Keller Park Lake Maloney Lake McConaughy Lake Minatare Lake Ogallala Lewis and Clark Long Lake Long Pine Louisville Medicine Creek Memphis Merritt Reservoir Mormon Island North Loup Olive Creek Oliver Reservoir Pawnee Lake Pelican Point Pibel Lake Pioneer Red Willow Reservoir Riverview Marina Rock Creek Lake Rock Creek Station Rockford Sandy Channel Schramm Park Sherman Reservoir Stagecoach Summit Lake Sutherland Reservoir Swanson Reservoir Two Rivers Union Pacific Verdon Victoria Springs Wagon Train Walgren Lake War Axe Wildcat Hills Willow Creek Windmill

State Recreation Trails	Cowboy Trail

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (web)

National Wildlife Refuges of the United States

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/18/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.