U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Midwest

Pollinators are a vital part of nature. They also provide a vital service to farmers. We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognize the economic value of native pollinators in the U.S., which is estimated at $3 billion a year. We also recognize that they do this for FREE! Scientists are increasingly discovering how native pollinators can contribute to crop pollination. Let’s meet some favorite summer foods and their pollinators.

Check out our best stories from around the web and social media. This week features snapper sightings, crane colts, killdeer calling and more!

We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service know that national wildlife refuges are wonderful places for nature photography - for visitors and employees. Meet Jessica Bolser, a wildlife biologist based at Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Iowa. In addition to studying and monitoring the local wildlife, she uses her keen observation skills to capture some amazing shots. Bolser has taken hundreds, maybe thousands, of photos at the refuge in recent years. Here are some of her favorites and the stories behind them.

We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service know that getting outside is beneficial for your health and well-being. It’s also fun! We want to get more Americans out birding, boating or just walking in the woods, whether it’s a trip of a lifetime to a remote national wildlife refuge or an urban escape close to home. Together with our partners, we’re are growing one of our newest national wildlife refuges here in the midwest.

Check out our best stories from around the web and social media. This week features turtle crossings, robin nests, swallow sightings and more!

We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service know the importance of making America’s national wildlife refuges accessible for everyone. Together with our partners, we provide quality fishing, boating, birding and other watchable wildlife opportunities across the midwest. Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin celebrated a recent success to this end with the opening of the Necedah Goose Pool Platform and Kayak Launch, an ADA-accessible paddling launch.

We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are pleased to announce the opening of the Great River Road Interpretive Center in Genoa, Wisconsin. Regional Director Tom Melius joined Congressman Ron Kind and other dignitaries to mark the grand opening at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery on June 1, 2018. A large, eye-catching, yellow and white tent stood on the grounds of the hatchery as a crowd of staff, supporters, friends and local-area families gathered in anticipation of the celebration.

Living close to nature has its perks - peace and quiet, cool wildlife sightings and easy access to hunting, fishing and hiking. For several decades, we at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been working with our neighbors and partners to make public lands safer and healthier for everyone. Learn about a recent success story in Wisconsin and how you can make your property firewise.

Check out our best stories from around the web and social media. This week features blue jay pairs, box turtle snacks, hummingbird homes and more!

We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are celebrating Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, which was established 80 years ago today. The refuge has a wide range of habitats, from forests of tamarack, black spruce and balsam fir to ponds and wetlands. Take a moment to learn about this peaceful refuge and plan a trip to experience it first-hand.

We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Region are pleased to announce that Tim Bodeen will be the new project leader for Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin. With a wealth of experience as a refuge manager and a resume that spans the globe, Bodeen joins the team after five years as the project leader for Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Wetland Management District in Minnesota.

Check out our best stories from around the web and social media. This week features blue buntings, old birds, good neighbors and more!

We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Region are pleased to announce that Sarena Selbo will be the new project leader for Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota. Selbo has walked a diverse and far-ranging career path from places as far away as Alaska. Her experience at the field, regional and national levels of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as her prior experience working at the state level, gives Selbo broad exposure to what makes national wildlife refuges relevant to all Americans.

Three miles south of the small village of Genoa, Wisconsin straddling either side of the Great River Road Scenic Byway, otherwise known as Wisconsin State Highway 35, sits the Genoa National Fish Hatchery. Founded in 1932, the hatchery has played a major role in restoring a variety of aquatic species from imperiled mussels, to lake sturgeon and even the rare Hine’s emerald dragonfly. They’ve also been focused on educating people about the value of the Mississippi River, which flows just west of the hatchery. Now Genoa National Fish Hatchery is opening the doors of its new home to help visitors learn more about the importance of the river and the work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are pleased to announce the Midwest Region Recovery Champion Award winners for 2017. Each year we celebrate the contributions of people who have dedicated their lives to making a difference for threatened and endangered species. Help us recognize this year’s winners and learn about how they support our continued work to recover America’s most threatened and endangered animals and plants.

Check out our best stories from around the web and social media. This week features hummingbird migration, wildlife moms, monarch sightings and more!

As a federal agency, we have a distinct, unique obligation and opportunity to work with tribes based on trust responsibilities, treaty provisions and statutory mandates. We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service play an important role in supporting tribes as they exercise their sovereignty in the management of fish and wildlife resources on the more than 55 million acres of Federal Indian trust land and treaty reserved areas. Our staff work hand-in-hand with the 36 federally-recognized tribes in the Midwest Region providing resources and technical assistance in support of their natural resource management activities. One example is our recent efforts with the Mille lacs Band of Ojibwe to provide airboat and water safety training to improve public safety preparedness and to expand their resource management capacities.

Check out our best stories from around the web and social media. This week features oriole sightings, fox naps, tick season and more!

Meredosia National Wildlife Refuge is turning 45 today! Even though it’s relatively young compared with many national wildlife refuges, Meredosia has ties that date back to the 1930s. Help them celebrate by learning about what makes this flyway hotspot so special.

With all of the popularity over law enforcement TV shows like CSI, Law and Order and Criminal Minds, have you ever wondered what it’s really like to solve a crime? We welcomed 18 kids from the Twin Cities to go behind the scenes with us for a day and learn about some of the tools of our trade as federal wildlife officers. Check out the highlights from this year’s youth game warden camp.