Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
South Dakota--Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Lake NWR (Agency : U.S.)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in Brown County, northeastern South Dakota, near the city of Columbia. It was established in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Encompassing over 21,000 acres of wetlands, grasslands, and open water, the refuge was created to protect and enhance migratory bird habitat, particularly for waterfowl.
It is recognized as a Globally Important Bird Area and a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. Sand Lake provides critical breeding, nesting, and migratory stopover habitat for hundreds of bird species, including ducks, geese, herons, and endangered whooping cranes. The refuge also supports a variety of mammals, amphibians, and fish species.
The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and includes facilities for research, conservation, and public recreation, such as birdwatching, environmental education, photography, and regulated hunting and fishing.
Places
Legal status
Functions, occupations and activities
Mandates/sources of authority
Field of Activity: Wildlife conservation--South Dakota