Muleshoe wildlife refuge expanding

According to a press release by the U.S. Department of the Interior's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, four existing national wildlife refuges will expand, “which will allow for the voluntary conservation of up to 1.13 million acres of wildlife habitat in New Mexico, North Carolina and Texas.”

The expansion concerning New Mexico is part of the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, located in the Southern High Plains of New Mexico and Texas. The press release states that the refuge “may now conserve up to 700,000 acres of habitat to support sandhill cranes, pronghorns and lesser prairie chicken, as well as a full suite of other wildlife that rely on the grasslands, playa wetlands and saline lake habitats of the Central Grasslands.”

The Texas part of the refuge was established in 1935, making it the oldest national wildlife refuge in Texas. It is best known for hosting one of the largest concentrations of lesser sandhill cranes in North America.

The approved expansion boundaries, which will guide future refuge acquisitions, include priority areas where conservation efforts will have the highest anticipated benefit to wildlife and habitat.

The other wildlife refuges that have been approved for expansions in Texas are the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and the Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge. The North Carolina refuge approved for expansion is the Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge.

The four final land protection plans for these expansions were developed through public processes and informed by input from local landowners, Tribal leaders, state wildlife agencies and other stakeholders. “The plans outline land protection priorities for these refuges that will inform the service’s interest in acquiring parcels from landowners who are willing to sell property (fee-title) or property rights (conservation easements or cooperative agreements) through purchase or donation.”

Investing in and expanding the National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, furthers the Biden-Harris administration’s work to support community-driven efforts to conserve and restore the nation’s lands and waters through the America the Beautiful initiative.

Amy Lueders, the service’s southwest regional director, said, “This plan is a critical step in protecting the future of the Southern High Plains for iconic species like the sandhill crane and lesser prairie chicken. These vast grassland landscapes provide essential habitat for wildlife while also providing benefits like clean water filtration and carbon sequestration, which are essential for both the environment and human well-being.”

This area is part of the Central Grasslands that span more than 700 million acres across Indigenous nations, Canada, the United States and Mexico. “Unfortunately, much of these grasslands have been lost. The service is working alongside partners to conserve and restore this vital landscape.”

For more information, visit fsw.gov.