Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, includes more than 14,000 acres of beach, dunes, marsh, and maritime forest. Most of the refuge is located on the Virginia end of Assateague Island. The refuge is open 5:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. from May through September, 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. from November to April and 6:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. the months of April and October.
The refuge's location along the Atlantic Flyway makes it a vital resting and feeding spot for a large number and diversity of birds. Within a workday's access to millions of people, Chincoteague Refuge is one of the most visited refuges in the United States, providing visitors with outstanding opportunities to learn about and enjoy wildlands and wildlife.
Chincoteague Refuge, originally established in 1943 to provide habitat for migratory birds (with an emphasis on conserving greater snow geese), today provides habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, and song birds, as well as other species of wildlife and plants. Refuge staff manage this barrier island habitat to allow many species of wildlife to co-exist, each establishing their own place in the environment. Refuge management programs restore threatened and endangered species and conserve local wildlife and plants. The refuge also provides environmental education and wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities such as fishing, hunting, wildlife observation, interpretation, and wildlife photography. The refuge maintains several miles of trails for either hiking or biking.
Chincoteague is also one of the top five shorebird migratory staging areas in the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains. In 1990, the barrier islands which make up Chincoteague Refuge along with other barrier islands of the eastern shore of Virginia and Maryland, were designated an International Shorebird Reserve. This coastal barrier island/lagoon system has also been designated a World Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization in recognition of its great ecological value. Moreover, the Department of the Interior designated the area a National Natural Landmark in recognition of its outstanding natural values.
Information courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Chincoteague NWR Complex Visitor’s Center. For more information, go to www.fws.gov
