Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
Marshes and woodlands of Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge
Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge Location in the United States
Location	Marshall County, Minnesota, United States
Nearest city	Middle River, Minnesota
Area	61,500 acres (249 km2)
Established	1937
Governing body	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Website	Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge

Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge is located in northwest Minnesota. Packs of wolves, moose, waterfowl, and 294 species of birds make this refuge a wildlife wonderland.

The refuge, originally named Mud Lake Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, was established in 1937 primarily for waterfowl production and maintenance. Located in eastern Marshall County, the contiguous 61,500 acres (249 km²) are situated in the aspen parkland region of northwest Minnesota. In 1976, 4,000 acres (16 km²) of the refuge were designated a Wilderness Area. Each year over 20,000 visitors enjoy wildlife viewing on Agassiz Refuge.

Today, Agassiz is composed of 37,400 acres (151 km²) of wetlands, 11,650 acres (47 km²) of shrublands, 9,900 acres (40 km²) of forestland, 1,710 acres (7 km²) of grassland, and 150 acres (0.6 km²) of cropland. The Wilderness Area encompasses one of the most westerly extensions of black spruce-tamarack bog in Minnesota. Two bog lakes, Kuriko and Whiskey, lie within the area.

CCC workers line up for food, 1937. Mud Lake NWR, Minnesota