Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
is located in the rural towns of Alabama and Shelby, midway
between Rochester and Buffalo, NY. It has been described as one of
the best kept secrets of Western New York. Teeming with wildlife,
the refuge offers opportunities for the public to experience
nature in all seasons. The refuge is one of over 500 national
wildlife refuges in the United States. The National Wildlife
Refuge System is the only network of federal lands dedicated
specifically to wildlife conservation.
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is one of over 500
national wildlife refuges in the United States. Iroquois NWR is a namesake of
the Iroquois Indians, a Native American federation that resided in the north
east. The federation was originally made up of five tribes: Cayuga, Oneida,
Mohawk, Seneca and Onondaga. The Tuscarora entered the federation in the 1800's.
The refuge lies in both Orleans and Genesee Counties, midway between Rochester
and Buffalo, New York.
At the end of the last glacial period, a huge lake called
Tonawanda covered much of Western New York. Through the slow passage of time the
lake drained and filled until only a few swampy areas remained. Here, wildlife
flourished in the diverse habitat.
Feeder Road in Iroquois
National Wildlife Refuge
Centuries later, the Seneca Indians began to drain the swamp
and clear some of the forests for farming. To the first European settlers in the
early 19th century the remaining clusters of oak trees were reminiscent of an
orchard and so they named the area "Oak Orchard Swamp." Settlers expanded
artificial drainage of the swamp to improve logging and farming operations, but,
plagued by high costs, and a cycle of muck fires and floods, the outcome was
marginal at best. By the 1950s, landowners were looking to further develop and
convert the lands to other uses. This development would have resulted in the
loss of these vital wetlands forever.
On May 19, 1958 the federal government established the Oak
Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, using funds from the sale of Migratory Bird
Conservation Stamps, or "Duck Stamps". It is one link in a chain of over 500
National Wildlife Refuges across the United States. To avoid confusion with the
neighboring Oak Orchard State Wildlife Management Area, the refuge was renamed
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge in 1964.
Look below for a main map of the Iroquois National Wildlife
Refuge. The main hiking trails in the NWR include the
Kanyoo Nature Trail,
Swallow Hollow Nature Trail and the
Onondaga Nature Trail.
Many visitors also explore the NWR by utilizing the dikes.
Also check out
Montezuma NWR
located off I-90 near Waterloo, NY.
PDF of the above map click here.
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