La p谩gina que intenta visitar s贸lo est谩 disponible en ingl茅s. 隆Disculpa!
The page you are about to visit is currently only available in English. Sorry!
What聽Have We Done for Our Refuges Lately?
Maintaining this vital part of our public lands network requires ongoing commitment.
In early July, I paid a visit to the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, part of a celebration honoring late Congressman John Dingell鈥檚 100th birthday. I left with a renewed appreciation for what persistence, partnership, and a shared commitment to conservation can accomplish.
Standing along the Detroit River, watching American White Pelicans gather on the water and spotting an American Goldfinch among the restored habitat, I found it hard to imagine that this landscape was once a Superfund brownfield 鈥 until 1990, home to a Chrysler assembly plant. Today, it is the only international wildlife refuge in North America, spanning the shared waters of the U.S. and Canada. It is a testament to what is possible when people refuse to accept that a place鈥檚 past must define its future.
That spirit was woven throughout the celebration. Elected officials, conservation partners, community leaders, and supporters from across the region gathered not only to honor John Dingell鈥檚 legacy but to celebrate the refuge itself.
As Congresswoman Debbie Dingell reflected on her husband鈥檚 unwavering commitment to the refuge, she asked a simple yet powerful question her husband often posed to supporters: 鈥淲hat have you done for the refuge lately?鈥
John Dingell understood that lasting conservation isn鈥檛 a 鈥渙ne-and-done" effort. It takes years of determination, countless conversations with stakeholders, and people who continue to show up long after the excitement of a new idea has faded. The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge thrives today not only due to Dingell鈥檚 efforts but through partnerships between local communities, conservation organizations, and elected leaders at every level of government and on both sides of the border.
Hard work and resilience built Detroit and other industrial communities across the Midwest. As economies and communities evolved, many have sought to reclaim spaces that once seemed beyond repair. This refuge shows that conservation isn鈥檛 separate from those communities; it鈥檚 central to their future.
The celebration also reinforced something I鈥檝e come to appreciate in my own work. The strongest conservation efforts aren鈥檛 built on a single grant, a single organization, or a single elected official. They鈥檙e built on committed partners who stay engaged and work together toward a shared vision.
That鈥檚 a lesson that extends well beyond the Detroit River.
Today, America鈥檚 573 national wildlife refuges are more beloved than ever, hosting more than , employing 41,000 people and generating some $3.2 billion for local economies. Yet they face longstanding challenges that will require steadfast dedication and funding to remain as vibrant destinations for people and birds for decades to come. Years of declining staffing levels and constrained budgets have left many without the biologists, maintenance crews, visitor services staff and law enforcement officers needed to fully carry out their mission. Durable investments are necessary to ensure that habitat is restored, invasive species are removed, infrastructure is maintained and educational programs to engage the next generation of conservationists take place.
What have we done for refuges lately? Ensuring that America's wildlife refuges remain healthy and accessible requires champions in Washington, DC, local and national partners, and, of course, ongoing vigilance and commitment to protect irreplaceable landscapes for future generations of Americans.