About Us
The Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt for the primary purpose of protecting migratory birds, while also creating a refuge for local wildlife. The Refuge encompasses land along the Des Lacs River from the Canadian border to a point 8 miles south of Kenmare, North Dakota.
This area, according to ethnographic accounts, was used for trade routes and hunting by the Assiniboine, Sioux, Mandan, Hidatsa, Plains Ojibwa, and Atsina peoples. Historical records indicate that the last native inhabitants of the Des Lacs River valley were the southern Assiniboine tribes, who now reside in Canada.
A mix of natural lakes and managed wetlands in the valley provide a haven for migrating and nesting waterfowl and marsh birds. Spring visitors can enjoy the courtship dance of western grebes. Four other species of grebes also nest on the Refuge. During the summer, American White Pelicans are easy to spot as they feed on small fish. Broods of ducklings of various ages paddle through the marshes. Giant Canada geese commonly nest on the Refuge, producing between 150 and 200 young annually.
Our Mission
Each unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System is established to serve a statutory purpose that targets the conservation of native species dependent on its lands and waters. All activities on those acres are reviewed for compatibility with this statutory purpose.
The Souris River basin figures prominently in the culture and natural history of midcontinent North America’s plains and prairies. As one of three National Wildlife Refuges of the Souris River basin, the Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge will enhance populations of migratory birds, including waterfowl, and other wildlife native to the landscape by conserving the ecology and the natural character of the northern plains region.
The Refuge will create a sense of awe and wonder by providing an array of wildlife-dependent recreational and educational experiences that enhance visitor awareness of the splendid natural and cultural heritage of the northern great plains.
Functioning as integral parts of the ecosystems and human communities to which they belong, the Souris River Basin Refuge will seek collaborative partnerships to attain common goals.
A diverse and passionate Refuge workforce will rely on sound science to understand and restore or emulate natural processes essential to the integrity and perpetuation of major biological communities with which the Refuge is entrusted.
Our History
The Des Lacs Valley was formed by meltwater flowing out of glacial Lake Regina thousands of years ago. Bison, beaver, muskrat, mink, and other furbearing animals lured French trappers to this valley that was once used exclusively by Native Americans. Many known sites exist at the Refuge where Native Americans occupied the area either in permanent or transient camps and more may be present but undiscovered. Sites commonly contain tipi rings and one site contains several turtle effigies with what are apparently rock-lined fire pits in the center.
The valley is so flat that the river spread out in a chain of marshes and lakes. They called the area, "Riviere des Lacs," French for River of the Lakes. Evidence indicates that settlement of the valley occurred in 1864 by ranchers that claimed land in the Des Lacs River valley for exclusive use by cattle and forage production. A lignite mine was opened in 1880 in Burlington, near the mouth of the Des Lacs River, leading to the extraction of 12,000 pounds of lignite by 1883. The Soo Line Railroad was established in 1893, running from Minot to Portal, part of which runs through the Des Lacs Refuge today. This led to much greater accessibility to the area for settlers. The land in Kenmare was first opened to homesteaders in July of 1896 and was later incorporated as a village in 1901. By 1905, nearly every quarter section of land in north-central North Dakota had been claimed.
The settlements in the late-1800's brought intensive farming, ranching, and coal mining. The face of the land changed, and some wildlife species declined. Drought during the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s caused waterfowl numbers to plummet to record low levels. In response, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge in 1935, one of many national wildlife refuges set aside during the 1930s and 1940s to help migratory birds and local wildlife.