Litchfield Wetland Management District was established in 1978 to acquire, restore, and manage habitat for waterfowl production and other migratory birds. The district manages waterfowl production areas and Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge tracts, within a seven county area in south-central Minnesota. These federal public lands encompass about 38,000 acres of land dedicated to wildlife and wildlife-dependent recreation. In addition to managing land for public use, the district protects more than 13,000 acres of privately-owned wetland and grassland habitat, purchased as permanent easements to restore and protect wildlife habitat.

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A ground view of a prairie with purple and yellow flowers
Wildlife Management
Waterfowl Production Areas
Small wetlands/grassland units conserve more than 3 million acres of habitat. Waterfowl production areas are administratively organized into 38 wetland management districts with individual districts often spanning many counties.
A small pond surrounded by leafy green vegetation, a few standing dead trees and verdant forest
Wildlife Management
Trapping
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully manages trapping activities on national wildlife refuges to ensure that safe, effective practices are used, to ensure the sustainability of wildlife populations, and to protect refuge infrastructure. Trapping may be used as a wildlife management tool...
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Visit Us

Indian grass in Minnesota tallgrass prairie on Prairie Storm waterfowl production area.
Image Details

Litchfield Wetland Management District provides a number of great opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. The tallgrass prairies and wetlands host a diversity of plant and animal species and make for some great wildlife observation areas as well as other recreational activities. Some of these activities include hunting, fishing, environmental education, and photography.

Litchfield Wetland Management District manages four Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge tracts. These tracts are not visible on our website map. Use the link below to see the Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge map. 

See Refuge Map

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Currently, our maps are under construction and we are working on improving the accuracy of our content. If you have any questions please contact us. Thank you for your patience!

Location and Contact Information

      What We Do

      Services
      A beautiful green grassland with white flowers in bloom under a partly cloudy sky
      Grassland Easements

      In the United States, the Prairie Pothole Region is located within the northern Great Plains in parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Characterized by thousands of shallow, glacially formed wetlands known as potholes, the Prairie Pothole Region provides habitat for...

      Service
      Consultation and Technical Assistance
      Financial Assistance
      Dozens of waterfowl flying over a grassy wetland
      Wetland Easements

      In the United States, the Prairie Pothole Region is located within the northern Great Plains in parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Characterized by thousands of shallow wetlands known as potholes, the Prairie Pothole Region provides habitat for globally...

      Service
      Consultation and Technical Assistance
      Financial Assistance
      Land Management and Conservation Assistance
      Silhouette of a person walking with a shotgun on the tundra
      Apply for a Special Use Permit on National Wildlife Refuges

      Some commercial, recreational and research activities are allowed on national wildlife refuges only with a special use permit issued by the local office, and are subject to specific conditions and fees. This permit requirement is meant to ensure that all activities at the federal site are...

      Service
      Communication
      Permits
      Business Owner/Commercial Business
      Educator/Education Facility
      Landowner - Commercial
      Landowner - Individual
      Oil/Gas Company
      Private Land Owners/Managers
      Researcher or Research Facility - Commercial Scientific

      Our Organization

      A bright blue sky obstructed by fluffy white clouds reflected off of a stream shot from inside a kayak
      The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 560 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.
      Program
      Washington, DC
      Partners for Fish and Wildlife: Nevada Coordinator Susan Abele Meets with Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Member to Conduct a Site Visit at Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation
      The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program provides free technical and financial assistance to landowners, managers, tribes, corporations, schools and nonprofits interested in improving wildlife habitat on their land. Since 1987, we have helped more than 60,000 landowners restore more than 7...
      Program
      Falls Church, VA
      A bright orange sky with a setting sun with a pond and vegetation in the foreground
      The realty division of the National Wildlife Refuge System supports the acquisition and management of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands, using Migratory Bird Conservation and Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars.
      Program
      Falls Church, VA
      A law enforcement officer standing in his truck in a desert setting looking through binoculars
      Guided by the founding principles of the National Wildlife Refuge System and the mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, federal wildlife officers protect wildlife and habitat and make refuges safe places for staff and visitors; conserve America’s natural resources; and seek to exemplify...
      Program
      Smoke from a prescribed fire enters the sky.
      The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages fire safely and cost-effectively to improve the condition of lands while reducing the risk of damaging wildfires to surrounding communities. This balanced approach to fire management benefits people and wildlife.
      Program

      Our Species

      3 Mallards in a Minnesota Wetland
      Image Details

      Litchfield Wetland Management District contains diverse native habitats that range from native forest in the northeast to the tallgrass prairie in the south and west. This diverse habitat also translates over to a diversity of plants and animals. In particular, the district remains a critical waterfowl production and migration area.

      A monarch butterfly on a yellow flower

      Adult monarch butterflies are large and conspicuous, with bright orange wings surrounded by a black border and covered with black veins. The black border has a double row of white spots, present on the upper side of the wings. Adult monarchs are sexually dimorphic, with males having narrower...

      FWS Focus
      Species
      Kingdom
      Animalia
      Taxonomic Rank
      Species
      A rusty patched bumble bee visits a wild bergamot flower

      Historically, the rusty patched bumble bee was broadly distributed across the eastern United States, Upper Midwest, and southern Quebec and Ontario in Canada. Since 2000, this bumble bee has been reported from only 13 states and 1 Canadian province: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland,...

      FWS Focus
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      Kingdom
      Animalia
      Taxonomic Rank
      Species
      A brown and white marbled bird with long narrow dark legs and a slender beak that is orange half it's length, then turns a dark color

      Marbled Godwits are large shorebirds that have a slightly upturned bill with a dark tip and pinkish base, long legs, and are rich buff-brown all over. In addition to having cinnamon wing linings and an orangish stripe in their wings, their breeding plumage consists of barring across their chest...

      FWS Focus
      Species
      Kingdom
      Animalia
      Taxonomic Rank
      Species
      A Willow Flycatcher perched on a branch.

      Willow Flycatchers are small and have two whitish wingbars. Juveniles are browner above, yellower below, and with buff or yellowish brown wingbars.

      References cited in Species Profile

      Audubon Minnesota. 2014. Willow Flycatcher Minnesota Conservation Summary...
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      Species
      Kingdom
      Animalia
      Taxonomic Rank
      Species
      Bald eagle up close with wing raised

      A large raptor, the bald eagle has a wingspread of about seven feet. Adults have a dark brown body and wings, white head and tail, and a yellow beak. Juveniles are mostly brown with white mottling on the body, tail, and undersides of wings. Adult plumage usually is obtained by the sixth year. In...

      FWS Focus
      Species
      Kingdom
      Animalia
      Taxonomic Rank
      Species