Meredosia National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1973 and is located along the east side of the Illinois River in Morgan and Cass counties in Illinois. The refuge is part of the traditional homeland of the Illinois people, past and present. Many areas within Meredosia refuge have been spared from drastic human caused landscape alterations. Wetlands on Meredosia Islands remain undrained, small remnant prairies exist and some forested areas still stand as they did in the late 1800's. Although small, these intact habitats support great biodiversity, and are home to rare, threatened and endangered plants and animals.

Visit Us

National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. Meredosia National Wildlife Refuge offers a variety of recreational activities, from birding and wildlife watching to mushroom and berry collecting. The town of Meredosia is situated along the southern boundary of the refuge and Springfield is about 50 miles to the east of the refuge. 

Location and Contact Information

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    Our Species

    Abundant communities of fish, wildlife and plants live and migrate through the open wetlands, backwater lakes, bottomland forests, upland forest, prairies and open wetlands at Meredosia National Wildlife Refuge. The variety of habitats benefit wildlife and sighting are plentiful no matter the time of year.