About Us
Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge is a natural oasis with native wildlife and plants in an urban setting. It offers beautiful views of the Rocky Mountain Front Range with a network of trails meandering through prairie grasslands, woodlands, and wetlands. This 72-acre Refuge is managed to restore and preserve native prairie ecosystems, protect habitat for migratory and resident wildlife, and provide wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities for all ages.
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.
- To conserve and enhance populations of plants, fish, and wildlife including waterfowl, raptors, songbirds, and other water birds.
- To conserve species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act and species that are candidates for such listing.
- To provide maximum fish- and wildlife-oriented public uses at levels compatible with conservation and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat.
- To provide opportunities for compatible scientific research.
- To provide opportunities for compatible environmental and land use education.
- To conserve and enhance land and water to conserve and enhance the natural diversity of fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats.
- To protect and enhance aquatic habitat.
- To fulfill international treaty obligations of the United State for fish, wildlife, and their habitats.
Our History
Historically, the habitats found here were typical of the area - shortgrass and mixed-grass prairie. These native habitats changed as livestock grazing, plowing of prairie sod for crops, and other land development increased. As the city of Denver and surrounding suburbs grew, a group of local citizens wanting to protect habitat for wildlife led to the establishment of Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge in 1992.
