| St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
 St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge shoreline near Lighthouse | |
  Map of the United States | |
| Location | Wakulla County, Jefferson County, Taylor County, Florida, United States |
| Nearest city | St. Marks, Florida |
| Coordinates | 30°09′03″N 84°08′50″W / 30.15083°N 84.14722°W |
| Area | 68,000 acres (280 km2) |
| Established | 1931 |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, in Wakulla County, Florida, is one of the oldest wildlife refuges in the United States. Established in 1931 as a wintering ground for migratory birds, it encompasses more than 83,000 acres (336 km²) spread between Wakulla, Jefferson, and Taylor Counties in the state of Florida.[1]
The refuge includes several Gulf of Mexico coastal habitats, such as saltwater marshes, islands, tidal creeks, and the estuaries of seven north Florida rivers. It is home to a diverse range of plant and animal life and also has a long history of human use, including structures such as the St. Marks Lighthouse, the second oldest lighthouse in Florida.
The refuge is inhabited by black bears, bobcats, otters, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, amphibians, alligators, snakes, freshwater and saltwater fish, and many different species of birds, including wading birds, waterfowl, and raptors. During migrations, bird species and their numbers dramatically increase and the refuge is described as a 'gateway site' for the Great Florida Birding Trail.
A boat ramp near the lighthouse offers direct access to the St. Marks River and, subsequently, the Gulf of Mexico. The boat ramp is subject to tidal influence, and low tides may affect launching and retrieving abilities. Kayakers have direct access to the Gulf from the Lighthouse parking lot. There is a biking trail that runs about twenty miles from the south side of Tallahassee all the way down to the nearby town of St. Marks following an old railroad corridor.
The refuge attracts a sizable volunteer base that participates in outreach initiatives,[1] research projects, and public events, such as field excursions for kids, festivals, and holidays. The St. Marks Refuge Association's friends group and the photography club supply volunteers for the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (St. Marks NWR).
From 2009 until 2016, St. Marks NWR served as the winter home for young endangered whooping cranes. These captive-hatched cranes were taught to follow an ultralight aircraft piloted by costumed Operation Migration pilots on a journey of more than 1,200 miles from central Wisconsin to Florida.[2] The refuge is also a stopping point for the yearly monarch butterfly migration. A festival is hosted annually around the time of the migration each October to educate people on the practice of tagging monarch butterflies as they continue through their migration.
The St. Marks NWR inspired the setting of the author Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach Trilogy.[3]
