Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge | |
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IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Location | Franklin County, Vermont, United States |
Nearest city | Swanton, Vermont |
Coordinates | 44°58′N 73°10′W / 44.967°N 73.167°W |
Area | 7,232 acres (29.27 km2) |
Established | 1943 |
Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
Website | Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge |
Official name | Missisquoi Delta and Bay Wetlands |
Designated | 20 November 2013 |
Reference no. | 2200[1] |
Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in the U.S. state of Vermont located on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain and the southern side of Missisquoi Bay. The refuge is in Franklin County in the northwest corner of the state near the International Boundary with Canada.
The refuge was established on February 4, 1943, under the authority of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act.[2] The initial acquisition was 1,582 acres (6.4 km2) of land in the Missisquoi River delta, including Shad Island and Big Marsh Slough. Additional land is acquired from willing sellers. The refuge's current size is 7,232 acres (27 km2). It was designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2013.[3] It is the only National Wildlife Refuge located entirely in Vermont and is administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. It is located in the towns of Swanton and Highgate with satellite units in Derby, Vermont and Westville, New York.