U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service History

06/08/2026

Happy World Ocean Day June 8, 2026!

Today we celebrate all that connects us to the ocean, including the wild places and creatures that call it home.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the conservation steward of 759 million cooperatively managed acres of submerged lands and waters, as well as a variety of marine creatures such as seabirds, salmon, sea otters, walrus, polar bears, manatees, and a plethora of migratory fish.

Our beautiful oceans provides over 50% of the world’s oxygen, is home to a multitude of species (with an estimated 91% still to be classified!), and covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface.

But what is even more impressive is the ocean’s innate inspiration, awe, and wonder that capture the imagination and hearts of people.

Rachel Carson wrote in her book "The Sea Around Us" (1951): “If there is poetry in my book about the sea, it is not because I deliberately put it there, but because no one could write truthfully about the sea and leave out the poetry.”

Today, we hope you find your inspiration in the wildness of the water. Let us know—how has the ocean inspired you?

Images: Rachel Carson on University of Miami research boat Nauplius, to do shallow diving with copper helmet. 1949. Credit: Shirley A. Briggs.

Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: Ryan Hagerty/USFWS.

06/04/2026

June 4, 1942, marked a pivotal moment in American history.

On this day, the Battle of Midway began—an intense and heroic engagement that became the turning point of World War II in the Pacific. Though outnumbered and outgunned, American forces at Midway Island withstood the initial Japanese assault and ultimately forced a retreat, sinking four Japanese aircraft carriers and altering the course of the war.

While much of the fighting occurred 100–200 miles north of the atoll, fierce aerial combat raged directly overhead. Thirty-one aircraft crash sites—22 American and 9 Japanese—have been identified, and today they are honored as war graves. In recognition of its historical significance, Midway Atoll has been designated a National Memorial to the Battle of Midway.

But Midway’s story doesn’t end with war—it continues as a beacon of conservation. Now part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge is a thriving sanctuary. It is home to the world’s largest colony of Laysan albatrosses, endangered Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles, and hundreds of other species that depend on its remote, protected habitat.

Photo of American flags at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway Memorial. Credit: USFWS

06/02/2026

Raise your hand if you've never actually read Silent Spring ✋

Now is your chance to revisit (or experience for the first time) the classic that was once controversial. This June, join us in reading Silent Spring by Rachel Carson as a part of the 250 Years of America’s Best Nature Writing Book Club.

Rachel Carson faced intense scrutiny and backlash after publishing Silent Spring in 1962. Despite attacks on her and her credentials, her message, both scientifically sound and eloquently delivered, overcame criticism to inspire a shift in public attitudes about pesticides and led to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency. Learn what everyone was talking about 64 years ago and why Silent Spring's legacy still continues today.

05/22/2026

This special Memorial Day issue of Conservation History pays tribute to 37 colleagues across 14 National Wildlife Refuges

and 2 National Fish Hatcheries who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty from 1904-2024. We invite you to read with us and remember. ​Link to the digital issue in the comments.

Since its founding in 2008 by Historian Mark Madison, the USFWS journal Conservation History has been a platform for exploring the legacy of the American conservation movement. ​
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Cover design by John Embrey, USFWS.

05/15/2026

Join NCTC for America's Wild Read Book Discussion! How to Participate
Join us online May 21st at 3 PM Eastern time for our book discussion. Please register in advance: https://tinyurl.com/455wf535

America’s Wild Read Book Discussion on May 21: The Feather Wars by James McCommons

The USFWS Conservation Library's Wild Read is continuing the yearlong celebration of America’s 250th anniversary with a book that blends distinct stories of the heroes and villains of the bird conservation movement. April/May’s book was The Feather Wars and the Great Crusade to Save America's Birds by James H. McCommons.

When you wake up in the morning, do you hear birdsong? It is easy to take for granted the presence of birds in our lives. Throughout American history, though, birds were assumed to be an infinitely available natural resource- plentiful and available for hunting and fashion.

As species numbers dwindled, the cause of bird conservation was hard fought by many disparate characters, from politicians to artists to hunters to presidents. This summer, dive into the rich history of the people who crusaded to protect America’s birds.

How to Participate
Join us online May 21st at 3 PM Eastern time for our book discussion. Please register in advance. Link to register is in the comments.

Image Caption: Passenger pigeon shoot. Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. Smith Bennett. 1875.

05/14/2026

Join us for the 2026 International Fly-Fishing Film Festival (IF4™) at the National Conservation Training Center! IF4™ is the world’s leading fly-fishing film event, consisting of coveted fly-fishing films produced by filmmakers from all corners of the globe and showcases the passion, lifestyle, and culture of fly fishing. It is the gathering place of the fly-fishing community and a celebration of friendship, stories and outdoor recreation. This event is free and open to the public at the Byrd Auditorium - National Conservation Training Center, 698 Conservation Way, Shepherdstown, WV 25443.

With shows around the globe, IF4™ is the world's leading fly-fishing film event, featuring the most anticipated annual collection of fly-fishing films from outstanding filmmakers. The National Conservation Training Center and The Friends of NCTC are happy to again host this event in the beautiful Byrd Auditorium on the NCTC campus.
Eleven featured films explore rugged and beautiful landscapes from around the world. The films run from 10 - 20 mins each. They feature a fly-fishing context, including adventure, travel, humor, conservation, natural history and human-interest topics. Preview film trailers at: https://flyfilmfest.com/films

To register for this free event, please email: [email protected]
Include the program date, the list the names of attending adults, and any questions.
Doors open at 6:30 PM.
Films begin at 7:00 PM.

Hosted by: The National Conservation Training Center. The NCTC Conservation Lecture Series is co-sponsored by The Friends of the NCTC.

05/11/2026

Conservation Hero: Harriet Hemenway (1858–1960)​

A prominent member of Boston’s high society at the turn of the twentieth century, initiated one of the most influential conservation movements in American history. The mid-1800s saw a dramatic increase in the use of bird feathers, plumes, and parts for fashion, particularly women’s hats. By 1886, over 5 million birds of at least 50 species were being killed each year in the United States for their use in the fashion industry alone.​​

Hemenway recognized the damage being wrought in the name of women’s fashion and used her position of influence to inspire over 900 women in Boston to boycott the feather industry. She and her cousin Minna B. Hall collaborated with respected businessmen and ornithologists to found the Massachusetts Audubon Society in 1896, with Hemenway serving as the first Vice President. Audubon Societies were subsequently founded in other states and within 10 years a National Audubon Society was formed. In 1897, Hemenway and the Massachusetts Audubon Society succeeded in convincing their legislature to prohibit trade in bird feathers. Soon after, the federal Lacey Act of 1900 prohibited the interstate shipment of birds killed in violation of state laws and, by 1918, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act had effectively ended the trade, firmly rooting a wildlife conservation ethic into the American consciousness.​​

Hemenway lived to be 102 years old, never giving up her interest in birds and their conservation. Her actions meaningfully engaged large numbers of women in grassroots conservation, helped shift public attitudes, and led to the formation of one of the most significant conservation organizations in the country.​​

“In our time, as wildlands throughout the world are shrinking, as habitats and species are lost and the human population continues to expand at exponential rates, the little bird club founded by Harriet Hemenway and company back in 1896 could serve as a model for international conservation in the twenty-first century.”​
– John Mitchell The Mothers of Conservation - Mass Audubon Society (1996)​​

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Image: Harriet Hemenway, courtesy of USFWS

05/08/2026

From American Revolution to a Refuge: Many current units of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wildlife Refuge System played a role in the Revolutionary War. Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge's wetlands, forests, and the rugged Watchung Mountains formed a natural defense around General George Washington’s encampment in Morristown, helping shield the Continental Army from British forces based in New York during a critical period in the war.

Located only 26 miles west of New York City’s Times Square, today the refuge is an encampment for migrating waterfowl to stop, rest and feed.

Image: Sunrise at Great Swamp NWR. Credit: Neil Nappe/USFWS.

05/06/2026

Join us to learn more about a unique figure who helped create a "new deal" for American wildlife with the Federal Duck Stamp program.​​

This May, the 250 Years of America’s Best Nature Writing Book Club is featuring Ding: the Life of Jay Norwood Darling by David L. Lendt. In his preface, Lendt writes "Probing the record of Darling's life also showed me that he was a fascinating combination of seemingly inconsistent beliefs and attitudes. As far as I could tell, he never wrote an uninteresting letter. He was a man of strong and stubborn conviction; a man capable of tremendous human compassion; a man who enjoyed prodigious powers of expression, uncommon energy, and immense commonsense intellect." Dive into the unique story of "Ding" with us this summer.​​

Image credit: Des Moines Register

05/02/2026

King Charles Explores U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service History. On April 30, 2026 King Charles III visited Shenandoah Park where he was shown artifacts from the USFWS Museum/Archives at the National Conservation Training Center. The King's great grandfather, George V, signed the Migratory Bird Treaty. King Charles was shown badges from officers who enforced the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and some images from his Majesty's first visit to the U.S. when he toured Patuxent Research Refuge in 1970.

King Charles looking at historic photos.