Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge

Infobox Protected area
name = Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge
iucn_category = IV

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caption = Map of the United States
base_width =
locator_x = 177
locator_y =142
location = Pearl River County, Mississippi
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
nearest_city = Picayune, Mississippi
coords =
lat_degrees=30 |lat_minutes=32 |lat_seconds=51 |lat_direction=N
long_degrees=89 |long_minutes=47 |long_seconds=38 |long_direction=W
area =40,000 acres
established = 1980
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
world_heritage_site =
Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge is located convert|60|mi|km northeast of New Orleans, Louisiana and encompasses convert|36000|acre|km2 of Pearl River Basin swampland.

History

On June 30, 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed Public Law 96-288 authorizing the convert|40000|acre|km2|sing=on Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Washington and St. Tammany Parishes, Louisiana, and Pearl River County, Mississippi. Since that time, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been acquiring bottomland hardwood habitat in the Pearl River Basin. On December 13, 1989, Congress authorized a boundary expansion for Bogue Chitto NWR that included an additional convert|8400|acre|km2 of bottomland hardwoods in St. Tammany Parish. To date, some convert|36447|acre|km2 have been placed under refuge management. The refuge is still in an acquisition phase.

Access

Access is primarily by boat on the refuge's Louisiana side and road access is available on the refuge's Mississippi side. In Summer 2002, a new walking trail was unveiled on the Louisiana side of the Refuge. This 3/4 of a mile walking trail allows access into the interior of Bogue Chitto's habitat.

Wildlife and Habitat

The refuge is home to hundreds of bird species. The most abudant species are the neotropical migrants. Some neotropical migrants found on the refuge are: Prothonotary and Swainson's Warblers, Flycatchers, yellow-billed cuckoo, and white-eyed vireo. In smaller numbers found on the refuge are migratory game birds such as woodcock and turkey, wading birds such as egrets and herons, waterfowl such as wood duck, and raptors such as hawks and owls. The endangered and threatended species found on the refuge are bald eagle, ringed-sawback turtle, gopher tortoise, inflated heelsplitter mussel, and gulf sturgeon. White-tail deer, squirrel, turkey and hog hunting and fishing is offered to the public.

Bogue Chitto NWR is primarily composed of bottomland hardwood habitat interlaced by the Bogue Chitto and Pearl River Systems. Numerous sloughs, bayous and lakes are located on the refuge. Water levels fluctuate by several feet from their low point in the summer to winter/spring flood stage. Over 90% of the refuge can be flooded during seasonal high river periods. The mixed hardwood forest includes water oak, overcup oak, American elm, sweetgum, and swamp red maple on higher elevations and bald cypress, tupelo gum, and swamp blackgum along the wettest areas. Mid-story in mixed hardwoods includes ironwood, arrowwood, Virginia willow and reproduction of the overstory. Typical mid-story plants along the sloughs and bayous are buttonbush, swamp privet, and water elm.

References

External links

* [http://www.fws.gov/boguechitto/ Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge]
* [http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=43616 Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge Profile]
* [http://www.recreation.gov/recAreaDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&recAreaId=1312&agencyCode=127 Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge Recreation Activities]