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What Have We Done for Our Refuges Lately?
Maintaining this vital part of our public lands network requires ongoing commitment.
In early July, I paid a visit to the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, part of a celebration honoring late Congressman John Dingell’s 100th birthday. I left with a renewed appreciation for what persistence, partnership, and a shared commitment to conservation can accomplish.
Standing along the Detroit River, watching American White Pelicans gather on the water and spotting an American Goldfinch among the restored habitat, I found it hard to imagine that this landscape was once a Superfund brownfield – until 1990, home to a Chrysler assembly plant. Today, it is the only international wildlife refuge in North America, spanning the shared waters of the U.S. and Canada. It is a testament to what is possible when people refuse to accept that a place’s past must define its future.
That spirit was woven throughout the celebration. Elected officials, conservation partners, community leaders, and supporters from across the region gathered not only to honor John Dingell’s legacy but to celebrate the refuge itself.
As Congresswoman Debbie Dingell reflected on her husband’s unwavering commitment to the refuge, she asked a simple yet powerful question her husband often posed to supporters: “What have you done for the refuge lately?”
John Dingell understood that lasting conservation isn’t a “one-and-done" effort. It takes years of determination, countless conversations with stakeholders, and people who continue to show up long after the excitement of a new idea has faded. The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge thrives today not only due to Dingell’s efforts but through partnerships between local communities, conservation organizations, and elected leaders at every level of government and on both sides of the border.
Hard work and resilience built Detroit and other industrial communities across the Midwest. As economies and communities evolved, many have sought to reclaim spaces that once seemed beyond repair. This refuge shows that conservation isn’t separate from those communities; it’s central to their future.
The celebration also reinforced something I’ve come to appreciate in my own work. The strongest conservation efforts aren’t built on a single grant, a single organization, or a single elected official. They’re built on committed partners who stay engaged and work together toward a shared vision.
That’s a lesson that extends well beyond the Detroit River.
Today, America’s 573 national wildlife refuges are more beloved than ever, hosting more than 67 million visitors a year, employing 41,000 people and generating some $3.2 billion for local economies. Yet they face longstanding challenges that will require steadfast dedication and funding to remain as vibrant destinations for people and birds for decades to come. Years of declining staffing levels and constrained budgets have left many without the biologists, maintenance crews, visitor services staff and law enforcement officers needed to fully carry out their mission. Durable investments are necessary to ensure that habitat is restored, invasive species are removed, infrastructure is maintained and educational programs to engage the next generation of conservationists take place.
What have we done for refuges lately? Ensuring that America's wildlife refuges remain healthy and accessible requires champions in Washington, DC, local and national partners, and, of course, ongoing vigilance and commitment to protect irreplaceable landscapes for future generations of Americans.