(November 6, 2026) – Washington, D.C. – The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) extends our appreciation to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Director Brian Nesvik for advancing Secretarial Order 3455, Making America’s National Wildlife Refuges Great Again, and Rooted in Purpose, a comprehensive report on the National Wildlife Refuge System. The Secretarial Order and report are critical steps forward in restoring the National Wildlife Refuge System to its foundational conservation mission and the specific purposes for which individual refuges were established, an effort that is long supported by CSF.
The Refuge System is unique among federal public lands because wildlife and habitat conservation are central to its mission, and each refuge’s specific founding purpose(s) guide its management, which in many cases is for the conservation of migratory birds, particularly waterfowl.
Over recent decades, the Refuge System has increasingly taken a top-down approach and shifted attention away from its primary wildlife management purposes toward other considerations. The report found that headquarters and regional staffing increased while refuge operations lost capacity, leaving individual refuges without sufficient support for basic management and biological work. The Order and report seek to address this imbalance and realign management with the purposes for which each refuge was established.
Secretarial Order 3455 reinforces this framework by directing FWS to strengthen on-the-ground stewardship and compatible public access. Its direction to restore active habitat management is particularly important because productive habitat supports healthy wildlife populations and quality hunting and fishing opportunities. Among other actions, the Order directs FWS to:
- Restore active habitat management. Ensure refuge managers have access to appropriate tools, including prescribed fire, grazing, active forest management, and water management, to improve habitat and maintain healthy wildlife populations.
- Expand compatible hunting and fishing access. Prioritize and facilitate wildlife-dependent recreation consistent with applicable law and individual refuge purposes, supporting opportunities for sportsmen and women.
- Direct resources toward field operations. Prioritize staffing, maintenance, and infrastructure that support refuge conservation while reducing unnecessary administrative burdens, helping managers maintain habitat and public access.
- Strengthen state and conservation partnerships. Improve coordination with state fish and wildlife agencies and other partners whose expertise and participation support effective refuge management.
“The National Wildlife Refuge System is unique amongst our federal lands because wildlife and habitat conservation guide its management, with each refuge’s founding purposes at the forefront,” said Taylor Schmitz, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. “CSF thanks Secretary Burgum and Director Nesvik for their leadership in strengthening that foundation and supporting the habitat and access that America’s sportsmen and women depend on.”
The accompanying Rooted in Purpose report builds on the CSF-supported refuge review and offers recommendations to advance these priorities. Particularly important is its recommendation to reallocate headquarters and regional positions to refuge operations, restoring capacity to manage habitat, maintain facilities, and support public access. Other recommendations include regional hunting and fishing coordinators, a national sportsman’s access coordinator, and improved alignment with state hunting and fishing regulations where appropriate.
The Order requires FWS to submit an implementation plan within 90 days. CSF looks forward to working with the Administration and conservation partners to translate these priorities into lasting benefits for wildlife and sportsmen and women.