Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District

Detroit Lakes Wetlands Management District is bordered on the west by the flat Red River valley floodplain and on the east by the rolling hardwood/conifer forest/lake region.

Acquisition efforts have preserved remnants of the tallgrass prairie and prairie wetlands. Management activities include restoration of prairie wetlands and reestablishment of native prairie plant communities.

The District currently has over 39,000 acres in 159 waterfowl production areas. Approximately 3,200 acres of this area is considered native prairie. These areas are open to hunting during established seasons.

Visitor Opportunities
Recreational opportunities in this area include: visitor center, hiking trails, hunting.

Accessibility: The National Wildlife Refuge System is working to ensure that facilities and programs are accessible to visitors. Please contact the refuge office for information about accessibility at this unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

All but three of the Detroit Lake Waterfowl Production Areas are open to public hunting during state established seasons. Waterfowl and deer are the most commonly hunted species. Maps showing the approximate location of the areas are available. Those areas closed are due to their proximity to a school or residential encroachment. All areas are open for wildlife and wildflower observation. No motorized vehicle use is allowed. Special use permits are available from our office for disabled users. Rydell NWR has miles of walking trails that are open on Sunday afternoons throughout the year. Whitetail deer, trumpeter swans, waterfowl, mink, otter and fox are commonly observed. Cross-country skiing occurs during the winter. We are currently working on a plan to make these trails all accessible. In October we conduct a deer hunt for persons with disabilities. The Hunt is coordinated with the group "Options" from East Grand Forks. A youth only hunt is conducted in November. Special training requirement exist for participation in this hunt. Details are available.

Management Programs
The District's purpose is to identify, acquire, (using duck stamp dollars) and then manage lands in our five county area for waterfowl production. Numerous other wildlife species benefit from the wetland and upland restorations that occur and the preservation of existing wetlands. Over 80 percent of the existing wetlands have been altered by man's activities, in many cases eliminated. Through restorations, millions of gallons of water that once left the land via the Red River drainage system are now maintained on the land to benefit wildlife. Lands acquired will eventually have all drained wetlands restored, the upland habitats converted to native prairie vegetation plantings and old building sites converted back into upland habitat. Once renovated the land will be managed to maintain optimum wildlife habitat values by conducting periodic controlled burns, weed control as necessary, and boundary management to ensure boundaries are not encroached on by neighbors.

Directions
The headquarters area can be reached by starting from the junction of U.S. Highways 10 and 59. Proceed north two miles on 59 to Tower Road. Go east on Tower and travel approximately one mile. Office is on north side of road. To visit Rydell NWR go 3 miles east of Mentor, MN, or 3 miles west of Erskine, MN, on U.S. Highway 2 and turn south on Polk County 210. Follow 210 south about 2.5 miles to the main gate.

Rt. 3, Box 47D
Tower Road
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
Phone (218) 847-4431
Fax (218) 847-4156
E-mail rick_julian@fws.gov