Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge

United States National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana

Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)

Map of the United StatesShow map of the United StatesBig Oaks National Wildlife Refuge (Indiana)Show map of Indiana
Location	Ripley County, Jefferson County, Jennings County, Indiana, United States
Nearest city	Madison, Indiana
Coordinates	38°57′00″N 85°24′00″W / 38.95000°N 85.40000°W / 38.95000; -85.40000
Area	50,000 acres (200 km)
Established	2000
Governing body	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Website	Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge

Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge is a 50,000-acre (202 km) wildlife refuge operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in southeast Indiana, United States, near Madison, Indiana. The refuge is the largest of Indiana's three National Wildlife Refuges (Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge near Seymour, IN and Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area near Oakland City, IN), and is located in parts of Ripley, Jefferson, and Jennings counties.

The refuge was formed in 2000 after a 1989 order to gradually close the Jefferson Proving Ground, a World War II era munitions testing facility, which was completed by 1995. The refuge is located north of the historic firing line and surrounds a 1,000-acre (4 km) parcel operated by the Indiana Air National Guard. A zone used for firing tests remains off limit to the public due to the prohibitive cost of cleanup.

Due to the past use of the property as a depleted uranium ordnance testing facility by the United States Army, all visitors must view a safety video and sign an Acknowledgement of Danger form annually prior to entering the refuge. Public use is limited to 4,000 acres on the northeast corner of the refuge surrounding Old Timbers Lake.

Over 200 species of birds and 46 species of mammals are found on the refuge.

Public uses of the refuge include hunting (white-tailed deer and wild turkey), fishing, and bird-watching.

Collin's Ford Bridge, Marble Creek Bridge, Oakdale School, also known as Building 401, and Old Timbers are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

References

^ "Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge: Introduction". U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Archived from the original on February 6, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2008.
Moss, Dale (January 26, 2003). "Proving Ground enjoying new life". Courier-Journal. pp. 1B (Indiana Edition).
"Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge | Visit Us | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service". www.fws.gov. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
Weslander, Eric (June 16, 2000). "Indiana wildlife refuge plan is outlined". Courier-Journal. pp. 1A.
"National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

External links

Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife (official page)

v t e Protected areas of Indiana
National Park Service	George Rogers Clark National Historical Park Indiana Dunes National Park Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
National Forest	Hoosier
National Wildlife Refuges	Big Oaks Muscatatuck Patoka River
National Natural Landmarks	Big Walnut Creek Cabin Creek Raised Bog Calvert and Porter Woods Nature Preserve Cowles Bog Donaldson Cave System and Woods Dunes Nature Preserve Fern Cliff Nature Preserve Hanging Rock and Wabash Reef Harrison Spring Hoosier Prairie Marengo Cave Meltzer Woods Ohio Coral Reef (Falls of the Ohio) Pine Hills Natural Area Pinhook Bog Pioneer Mothers Memorial Forest Portland Arch Nature Preserve Rise at Orangeville Rocky Hollow-Falls Canyon Nature Preserve Tamarack Bog Nature Preserve Wesley Chapel Gulf Wesselman Park Woods Wyandotte Cave
State Parks	Brown County Chain O'Lakes Charlestown Clifty Falls Deam Lake Falls of the Ohio Fort Harrison Harmonie Indiana Dunes Lincoln McCormick's Creek Mounds O'Bannon Woods Ouabache Pokagon Potato Creek Prophetstown Shades Shakamak Spring Mill Starve Hollow Summit Lake Tippecanoe River Turkey Run Versailles White River Whitewater Memorial
State Forests	Clark Ferdinand Frances Slocum Greene–Sullivan Harrison–Crawford Jackson–Washington Martin Morgan–Monroe Owen–Putnam Pike Ravinia Salamonie River Selmier Yellowwood
State Fish and Wildlife Areas	Hovey Lake Jasper–Pulaski Kankakee Kingsbury LaSalle Pigeon River J. E. Roush Tri-County Willow Slough Winamac
Category Indianapolis Indiana Department of Natural Resources [REDACTED] Commons

v t e National Wildlife Refuges of the United States
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National Wildlife Refuges of the United States

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