Last year, more than 39 million people visited America's national wildlife refuges. There is at least one national wildlife refuge in every state and most city dwellers can find a national wildlife refuge less than an hour's drive from their front door.
Photo by George Gentry, USFWS, of bird watchers at
J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Hi-Res.

Secretary Kempthorne Celebrates National Wildlife Refuge Week

Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne will cap a week-long celebration of National Wildlife Refuge Week by unveiling the winning artwork for the 75th National Duck Stamp, visiting the refuge honoring the conservationist who launched the nation’s most prestigious nature art contest, and speaking to conservation and outdoor groups about increasing opportunities for children to experience nature.

“National wildlife refuges are our promise to the American people that fish and wildlife will always have a place on the American landscape,” Secretary Kempthorne said. “These special places also offer some of the most serene lands and waters in the world, where adults and children alike can interact with nature. Whether hiking, bird watching, taking photographs, fishing, hunting or just being in the outdoors, visitors can relax, reinvigorate themselves and make a special connection with nature.”    more

• Refuge Week Events
• Find a National Wildlife Refuge Near You 

Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne delivered the keynote address at the dedication of the new memorial at the African Burial Ground National Monument in New York. “Today, in dedicating this monument, we declare once again that this place is sacred. We pay tribute to the lives of those buried here. We celebrate their humanity, a humanity that tragically was not recognized in their lifetime,” said Secretary Kempthorne. Hi-Res.

Secretary Kempthorne Participates in Dedication of Memorial at African Burial Ground National Monument

Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne spoke at the dedication of a memorial at the African Burial Ground National Monument in New York City on Friday, October 5, 2007. The new memorial honors the memories of the estimated 15,000 Africans buried at the original seven-acre site in the 17th and 18th centuries. The African Burial Ground was re-discovered in 1991, when construction began on a federal office building in lower Manhattan. The site was designated by President Bush as a national monument in February 2006, making it the 390th national park site to be managed by the National Park Service. Another site was added this year.    more

• Read Secretary Kempthorne's Remarks
• African Burial Ground National Monument
• See Additional Photos 

About the Department of the interior
The Department of the Interior (DOI) is the nation’s principal conservation agency. Interior is a large, decentralized agency with over 80,000 employees and 180,000 volunteers located at approximately 2,400 operating locations across the United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, and freely associated states. more
Mission Statement	History
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Organizational Chart	Quick Facts
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Below are links to some DOI sites that may be of interest:
Water	Science
Floods	Astrogeology at USGS
Supply in the West	Hurricanes
Conservation	Earthquakes
Resources	Energy
Land	Wildlife
Fire	Endangered Species
Maps	Habitats & Conservation
Parks / Refuges / BLM Lands	Wild Horse & Burro Adoption
Offshore Lands/Volcanoes	Duck Stamps
Communities	InfoLinks
Special Trustee	www.HealthyForests.gov
Indian Trust	Avian Influenza Information
Territories and Islands	2005 Hurricane Recovery