Have you ever visited a wildlife refuge or hiked in a natural wilderness area? If so, you know these places are not zoos where animals live in confined and often unnatural settings. Refuges and wilderness areas are natural habitats where wildlife can live with minimal impact from humans.

All types of wildlife havens have been set aside by government agencies that act to protect the natural environment. By limiting human influences, they ensure the survival of local wildlife. In the United States, these protected parcels of land range in size from small local parks, to large national parks like Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve. Located in southern Alaska, this northern wilderness area is more than twice the size of the state of New Jersey!

Even if you have not visited these protected places, you have probably seen pictures or movies of them. Some are national parks with familiar names such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon. Other lands protected and managed by the United States government include forest, rivers, seashores, and national wildlife refuges.

Like their counterparts on land, national marine sanctuaries are areas in the ocean protected by laws that regulate human activities. These special underwater treasures are set aside to protect wildlife and the country’s maritime history. National marine sanctuaries are places where scientists study the ocean and students can use them as living classrooms. There, they can see, touch, and learn about the treasures of the ocean and Great Lakes. Marine sanctuaries are also managed as recreational areas where people can enjoy an unspoiled environment.