The Umbagog Area of New Hampshire and Maine

A true wilderness experience in the heart of the Great North Woods

Umbagog Area Chamber of Commerce

P.O. Box 113
Errol, NH 03579
email us

Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge

The Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1992 to provide long-term conservation of significant wetland and upland wildlife habitat associated with Lake Umbagog. The Refuge was established as a partnership with the State of New Hampshire and the State of Maine to conserve the rich wildlife values of the area. Bald eagle, osprey, common loon, northern harrier, American bittern, great blue heron, black ducks, wood ducks, ring-necked ducks, hooded mergansers and goldeneye use the lake and surrounding wetlands to breed and rear their young. Gray jay, spruce grouse, boreal chickadee, black-backed and northern three-toed woodpeckers can be found using habitats around bogs and other boreal habitats here. Many of the species mentioned above are rare in the Northeast and several are threatened species.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has acquired, through purchase and conservation easements, more than 16,300 acres where habitats are managed to benefit the rare and unique plant and animal species that exist here. The states of New Hampshire and Maine have acquired an additional 1,000 acres and 1,600 acres receptively, toward this common goal. This combination of ownership and easements protects nearly all of the Lake Umbagog shoreline in New Hampshire and significant lengths of shoreline along the Androscoggin and Magalloway rivers.

Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge contributes to biological diversity through management and enhancement of habitats. Local outdoor enthusiasts, non-governmental conservation groups and government agencies have recognized the diversity and richness of these habitats for many years. In 1979, the Secretary of Interior designated part of the wetlands associated with Lake Umbagog as a National Natural Landmark. This designation recognized the floating bog and wetlands as a significant natural area, one of a very special group of places that illustrated our country's diverse natural history.

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency in the Department of Interior, manages Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to administer a national network of lands and water for conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.