♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> IT'S REFERRED TO AS AMERICA'S BEST-KEPT SECRET.

THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM, UNMATCHED ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.

IT'S AN EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF LAND AND WATER PROTECTED AND MANAGED ESPECIALLY FOR WILDLIFE AND ITS HABITAT FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY.

WE'RE HERE AT THE LARGEST NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IN THE STATE WHERE WE BEGIN OUR TOUR.

WHITE RIVER, NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> AVERAGING 3 TO 10 MILES WIDE AND ALMOST 90 MILES IN LENGTH, MOST CERTAINLY QUALIFIES THE WHITE RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE TO BE THE STATE'S LARGEST.

THE REFUGE ALSO CONTAINS THE LARGEST NUMBER OF NATIVE BLACK BEARS, MORE THAN 200.

AND ARKANSAS'S LARGEST TREE, A BALD CYPRESS, 120 FEET TALL AND MORE THAN 13 FEET IN DIAMETER.

♪♪ WE MADE OUR TRIP NOT ALONG THE WHITE RIVER, BUT ALONG INDIAN BAY LOCATED IN THE SOUTH UNIT OF THE REFUGE.

♪♪ >> THE REFUGE NOW CONTAINS 160,000 ACRES, AND IS VIEWED AS THE LARGEST REMAINING TRACT OF WEST OF THE VALLEY.

THAT SIZE AND THE VALUE OF THOSE BUM LAND HARD WOODS IS RECOGNIZED AROUND THE WORLD.

THE RAMS ARE CONTINGENT ON WETLANDS AND RECOGNIZED IT AS AN INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE PRIMARILY FOR ITS BIRD VALUE, AS WELL AS BIODIVERSITY AND THE WIDE RANGE OF FLORA AND FAUNA THAT WE HAVE HERE.

>> IT'S NOT JUST THE DUCKS AND THE GEESE, TOO, DURING THE WINTERTIME.

IT'S DURING SPRING AND SUMMER, YOU HAVE ALL THESE SONG BIRDS AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, JUST BIRDS GALORE.

>> SURE, IT IS A VERY VALUABLE AND PRODUCTIVE HABITAT FOR NOT ONLY WINTERING WATER FOWL.

THAT'S WHAT THEY THINK OF THE IN THE DELTA ARKANSAS.

THESE LARGE TRACTS OF BOTTOM LAND HARD WOODS ARE CRITICAL HABITAT FOR NESTING SONG BIRDS.

A LOT OF THESE BIRDS WINTER AND CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA, AND THEY COME BACK HERE TO NEST.

THE WARBLERS, COO-COOS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT BIRDS THAT USE THIS HABITAT FOR THEIR NESTING AREA.

>> MAY BE SOMEWHERE THE IVORY-BILLED, BUT THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY.

>> MAYBE SOMEWHERE.

THERE'S ONE OUT THERE.

>> TELL US ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FLOODING HERE THAT WE SEE ALL ALONG.

>> THE FLOODING IS REALLY WHAT IS THE DYNAMIC DRIVING FORCE OF THIS BOTTOM LAND HARDWOOD HABITAT.

IT IS THE FORCE THAT SHAPED THE TOPOGRAPHY OR WHAT WE CALL THE GEO MORPHOLOGY.

YOU LOOK AT THE DELTA AND YOU THINK IT'S FLAT.

THERE ARE SUBTLE DRAINAGE PATTERNS, LITTLE RIDGES AND SWALES THAT WERE ALL CREATED BY THIS ANNUAL FLOOD PULSE AND FLOODING.

SO, THAT SHAPES THE LAND FORM OF THE BOTTOMS, AND JUST MINOR VARIATIONS IN THAT FLOODING DETERMINES WHAT VEGETATIVE SPECIES WE HAVE.

AND THEY ARE ALL CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING DIFFERENT DIPS AND DURATION OF FLOODING.

SO, RIGHT ACROSS THE FLOOD PLANE, THERE IS A VARIETY OF TREE SPECIES THAT ARE ADAPT ED TO THAT PARTICULAR SITE.

SOME SPECIES AS MUCH AS A FOOT OR 2 IN VARIATION WILL CHANGE WHAT SPECIES WOULD OCCUR ON THAT SITE.

SO, THE FLOODING SHAPES THE LAND FORM, DETERMINES THE VEGETATION THAT'S ON THE FLOOD PLANE.

AND THAT IS REALLY THE DRIVING ENGINE THAT NOURISHES THE SYSTEM, BRINGS IN NEW SEDIMENT EVERY YEAR, AND FROM AN AQUATIC STANDPOINT, IT IS REALLY THE HABITAT, THAT FLOOD PULSE, WE'RE HERE IN THE SPRING.

THIS IS EXCELLENT, WHAT WE CALL FLOOD PLANE FISHERY HABITAT THAT IN THESE YEARS LIKE WE ARE HAVING NOW, WHEN WE HAVE A SPRING, PROLONGED SPRING FLOODING, THE AVAILABILITY OF FISHERY FLOOD PLANE HABITAT RESPONDING AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF FISH, THIS IS EXCELLENT HABITAT.

AND IN THOSE FLOOD YEARS, WE HAVE THE NUMBER OF ACRES AVAILABLE OF HABITAT, INCREASES MANY FOLD.

SO, WE KNOW IN THE YEARS WHEN WE HAVE A GOOD SPRING FLOOD THAT THE FISHERY REPRODUCTION IS EXCELLENT, AND THAT SHOWS UP IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS IN THE FISH.

♪♪ >> BOTTOM LAND HARDWOOD FORESTS ARE INDEED THE SOUTH'S MOST PRODUCTIVE HABITATS.

AND THE DENSITY OF THIS WILDERNESS, MORE THAN 70 SPECIES OF TREES GROW, PROVIDING A FOOD SOURCE THAT IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR WILDLIFE DUE TO ALL THE ACORNS, BERRIES AND SEEDS WHICH ARE PRODUCED ON DIFFERING SCHEDULES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

COMBINE THAT WITH THE MORE THAN 300 LAKES AND PONDS ON THE REFUGE, AND YOU HAVE A HAVEN THAT'S NOT ONLY FOR WILDLIFE, BUT FOR PEOPLE AS WELL.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> FOR DECADES IT HAS BEEN KNOWN AS THE STRAWBERRY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

WELL, SINCE THE 190s BALD KNOB CAN LAY CLAIM TO A DIFFERENT VARIETY AS FAR AS WILDLIFE IS CONCERNED WITH THE BALD KNOB NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

LET'S TAKE YOU THROUGH IT.

♪♪ BALD KNOB NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IS LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF BALD KNOB WITH A LITTLE RED RIVER FORMING IN THE WEST AND SOUTHBOUNDERY.

THIS ENTIRE AREA WAS ONCE A RICE FARM BEFORE BECOMING A PART OF THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM.

♪♪ >> THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PURCHASED THE GROUND FROM JOHN HANCOCK INSURANCE COMPANY.

AND IT WAS A MULTI-YEAR PURCHASE, AND IT STARTED IN 1993.

AND THE BULK OF THE FORM WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE ON NOW, AROUND 13,000 ACRES, WAS THE BULK OF THAT WAS PURCHASED BY 1995.

AND THEN THE SERVICE HAS ACQUIRED ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES ON A WILLING SELLER BASIS SINCE THAT TIME.

>> AND I GUESS WITH IT BEING A ONE-TIME FARM AS FAR AS THE IRRIGATION, AS FAR AS ALL THE WATER, I MEAN I GUESS IT WAS PERFECT.

>> IT WAS AN IDEAL SITUATION.

EVERY ONE OF THESE FIELDS IS JUST LIKE A COMPARTMENT, AND WE'VE GOT TOTAL WATER MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES.

WE CAN PUT WATER ON WHEN WE WANT TO, AND WE CAN TAKE THE WATER OFF WHEN WE WANT TO.

MAKES IT IDEAL FOR WATER FOWL AND OTHER MIGRATORY BIRDS.

>> AND YOU RESTORED IT BACK TO HARDWOOD?

>> WE HAVE.

WE COMPLETED THAT PROBABLY IN 2007, PUSHING RIGHT AT 7,000 ACRES.

SO, WE HAVE COMPLETED THAT.

TOOK A LOT OF THE FIELDS THAT WERE NOT PRODUCTIVE AND SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN CLEARED TO BEGIN WITH, RESTORED THAT TO BOTTOM LAND HARDWOOD.

>> OF COURSE, YOU STILL GROW RICE AND OTHER CROPS FOR THE FOOD FOR THE WILDLIFE.

>> WE GROW TYPICALLY ON AN AVERAGE YEAR ABOUT 2000 TO 2200 ACRES OF RICE.

AND WE ROTATE THAT WITH SOYBEANS, MILO, MORE SOIL, WHICH IS A TERM WE USE FOR ANNUAL GRASSES AND NATURAL VEGETATION THAT ARE GOOD NATURAL DUCK FOODS.

SO, WE TRY TO ROTATE ALL THAT TOGETHER, AND WE'VE GOT 4500 ACRES OF CROP LAND.

CURRENTLY.

[BIRD CALLS] >> DURING LATE FALL THROUGH WINTER, LARGE AND WE DO MEAN LARGE CONCENTRATIONS OF BLUE, SNOW, CANADA, AND WHITE FRONTED GEESE CAN BE SEEN OUT IN THE FIELD FEEDING ON THE STUBBLE LEFT FROM FARMING.

♪♪ >> IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE OUT HERE JUST THE RIGHT TIME OF THE DAY, YOU CAN SEE QUITE A SHOW BEING PUT ON AS WAVE AFTER WAVE AFTER WAVE OF WATER FOWL COME IN.

KEEP IN MIND, THOUGH, THAT THE WATER FOWL SANCTUARY IS CLOSED FROM NOVEMBER 15 TO FEBRUARY 28 TO REDUCE WATER FOWL DISTURBANCE.

ALTHOUGH BALD KNOB NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE PROVIDES A WINTER HOME FOR ALL WATER FOWL, IT WAS PURCHASED SPECIFICALLY FOR PIN TAIL DUCK MANAGEMENT DUE TO ITS IDENTIFICATION AS A MAJOR WINTERING AREA FOR THIS PRAIRIE SPECIES.

♪♪ >> THIS IS THE LARGEST STAGING AREA FOR NORTHERN PIN TAILS IN THE STATE, AND THEY LIKE OPEN -- OPEN CROP LAND, RICE FIELDS IN PARTICULAR.

IT'S JUST ANOTHER IDEAL HABITAT FOR THE PIN TAILS, AND THEY HAVE RESPONDED LIKEWISE TO OUR MANAGEMENT.

♪♪ >> SO, WITH THE DIVERSIFIED MANAGEMENT AND RESULTING INCREASES IN MIGRATORY BIRD SPEECHES AND CONCENTRATIONS, BALD KNOB NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IS BECOMING A RENOWNED FOR ITS BIRDING OPPORTUNITIES.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> BACK HERE TRYING TO CATCH SOME BASSE, MAYBE A FEW CATFISH.

THESE LAKES ARE KNOWN FOR CROPPY.

REALLY GOOD CROPPY LEGS.

GET FLOODING FROM THE WHITE RIVER.

WE'RE CLOSE TO THE WHITE RIVER.

IN FACT, THIS IS AN OLD OX BOW IN THE WHITE RIVER.

WHITE RIVER USED TO FLOW THROUGH HERE.

♪♪ >> JOINING UP WITH WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST RICHARD OF CACHE RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, WE VENTURE OUT INTO WHAT THE LOCALS REFER TO AS BISCOE BOTTOMS IN THE SOUTH AREA OF THE REFUGE BETWEEN BISCOE AND CLARENDON.

IT WAS IN THIS REFUGE THAT THE ONCE-THOUGHT EXTINCT IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER WAS REDISCOVERED IN '04.

THE LAST TIME IT WAS SEEN IS 1944 IN LOUISIANA.

>> IT WAS BACK IN 2004, IT'S BEEN SPOTTED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE THEN.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT REAL GOOD PICTURE LIKE WE WANT, BUT A NUMBER OF GOOD SITINGS.

SIGHTINGS FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

WE'RE NO LONGER SEARCHING FOR IT ANY MORE.

WE STOPPED THE SEARCH ABOUT A YEAR OR SO AGO.

CORNELL STOPPED SEARCHING ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, AND IT WAS A SMALL SEARCH ABOUT A YEAR AGO, BUT AS FAR AS THAT PICTURE THAT WE'RE HOPING FOR, THE IVORY-BILL, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT YET.

>> IT'S A VERY ELUSIVE BIRD, I UNDERSTAND.

>> YES, VERY ELUSIVE.

THEY'RE JUST HARD TO FIND.

WE'VE DONE ALL SORTS OF SURVEYS, CONDUCTED ALL SORTS OF SURVEYS, DIFFERENT PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS AND PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS.

SOME GOOD SOUNDS FROM THEM AND A FEW SPOTTINGS HERE AND THERE, BUT THAT PICTURE WE'VE BEEN HOPING FOR, DON'T HAVE IT.

>> YOU WOULD THINK A BIRD THAT'S LESS THAN 20 SOME INCHES LONG WOULD BE NOT THAT DIFFICULT TO SPOT.

>> YEAH, A GOOD POINT.

AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT PICTURE.

SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, MAYBE IT'S JUST ONE OR TWO BIRDS KIND OF NOMAD FLYING BACK ASK FORTH IN DIFFERENT AREAS.

THERE'S DEFINITELY NOT A WHOLE LOT OF BIRDS.

IT'S BEEN HARD TO GET THAT PICTURE.

♪♪ >> THE CACHE RIVER REFUGE CONTAINS A VARIETY OF WETLANDS INCLUDING SOME OF THE MOST INTACT AND LEAST DISTURBED BOTTOM LAND HARDWOOD FOREST IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY REGION.

WHICH IS WHY THEY'RE REFERRED TO AS WEST LANDS OF INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE.

>> THIS HAS THE MOST WINTERING MALARDS OF ANYPLACE IN NORTH AMERICA.

WE MAY HAVE 500,000 MALARDS IN THIS AREA DURING THE WINTERTIME, ALL IN THE FORESTED AREAS AND WETLANDS AREAS AND SO FORTH.

THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED AN AREA OF INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE.

THERE ARE A FEW INVESTMENT COUNTRY.

MOST OF THEM ARE OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

>> THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THE REFUGE IS A REFORESTATION PLAN TO PROVIDE A HARDWOOD CORRIDOR THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE ACQUISITION BOUNDARY DISTANCE OF 70 AIR MILES.

>> ABOUT 7,000 ACRES, ACQUISITION BOUNDARIES, ABOUT 187,000 ACRES.

ANYTHING WE CAN BUY INSIDE THAT.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SELL THEIR LAND, BUT WE DON'T HAVE MONEY.

MOST OF OUR MONEY COMES FROM THE CONGRESS.

WE HAVE OTHER GRANTS THAT WE CAN GET TO PURCHASE LAND, BUT MOST OF IT COMES DIRECTLY FROM CONGRESS.

BUT, YEAH, EVERY TIME WE'VE BOUGHT PARCELS PARTICULARLY IF IT'S AG AREA, WE LIKE TO MAKE THAT REFOREST, REFOREST THOSE AREAS TO MAKE BIGGER BLOCKS, BIGGER HABITAT BLOCKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE FOREST WHICH ARE GREAT FOR WATER FOWL, FOREST BIRDS, DEER, BEARS AND TURKEYS.

WE LIKE THOSE LARGE BLOCKS OF HABITAT.

♪♪ >> SO, MAYBE WHEN ALL OF THE REFORESTATION IS COMPLETED, THE IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER WILL THEN HOPEFULLY RETURN ONCE AGAIN.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> 200 YEARS AGO, THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY CONTAINED SOME 24 MILLION ACRES OF BOTTOM LAND HARDWOOD FOREST.

TODAY ONLY ABOUT 4 MILLION ACRES REMAIN.

OVERFLOW NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WITHIN THE TRIBUTARY OF OVERFLOW CREEK WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1980 TO PROTECT ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING BOTTOM LAPPED HARDWOOD FORESTS CONSIDERED VITAL IN MAINTAINING WATER FOWL ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI FLY WAY.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> IT IS DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE JUST HOW MUCH OF THIS LAND WAS BOTTOM LAND HARDWOOD FOREST.

♪♪ >> IT WAS DISCOVERED -- THE BIG RING CLEARING STARTED PROBABLY AROUND CIVIL WAR WHEN THERE WAS LABOR TO CLEAR LAND.

OF COURSE, INDIANS WERE CLEARING LAND ALONG BARTHOLOMEW EVEN YEARS BEFORE THEN.

IT WAS VERY LARGE FIELDS CLEARED ALONG THE BAYOU.

THEY WERE HIGHER GROUND.

THE BAYOU WAS AN AN CESTRAL CHANNEL OF THE SANDY RIVER.

STILL THE BEST LAND IN THE COUNTY.

THAT'S WHERE MANY INDIAN ARTIFACTS ARE FOUND, STILL QUITE A FEW SIGNS OF INDIAN CIVILIZATION, INDIAN MOUNDS.

MANY HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT LEVELED, SOMEWHAT DISTURBED.

ARTIFACTS COLLECTED, SO ON AND SO FORTH.

BUT THERE'S PLENTY OF EVIDENCE THEY WERE HERE.

AND THE MODERN-DAY LAND CLEARING STARTED REALLY IN THE 1960s.

THIS VERY GROUND WE'RE SITTING ON RIGHT HERE -- STANDING ON RIGHT HERE WAS MOST LICKLY -- MOST LIKELY CLEARED IN THE EARLY '60s.

>> ABOUT 2000 ACRES ON THE REFUGE HAVE BEEN REFORESTED WITH THE HARDWOODS THAT ONCE GREW HERE.

♪♪ >> THOSE BEING ALL THE NATIVE OAKS WHICH CONSIST OF WATER OAK, WILLOW OAK, POST OAK, POST OAK DOWN HERE, SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SPECIES OR SUBSPECIES.

CHERRY BARK OAK, MANY, MANY OAK SPECIES.

ANYONE THAT SAYS THEY KNOW ALL THE OAK TREES IS PROBABLY NOT TELLING YOU QUITE THE TRUTH BECAUSE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY THEM.

AND MOST VALUABLE FOR FOOD FOR WATER FOWL PRODUCED IN THOSE ACRES.

♪♪ >> REFUGE MANAGER LAKE LEWIS ALSO STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF BETTER EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT OUR NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES.

>> MOST PEOPLE FROM STUTTGART, LITTLE ROCK, HAVE NOT EVEN HEARD OF THE OVERFLOW CREEK BOTTOMS, NOR REALLY AWARE THAT THE REFUGE IS HERE.

WE STILL HAVE GREAT MIGRATIONS, NOTHING QUITE LIKE THEY USED TO BE IN THE OLD DAYS, BUT WE USUALLY HAVE A FULL PARKING LOT WHENEVER WE DO HAVE PLENTY OF WATER AND PLENTY OF DUCKS.

AND THIS YEAR PEOPLE HAD SUCCESS -- MORE THAN HALF THE SEASON.

PEOPLE HAD GREAT SUCCESS DUCK HUNTING.

IN THE GREEN TIMBER, PRIMARILY MALARDS ARE THE MAIN SPECIES, WATER FOWL PEOPLE ARE AFTER.

PLENTY OF GREEN WING TEAL AND THE TIMBER DOWN HERE, LOTS OF WOOD DUCK AND OCCASIONALLY EVEN A FEW PIN TAILS AND SOME GADWALS.

OUT HERE IN THE FIELDS, WE HAVE A DIVERSE ARRAY OF DUCKS.

GAD WALLS, PING WING DUCKS, MALARDS.

PROBABLY THE TWO MOST SOUGHT AFTER SPECIES HERE.

AND AS WINTER GOES -- AS WINTER COMES TO AN END AND WE EASE INTO THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, WE START SEEING FEWER DUCKS AS WE HAVE TODAY.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN VERY MANY DUCKS, BUT THE SONG BIRDS START MOVING.

THEIR NORTHERN MIGRATION BACK TO CANADA, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ON THIS WE HAD LAND TODAY, A VARIETY OF SONG BIRDS.

THEY'RE FEEDING.

THEY WILL FEED TILL THEY JUST CANNOT STAND IT ANY LONGER.

THEN THEY WILL PICK UP AND MIGRATE FURTHER NORTH UNTIL THEY LOSE PRACTICALLY HALF OF THEIR BODY WEIGHT.

THEN THEY WILL LOOK FOR OTHER WETLANDS LIKE THIS.

AS THEY MOVE WEST, THROUGH THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY, THEN THEY WILL SET BACK DOWN AND FEED.

THESE ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AREAS, THESE SMALL WETLANDS LIKE WE MANAGE RIGHT HERE FOR THESE SHORE BIRDS.

AND AS THE SHORE BIRDS LEAVE IN THE SUMMERTIME, THESE WETLANDS WILL FILL UP WITH CRAW FISH AND SMALL FISH AND WHITING BIRDS WILL COME IN HERE AND BE OFTEN THICK AT TIMES.

THIS FIELD RIGHT HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE KEEP IT FULL OF WATER LIKE WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS SUMMER, IT WILL BE LITERALLY WHITE WITH WHITE EGRITS AND EVEN LATER ON, WHITE IVIS, WOOD STORKS, GREAT BLUE HER ONS.

>> IN OTHER WORDS, PLENTY OF WILDLIFE YEAR ROUND FOR EVERYONE TO COME, EXPERIENCE, AND ENJOY.

♪♪ [CHIRPING] >> POND CREEK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE TUCKED AWAY FORGOTTEN ABOUT PLACES LOCATED IN SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS, NORTHWEST OF TEXARKANA NEAR MILLWOOD LAKE.

♪♪ LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO FISH THAT'S NOT CROWDED?

WELL, THIS IS IT.

YOU CAN HAVE YOUR FILL OF BLUE GILL, CROPY, LARGE MOUTH BASSE AND CATFISH PROVIDING, OF COURSE, ONE OF THE RESIDENT GATERS DOESN'T GET TO THEM BEFORE YOU DO.

POND CREEK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IS DISSECTED BY AN INTRY DATA SYSTEM OF RIVERS SUCH AS THE CREEKS, BLUES AND LAKES THAT MEANDER THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE BOTTOM WOOD FOREST.

♪♪ >> IT'S A PART OF POND CREEK.

IT'S GOOD FOR FISHING OPPORTUNITIES AND BIRD WATCHING IN THE WINTER AND IT'S JUST A NICE PLACE TO BE TO GET AWAY FROM PEOPLE.

>> JUST ABOUT ANYPLACE ON THE REFUGE IS A NICE PLACE TO BE, ESPECIALLY AT THE OTHER AREA WHERE WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT GATOR.

>> RIGHT.

>> I GUESS THERE'S ONE OR TWO IN HERE AS WELL.

>> I'M SURE.

PROBABLY QUITE A FEW.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> THE HABITATS OF THE REFUGE SUPPORT A LARGE VARIETY OF BIRD SPECIES THAT USE THE WETLAND FOREST AS A PLACE TO NEST AND FORAGE AND TO REPLENISH ENERGY RESERVES FOR THE LONG JOURNEYS TO AND FROM WINTERING AREAS.

>> A LOT OF THE MIGRATORY TROPICAL BIRDS THAT COME FROM SOUTH AMERICA, AND THEY USUALLY STOP HERE TO REST.

AND SOME OF THEM DO NEST.

MAYBE NOT MANY OF THEM, BUT THEY DO STOP AND REST A LOT OF TIMES.

AND THEN HEAD ON THEIR WAY.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> ONE OF THE THINGS I ENJOY MOST IS DRIVING AROUND.

BEING ON THE ROADS OF THE REFUGE, I GET TO SEE A LOT OF WILDLIFE, DEER RUNNING ACROSS THE ROAD, BIRDS HERE AND THERE.

IT'S RELAXING AND PEACEFUL TO BE OUT HERE.

AND I WISH MORE PEOPLE COULD SEE IT THE WAY I SEE IT.

>> AND THAT'S BEEN THE PROBLEM, I GUESS, IN PREVIOUS YEARS, IS EDUCATING THE PUBLIC OF EXACTLY WHAT'S OUT HERE FOR THEM.

>> RIGHT.

WE HAVE MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO JUST ENJOY GETTING OUT.

WE HAVE FISHING.

THERE'S HUNTING.

THERE'S BIRD WATCHING.

AND MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT WE DO HAVE ALL OF THESE THINGS FOR THEM TO ENJOY.

>> ATV TRAILS ON THE REFUGE SERVE AS POPULAR PATHWAYS THAT WILL LEAD TO YOU SOME GREAT WILDLIFE OBSERVATION AREAS.

>> THIS IS THE WAY TO ENJOY A NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> BEING STRATEGICALLY LOCATED ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI FLY WAY 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF MEMPHIS, THIS IS A PRIME AREA FOR MIGRATORY WATER FOWL.

THE OBSERVATION DECK WHICH OVERLOOKS THE LAKE IS A GOOD PLACE TO EXPERIENCE LARGE NUMBERS OF WILDLIFE.

ANOTHER GOOD WAY TO SEE WILDLIFE HERE IS TO GET ON THE WATER ITSELF, SUCH AS WE DID WITH REFUGE MANAGER BILL PETERSON.

>> THEY CAN FLOAT IT, THEY CAN DRIVE IT, AND THE BEST TIMES OF THE YEAR ARE I GUESS DECEMBER AND JANUARY.

>> IF YOU WANT TO SEE WATER FOWL FOLLOWING SPRING, WE HAVE MY GRAB FOR -- MIGRATORY SONG BIRDS COMING THROUGH.

>> NOW, THERE'S A LAUNCHING RAMP THAT PEOPLE CAN, OF COURSE, HAVE THEIR OWN CANOE, KAYAK OR WHATEVER.

>> SURE.

WE HAVE TWO LOCATIONS.

USE ANGLERS ALONG 77, AND REFUGE HEADQUARTERS ALONG KAYAK RANCH.

THAT'S THE WAY WE CAME IN.

>> AND THE DRIVING TOUR, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> SURE.

THE DRIVING TOUR IS ABOUT 3 MILES LONG.

IT'S A ONE-WAY ROUTE.

ACCESS BEGINNING AT THE REFUGE HEADQUARTERS, AND IT'S GREAT ROAD.

SO, ALL SEASON ACCESSIBLE FOR CARS, ANY VEHICLES.

>> WHAT CAN FOLKS SEE ALONG THE WAY, WHAT KIND OF -- AS FAR AS THE TERRAIN HERE AND THE WILDLIFE?

>> COVERS THE ENTIRE REFUGE.

THEY'LL SEE THE LAKE, THE SWAMP, BOTTOM WOOD HARD WOODS, SOME OF OUR REFORESTATION AREAS, ALSO GRASS LANDS.

SO, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE WILDLIFE IN WAPANOCCA.

>> IN THE 1800s, THERE WAS A GREAT HISTORY.

USED TO BE HUNTING CLUBS.

>> IT WAS.

NASH BUCKINGHAM WAS A MEMBER.

THEY SOLD THE PROPERTY TO THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE IN 1950 FOR THE WILDLIFE REFUGE.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> THE NAME WAPANOCCA, WHAT'S THE STORY BEHIND THAT?

>> I BELIEVE IT'S NAMED AFTER AN INDIAN CHIEF THAT LIVES IN THE AREA.

WHEN DE SOTO ORIGINALLY CAME THROUGH HE CAMP ON THE SHORES OF LAKE WAPANOCCA SEVERAL DAYS AND THERE WAS A LARGE NATIVE AMERICAN VILLAGE HERE.

>> THE WILDLIFE THAT DOES CALL WAPANOCCA HOME IS QUITE ABUNDANT.

BEST VIEWING TIMES OF COURSE ARE EARLY IN THE MORNING OR LATE AFTERNOON WHEN WILDLIFE IS MOST ACTIVE.

♪♪ >> SINCE THE REFUGE WAS ORIGINALLY FOUNDED FOR WATER FOWL, MALARDS MAKEUP ABOUT 75% OF THE DUCKS USING THE REFUGE, WHICH IS WHY THE WAPANOCCA HUNTING CLUB WAS SO POPULAR BACK IN THE LATE 1800s.

♪♪ >> SOME OF THE OTHER FEATHERED FRIENDS THAT CAN BE FOUND HERE ARE WHITE FRONTED, SNOW AND CANADA GEESE, AND WOOD DUCKS.

♪♪ >> WITH ALMOST 5500 ACRES OF DIVERSIFIED WILDLIFE HABITAT INCLUDING OPEN WATER CYPRESS SWAMP, AGRICULTURAL FIELDS, HARDWOOD FORESTS, MUDED TIMBER, MUD FRONTS AND GRASS LADTHXCTIONV, ALL OF IT DOES CREATE QUITE AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE FOR WILDLIFE THAT LIVES HERE YEAR ROUND, AND FOR THE WILDLIFE THAT JUST STAYS FOR A SHORT VISIT.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> SO, EITHER BY CANOE OR KAYAK, CAR OR TRUCK, WAPANOCCA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IS QUITE THE ADVENTURE IN THE HEART OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA REGION.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> WE'RE VERY ACCESSIBLE, AND A GREAT DAY TRIP, EVEN HALF DAY TRIP.

IF PEOPLE WANT TO COME OUT AND ENJOY NATURE.

>> IT'S WHAT, FOUR MILES FROM THE MISSISSIPPI?

>> YES.

>> AND ALL AROUND HERE IS AGRICULTURE EXCEPT THE LAKE.

>> IT IS, WE'RE AN ISLAND OF NATURAL HABITAT.

GREAT LOCATION FOR THE NORTHEASTERN PART.

PEOPLE CAN COME OUT AND SEE THE DELTA.

AS IT WAS A FEW HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

>> YOU'RE RIGHT.

THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE ALL AROUND HERE BEFORE AGRICULTURE REALLY BECAME BIG IN THIS AREA.

>> YEAH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES.

AND THE VALUABLE WATER FOWL HABITAT, WE'RE STILL IN GOOD SHAPE.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> BIG LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE STATE IS RECOGNIZED AS AN IMPORTANT LINK ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI MIGRATORY CORRIDOR.

THIS REFUGE PLAYED AN INSTRUMENTAL ROLE IN THE RECOVERY OF THE BALD EAGLE FROM ITS ENDANGERED STATUS.

EAGLES HAVE BEEN RAISING THEIR YOUNG HERE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS SINCE 1993.

DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, PEAK NUMBERS OF WATER FOWL CAN SOMETIMES EXCEED 250,000.

SO, LET'S GO ON A TOUR OF BIG LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> WE TEAMED UP WITH REFUGE MANAGER JEREMY BENNETT FOR A TOUR OF BIG LAKE ON AN AIR BOAT, WHICH IS QUITE AN IDEAL WAY TO GET AROUND ON THIS SHALLOW, GRASSY AND SWAMPY LAKE.

♪♪ >> TO DO THE WORK WE NEED TO DO, THIS IS ONE OF THE TOOLS THAT WE USE.

THE LAKE HAS A LOT OF SHALLOW, SHALLOW AREAS, HEAVILY VEGETATED AND THIS IS REALLY THE ONLY WAY TO GO.

UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S UTILIZED BY THE SERVICE FOR WORK, BUT THIS TOOL IS NOT ALLOWED FOR THE PUBLIC TO USE.

FOR WATER FOWL DISTURBANCE, WILDLIFE DISTURBANCE, THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> BIG LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IS ONE OF THE NATION'S OLDEST REFUGES HAVING BEEN ESTABLISHED IN 1915 THROUGH AN EXECUTIVE ORDER BY PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON AS A RESERVE AND BREEDING GROUNDS FOR NATIVE BIRDS.

♪♪ ♪♪ LOCATED 35 MILES EAST OF JONES BORROW OR TWO MILES EAST OF MANILA, BIG LAKE IS SITUATED ALONG THE NORTHERN TIER OF THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA REGION.

>> WE'RE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE LAND.

MOST PEOPLE CAN'T IMAGINE THE SIZE AND THE VASTNESS OF THIS SWAMP LAND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF COTTON COUNTRY.

♪♪ >> BIG LAKE IS ACTUALLY ADJACENT TO THE BOOT HILL OF MISSOURI.

>> MISSOURI ACTUALLY DRAINS ALL THE AGRICULTURE LAND.

THEY HAVE EXTENSIVE DRAINAGE SYSTEM OF DITCHES.

WHEN ALL THAT DRAINS SOUTH EAST MISSOURI TO BOOT HILL, IT DRAINS IN AND AROUND BIG LAKE.

♪♪ >> HUNTING IS, OF COURSE, NOT ALLOWED ON THE REFUGE, BUT IS ALLOWED NEXT DOOR IN THE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA WITH THE DUCK HUNTER'S NUMBER ONE PREFERENCE BEING QUITE ABUNDANT.

>> PREDOMINANTLY, PROBABLY 90% MALARD, BUT WE HAVE NORTHERN PIN TAIL, NORTHERN, WE HAVE GREEN WING TEAL, CANADA GEESE, WE PICKED UP A FEW CANADA GEESE THIS PAST COUPLE WEEKS.

WE'VE GOT SOME DIVING DUCKS, MOST IMPORTANTLY CANVAS BACK, WHICH IS A PRETTY IMPORTANT DIVING DUCK THAT IS A SPECIES OF CONCERN.

A LOT OF PEOPLE GET EXCITED ABOUT CANVAS BACK.

THEY LIKE THE LARGER OPEN WATER AREAS WHICH THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY AREAS IN NORTHEAST ARKANSAS.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> THE PEAK PERIOD FOR OBSERVING WATER FOWL HERE IS IN THE DEAD OF WINTER.

>> STARTING IN DECEMBER IS PROBABLY OUR PEAK, PEAK NUMBERS AND IT WILL CARRY ON INTO JANUARY.

BASICALLY WE'LL HOLD LARGE NUMBERS OF WATER FOWL UNTIL THE LAKE FREEZES UP.

ONCE THE LAKE IS PRETTY WELL FROZEN OVER, THE BIRDS HAVE TO MOVE SOUTH.

SO, WE HOLD LARGE NUMBERS UNTIL THAT HAPPENS.

>> MORE THAN 225 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF BIRDS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED ON THE REFUGE AND RECORDED SINCE 1915, INCLUDING BALD EAGLES, HAVING A NEST LOCATED ON THE LAKE.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> THE NEW MY GRANT EARTHQUAKES OF 1811 AND 1812 CHANGED IT TO A LAKE SWAMP ENVIRONMENT.

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE AN AIR BOAT TO GET AROUND.

>> THERE'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.

MOST VISITORS COME BY VEHICLE, AND THERE'S SOME WONDERFUL WILDLIFE VIEWING OPPORTUNITIES ALONG SOME ROADS THAT WE MAINTAIN.

SO, YOU CAN ACTUALLY VIEW AND PHOTOGRAPH WILDLIFE STRAIGHT FROM YOUR CAR WINDOW.

AND IN THE WINTERTIME, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER IN THE COMFORTS OF YOUR VEHICLE.

SO, THERE ARE ROAD SIDE VIEWING OPPORTUNITIES.

WE HAVE SOME MARKED WALKING TRAILS TO OBSERVE WILDLIFE ALONG FOUR DIFFERENT WALKING PATHS WE HAVE.

IF YOU BRING A BOAT, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE AND TIME OF YEAR, MOST OF THE LAKE IS A WATER FOWL SANCTUARY IN THE WINTERTIME.

SO, A LARGE PORTION OF THE LAKE IS CLOSED TO BOATERS WHEN THE LARGEST CONCENTRATION OF WATER FOWL IS HERE SO THEY'RE NOT DISTURBED.

BUT IN THE SUMMERTIME AND THE SPRING, YOU CAN BRING YOUR BOAT AND ENJOY LOTS OF FLOODED CYPRESS AREAS ON THE LAKE.

WE'VE GOT A WILDERNESS AREA THAT'S PRETTY UNIQUE TO NORTHEAST ARKANSAS, VIRGIN CYPRESS TREES.

THE WAY IT WAS HERE, I GUESS YEARS AGO.

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S REALLY THE ONLY UNTOUCHED PORTION OF THE REFUGE.

IT'S ABOUT 2600 ACRES, AND BASICALLY IT'S UNDISTURBED.

IT'S AN AREA OF PEACE AND ZOLL "TODAY" -- SOLITUDE.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> SO, IF IT'S PEACE AND SOLITUDE YOU'RE SEEKING, EXPLORE BIG LAYING WILDLIFE REFUGE IN NORTHEAST ARKANSAS.

YOU'LL LEAVE A CHANGED PERSON WITH A GREATER APPRECIATION FOR WHAT THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE SYSTEM OFFERS US IN AMERICA.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> NEXT TIME YOU GET AN URGE TO TAKE A JOY RIDE, HOW ABOUT A WILDLIFE JOY RIDE?

AND IF YOU MAKE THE DRIVE HERE AT HOLLOW BEND WILDLIFE NATIONAL REFUGE ANY TIME DURING THE FALL ORE WINTER, YOU STAND AN EXCELLENT CHANCE OF SEEING THE GREATEST VARIETY OF WILDLIFE.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> HOLLA BEND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IS LOCATED SOUTH OFF DARDANELLE 157.

GO FOUR OR FIVE MILES AND YOU'LL COME TO THE ENTRANCE ROAD AND GATE.

A FEE AND VEHICLE ENTRANCE PASS IS REQUIRED.

THE EIGHT-MILE AUTO TOUR IS THE BEST WAY TO LEARN ABOUT THE REFUGE, AND THERE ARE INFORMATION PANELS ALL THROUGHOUT THE ROUTE.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> THE FIRST SECTION OF THE DRIVE WILL TAKE YOU ALONGSIDE THE ARKANSAS RIVER AND DOWN TO ONE OF TWO BOAT LAUNCHING AREAS.

YOU CAN THEN BACKTRACK AND HEAD SOUTH ON ANOTHER ROAD TO THE OTHER SECTIONS OF THE REFUGE.

♪♪ ♪♪ FOR YOUR BEST CHANCES OF SEEING WILDLIFE, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE AND DRIVE ALONG SLOWLY.

BUT IF YOU DO GET THE URGE TO GET OUT AND DO A LITTLE EXPLORING, THERE IS AN OBSERVATION TOWER HERE THAT YOU CAN UTILIZE.

THE OBSERVATION TOWER HAS BEEN REBUILT AND IS NOW BARRIER FREE.

VIEWING SCOPES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE TOP FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT WILDLIFE.

BUT IF YOU DO HAVE A PAIR OF BINOCULARS, YOU MIGHT WANT TO BRING THOSE ALONG TO VIEW OTHER AREAS OF THE REFUGE.

♪♪ ♪♪ HIKING TRAILS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE SUCH AS ALONG THE LEVEE TRAIL.

HOLLA BEND HISTORY IS RICHLY STEEPED IN AGRICULTURE.

SOME OF THE EARLIEST INHABITANTS TO UTILIZE THE LAND WERE THE OSAGE AND CHEROKEES.

♪♪ ♪♪ HOLLA BEND IS NAMED AFTER ONE OF THE EARLY SETTLORS, HOLLEY BROWN FOLLOWING A SURVEY CREW IN 1830 AND SUBSEQUENT MAPPING.

THERE WAS AN APPARENT MISSPELLING FROM HOLLEY BEND TO HOLLA BEND.

IN THE EARLY 1900s, MORE THAN 65 HE WILL FAMILIES LIVED AND FARMED ON THIS RICH BOTTOM LAND SOIL.

A DEVASTATING FLOOD IN 1927 AND OTHERS THAT FOLLOWED DROVE MOST OF THE FARMERS OFF THE LAND.

DURING THE 1950s, THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE NAVIGATION AND FOR FLOOD CONTROL STRAIGHTENED THE ARKANSAS RIVER.

THE RESULTING 7,05 5 ACRE ISLAND BETWEEN THE OLD RIVER CHANNEL AND THE NEW ONE BECAME HOLLA BEND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

♪♪ ♪♪ TOGETHER THE AGRICULTURAL FIELDS AND ALL THE WATER IMPOUNDMENTSES MAKE FOR QUITE A HOME FOR WINTERING WATER FOWL.

IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THE REFUGE TO HOST UP TO 100,000 DUCKS AND GEESE AT ONCE, INCLUDING CANADA AND SNOW GEESE.

>> YES, SNOW GEESE, CANADA GEESE, AND ALSO TRUMPETER SWANS HAVE BEEN REINTRODUCED INTO THE REFUGE.

>> THE TRUMPETER SWAN WILL BE COMING BACK HERE YEAR AFTER YEAR.

>> THAT WILL BE GREAT.

IT WAS A THREE-YEAR PROJECT WITH THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH.

>> AND PROVIDING FOOD HERE FOR THE WATER FOWL WITH THE VARIOUS CROPS.

>> YES, FOR THE WATER FOWL WE FEED THEM ONE OF TWO WAYS.

ONE WITH NATIVE MOIST SOIL PLANTS WHERE WE WATER AND DE WATER THE AREAS AND AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR TO ENCOURAGE MOIST SOIL PLANTS TO GROW, PRODUCE SEED WHICH ARE GREAT FOR THE DUCKS.

THE OTHER WAY IS THROUGH THE CROPS.

WE HAVE A COOPERATIVE SET UP WITH OUR COOPERATIVE FARMER.

HE SHOWS UP AND PLANTS 75% OF THE CROPS FOR HIM, 25% WE USE FOR US.

FOR US MEANING WATER FOWL.

THAT WAS CORN, MILO AND MILLET.

>> AND EAGLES NESTS.

A COUPLE THREE ABOUT HERE.

>> YES, WE HAVE THREE ACTIVE EAGLE NESTS IN THE REFUGE.

SINCE BACK IN THE 1980s WE WERE ENCOURAGING EAGLES TO NEST HERE ON THE REFUGE.

>> AND, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE THE ONES THAT MIGRATE HERE AND THEN RETURN.

>> YES, THERE ARE MIGRATORY EAGLES THAT COME DOWN.

YOU CAN COME IN THE WINTERTIME AND ACTUALLY SEE UPWARDS OF 10 TO 20 BIRDS AT A TIME.

THEY SORT OF TEND TO FOLLOW THE WATER FOWL.

>> WHAT HAVE YOU ENJOYED I GUESS PERSONALLY HERE SINCE YOU'VE BEEN HERE?

>> OH, I REALLY ENJOY THE HABITAT.

I REALLY ENJOY LOOKING AT HOW THINGS CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, HOW YOU CAN COME INTO ONE AREA AND SEE LOTS OF DUCKS AND GEESE ONE TIME OF YEAR, COME IN LATER AND SEE TROPICAL MIGRANTS WELL AS WELL.

>> REFUGES IN GENERAL, FOR SOME REASON THEY THINK IT'S STRICTLY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE WILDLIFE.

BUT IT'S FOR PEOPLE, TOO.

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.

WILDLIFE IMPROVEMENT ACT THAT WAS PASSED BACK IN THE EARLY 1990s, WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE COME OUT ON THE REFUGE TO PARTICIPATE AND THAT WOULD BE HUNTING, FISHING, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION, WILDLIFE OBSERVATION AND PHOTOGRAPHY.

SO, ALONG WITH ALL THOSE THINGS WE DO FOR WILDLIFE OUT HERE WE STILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE COME OUT AND ENJOY THE REFUGE AS WELL.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> SO, LIKE DURWIN CARTER SAYS, COME OUT AND ENJOY THIS WILDLIFE REFUGE.

IT REALLY IS NOT JUST FOR WILDLIFE, BUT FOR US AS WELL.

OPEN FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET, AND REMEMBER TO TAKE ONLY PICTURES.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> LOCATED ABOUT FIVE MILES WEST OF CROSSETT, NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IS AN INTRICATE SYSTEM OF RIVERS, CREEKS, SLEWS, SWAMPS AND LAKES THROUGHOUT A VAST BOTTOM LAND HARDWOOD FOREST.

SOME OF THE OBJECTIVES ARE TO PROVIDE HABITAT FOR MIGRATORY WATER FOWL AND OTHER BIRDS, AND ALSO TO PROVIDE HABITAT AND PROTECTION AGAINST SOME OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES, LIKE THE RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER.

PINE TREES OF SUFFICIENT AGE ARE NECESSARY FOR NESTING 60 YEARS PLUS.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> THEIR HABITAT IS KIND OF WHERE IT'S LESS AND LESS.

THEY LIKE SHORT LEAF PINE, SOME LONG LEAF, BUT HERE WE HAVE THE WOBWALLY AND THE SHORT LEAF.

THEY'RE BECOMING LESS AND LESS OF THIS TYPE OF FOREST HERE.

AND THEY LIKE A LIVE PINE.

THEY EXCAVATE THEIR CAVITIES FROM THE LIVE PINE.

>> THAT'S THE ONLY WOODPECKER, I UNDERSTAND, THAT DOES THAT IN THE LIVE TREE.

>> YES.

NOW, OTHER CRITTERS USE ALL OF THEIR CAVITIES, SQUIRRELS AND OWLS AND LIZARDS AND FROGS AND LOTS OF WOOD DUCKS USE THEIR CAVITIES THAT OTHER WOODPECKERS WILL ENLARGE AND THEY BECOME UNSUITABLE FOR THEM.

AND, SO, OTHER CRITTERS MOVE IN AND USE THEIR CAVITIES.

>> TELL US ABOUT THIS CONTRAPTION NOW.

>> THIS IS CALLED A TREE-TOP PEEPER AND IT EXTENDS 50 FOOT, FIBERGLASS POLE.

IT HAS A CAMERA ON THE END WITH A LIGHT.

IT GOES INTO THE CAVITY AND TRANSMITS SOUND TO THIS MONITOR WHERE YOU CAN SEE INSIDE THE CAVITY.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> THOSE PINE TREES ON THE REFUGE THAT CONTAIN RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER NESTS ARE MARKED WITH A WHITE BAND.

THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 12 COLONIES ON THE REFUGE WITH 2 TO 4 BIRDS PER COLONY.

>> WHEN THEY NEST AND HAVE YOUNG, ALL OF THE BIRDS WILL EVENTUALLY LEAVE EXCEPT FOR MAYBE A MALE.

ALL THE FEMALES WILL USUALLY LEAVE AFTER THE FIRST NEST SEASON.

THEY'LL STAY THERE MAY BE A YEAR, THEN THEY'LL LEAVE AND TRY AND FIND A MATE SOMEWHERE ELSE.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> GETTING THE RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER OFF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST MAY TAKE QUITE SOMETIME.

>> IT'S GOING TO TAKE YEARS, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT NOW TO GROW OUR POPULATION WITH THE BURNING AND TIMBER HARVEST, TRYING TO GET IT DOWN TO WHAT THE BIRDS LIKE.

WE CAN ALSO START DOING SOME TRANSLOCATING FROM OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE A BIGGER POPULATION TO HELP BUILD OURS UP.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> SINCE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES ARE KNOWN AS AMERICA'S BEST-KEPT SECRET, THE REFUGE SYSTEM IS TRYING TO LET THAT SECRET OUT ABOUT WHAT'S ACTUALLY AVAILABLE HERE.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES ARE WILD PLACES.

I GUESS THAT WORD "WILD" DOESN'T APPEAL TO THE MASSES.

THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE IS TAKING A GREAT INITIATIVE TO TRY TO CHANGE THAT.

WE'RE CURRENTLY TRYING TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH NATURE AND GIVEN ANY EFFORT WE CAN TO APPEAL TO NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, THE HUNTERS AND THE FISHERMEN, BUT ALSO THE BIRD WATCHERS AND THE WILDLIFE ENTHUSIASTS AND THE HIKERS AND HERE WE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN OUR PARTNERSHIP.

SO, WE WORK WELL WITH GIRL SCOUTS AND WE'LL HAVE THEM COME OUT AND DO VARIOUS THINGS ON THE REFUGE.

WE WORK WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE -- WE'RE IN A MILL TOWN, SO, WE WORK WITH THE MILL AND DO GREAT THINGS FOR KIDS, GO INTO THE SCHOOLS AND TEACH THEM ABOUT WILDLIFE AND HOW WATER IS IMPORTANT AND ALL THAT COOL STUFF.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> PRIMARILY IT WAS ESTABLISHED FOR WINTERING WATER FOWL HABITAT AND FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES WHICH RCWs WE'VE BEEN WATCHING HERE TODAY AS WELL AS OUTDOOR PUBLIC RECREATION.

THOSE ARE THE MAIN FACTORS THAT WE FOCUS IN ON.

BUT THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE, THE NATIONAL WIDE LIFE REFUGES DO AND NATIONAL PARKS DO, NATIONAL PARKS ARE GEARED TOWARDS HIGH PUBLIC USAGE AND MORE ABOUT PEOPLE.

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES ARE GEARED TOWARDS THE ANIMALS.

IT'S ALL ABOUT HABITAT FOR THE ANIMALS AND WHAT'S BEST FOR THE ANIMALS.

AND THE CRITTERS TAKE THE TOP PRIORITY IN EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE DO.

SO, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER, HUNTING PROGRAMS, FISHING PROGRAMS.

WE DO A LOT OF OUTDOOR EDUCATION TYPE PROGRAMS.

BUT ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE, THE CRITTERS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES, THEY ARE INDEED THE BEST OF WHAT WILD AMERICA HAS TO OFFER.

CONTAINING A PRICELESS GIFT, A HERITAGE OF AMERICA'S WILDLIFE THAT WAS AND STILL IS.

AND WHAT OUR CHILDREN NEED TO EXPERIENCE IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THAT PRICELESS GIFT.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> SO, THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM IS, FIRST AND FOREMOST, FOR WILDLIFE.

BUT THESE REFUGES ARE ALSO FOR THE BENEFIT OF PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS.

AND KNOWING THAT, EXPLORE FOR YOURSELF WHAT AMERICA'S BEST-KEPT SECRET REALLY IS ALL ABOUT.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪