Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, National Wildlife Refuge in Collier County, Florida.

This refuge is a sprawling protected area in Southwest Florida made up of thick mangrove forests, shallow waterways, and hundreds of small islands scattered across the landscape. The terrain consists of dense trees rooted in water, tidal channels, and open marshes that shift with the seasons.

The refuge was established in 1996 and covers 35,000 acres (141 km2) of the Ten Thousand Islands in Collier County, between Marco Island and Everglades City. Its northern section forms the refuge, while the southern part of the archipelago belongs to Everglades National Park.

The refuge lies between Marco Island and Everglades City, and its waters are fished, hunted, birded, kayaked and camped in by visitors under refuge rules. Roughly 200 fish species and 189 bird species have been recorded there, alongside a large mangrove forest covering both fresh and salt water.

The refuge lies between Marco Island and Everglades City in Collier County, with the southern part of the Ten Thousand Islands belonging to Everglades National Park. Boats and kayaks are the usual way to reach the mangrove waterways; fishing, hunting, birdwatching and camping are permitted, and campers need a permit from the refuge before settling in.

The refuge covers about 35,000 acres north of the Ten Thousand Islands archipelago; the southern part of the archipelago lies within Everglades National Park. Its mix of fresh and salt water and its mangrove forest support roughly 200 fish species and 189 bird species.