Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge, National wildlife refuge in eastern Oklahoma, United States.
Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge is a narrow ribbon of wetlands, oxbow lakes, swamps and bottomland forest along both banks of the meandering Deep Fork River for about 20 miles (32 km) near Okmulgee. Oaks, pecans, elms, hickories, ashes, sugarberries, walnuts, river birches and willows grow on land logged in the past, with a few patches of mature forest left. More than 80 percent of the refuge floods each year.
The refuge was established in June 1993 and dedicated in February 1995. Its legal boundary covers 18,359 acres, of which about 9,748 acres were publicly owned in 2015; more land is bought from willing sellers as funds allow. Past logging left most of the bottomland forest relatively young, though a few patches of mature trees remain.
The refuge offers educational programs to 2,000 students annually, including the Okmulgee County Archery Day and environmental conservation activities.
The refuge has walking trails of varying lengths with parking areas at multiple access points. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for different trail types, from open paths to wooden boardwalks.
The refuge serves as a critical stopover for migratory birds that pass through the region twice yearly. Bird enthusiasts can observe a wide range of avian species here.
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