Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge

 The Little Pend Oreille, pronounced "ponderay," National Wildlife Refuge is located in northeastern Washington about 70 miles north of Spokane, 40 miles west from the panhandle of Idaho, and 40 miles south of British Columbia, Canada. Our 42,657 acres are within the Columbia River Basin Ecosystem and the Okanogan Highlands Province. The Refuge is on the western edge of the Sekirk Mountains; elevations range from 1,800 feet to 5,600 feet. Other public lands surround us- to the north the Washington Department of Natural Resources; to the east and south the U.S. Forest Service are the land stewards.The Refuge was established on May 2, 1939 to protect and provide a breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife. Most of the land was acquired through the Resettlement Administration which retired marginal farmland. Other land was purchased from willing sellers or acquired through exchange with the Washington Department of Natural Resources.