Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
| Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge | |
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IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
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 Location in Washington state
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| Location | Clark County, Washington, United States |
| Nearest city | Vancouver, Washington |
| Coordinates | 45°48′15″N 122°45′42″W / 45.80417°N 122.76167°WCoordinates: 45°48′15″N 122°45′42″W / 45.80417°N 122.76167°W |
| Area | 5,228.10 acres (21.1574 km2) |
| Established | 1965 |
| Visitors | 165,000 |
| Governing body | United States Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Website | Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge |
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve, one of the national wildlife refuges operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, located in the westernmost part of Clark County, Washington. The refuge protects more than 5,200 acres (2,100 ha) of marshes, grasslands, and woodlands. The refuge was established (along with 3 other refuges in the Willamette Valley of Oregon) in 1965, in response to a need to establish vital winter habitat for wintering waterfowl with an emphasis on the dusky Canada goose whose nesting areas in Alaska were severely impacted by the violent earthquake of 1964.
Ridgefield NWR is part of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Complex, headquartered in Ridgefield, Washington, which oversees the management of four refuges in the southwestern part of the state: Ridgefield, and three refuges in the Columbia River Gorge: Franz Lake, Pierce, and Steigerwald Lake.
Preservation of the natural Columbia River floodplain is the management objective of the Carty, 2 mile (3 km) self-guided hiking trail, Roth and Ridgeport Dairy units. The River 'S', 4.2 mile (7 km) auto tour route and 1.2 mile (2 km) seasonal hiking trail, and Bachelor Island units are managed to maximize habitat for waterfowl and other wetland wildlife.
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