Why are sanctuary areas not rotated each year?
A10: Rotating sanctuaries is not an effective management practice when working with multiple species of waterfowl, eagles and other migratory birds. The value of sanctuaries would decline if they were moved around. Many sanctuaries are selected due to their unique habitat values and are closed to public access. Once a sanctuary is selected, it is marked with adequate signage, the public is notified, and the area is enforced by refuge officers. This process would become onerous and unmanageable if sanctuaries were rotated each year. Sanctuaries provide feeding areas for row crops, moist soils, invertebrates, and brakes and flooded woods, and a key ingredient of isolation. Sanctuaries provide vital habitat to meet the life history requirements of wintering waterfowl including quiet areas that support molting, pairing and bonding — all of which help build healthier and bigger waterfowl populations.
