Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge

The Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge is a 35,000-acre (140 km2) national wildlife refuge (NWR) located along the Tennessee River near Decatur, Alabama. Named after Major General Joseph Wheeler, it was established to provide a habitat for wintering and migrating birds in the Eastern United States. Of the 35,000 acres of the refuge, about 4,085 acres (16.53 km2) are located within Redstone Arsenal. Around 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) of the Redstone Arsenal land are administered by the Marshall Space Flight Center. Wheeler NWR is charged with the administration of four other NWRs, including Fern Cave, Key Cave, Sauta Cave and Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge. Until recently, Wheeler NWR also administered the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge (now administered by the Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge).