The Sherburne County Wildlife Refuge lays to the west of and borders Baldwin, Livonia and Blue Hill Townships.
The St. Francis River Valley, the basis for the formation of the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, was originally settled in the 1870’s under the Homestead Act, although humans lived in the area for over 10,000 years. American Indian village sites discovered on the Refuge date back to 100 A.D. Historically, the St. Francis River Basin was known as one of the finest wildlife areas in the state. Tremendous numbers of ducks, muskrats, beaver and mink were supported on small lakes, and marshes near the river which was abundant with wild rice and other wetland plants. The surrounding upland was primarily oak savanna which provided habitat for elk, bison, and timber wolves.
By the early 1940’s, several developments had severely reduced the value of wildlife habitat in the basin. A ditch system, built in the 1920’s, enhanced drainage to increase agricultural acreage. This resulted in fewer wetlands holding water throughout the year. In the early 1940’s carp invaded the lakes and streams in the basin. The feeding activities of these fish resulted in the uprooting of submerged vegetation important to aquatic wildlife. In addition, the native oak savanna upland habitat was converted to agriculture or home sites through logging and/or plowing. Protection from fire allowed the oak savanna to convert to dense woodlands.
In the early 1940’s local conservationists and sportsmen became interested in the possibility of restoring the former wildlife values of the St. Francis River Basin. The Minnesota Conservation Department now the Department of Natural Resources, conducted studies with the intention of managing the area as a state wildlife area. By the early 1960’s it had become apparent that the magnitude of the project was beyond the funding capabilities of the Minnesota Conservation Department, as over 300 individual land holdings, comprising over 30,000 acres would need to be purchased. Therefore, the State of Minnesota formally requested the U.S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, now known as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to consider the area for a National Wildlife Refuge.
The Bureau took on the task and began seeking approval for the Refuge from various local, state and federal authorities. Final approval of the Refuge was received from Migratory Bird Conservation Commission on May 18, 1965, and land was purchased with Federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp (Duck Stamp) funds.
(From a brochure published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about the Refuge located at 17076 – 293rd Avenue, Zimmerman, MN 55398)