Yesterday, President Obama signed into law legislation to change the name of Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge in Mississippi to the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, in honor of the late director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Hamilton was sworn in as the 15th director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in September, 2009 and was serving in that capacity when he died suddenly in February, 2010.

A 30-year career employee of the Service, he previously had served in a variety of positions, including regional director of the Southeast Region, where he was instrumental in the extensive recovery and restoration efforts required following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the Interior Department’s restoration work in the Everglades.

Established in 1940, the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge is located within the three Mississippi counties of Noxubee, Oktibbeha and Winston. Its 42,500 acres of bottomland and upland woodlands provide essential habitat to the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, the American alligator, bobcat, quail, white-tailed deer and wild turkeys. In addition 15,000 waterfowl, primarily American widgeons, gadwalls, mallards and wood ducks, winter on the Refuge. 

Photo: Roger Smith