Editing Howland Island (section)

==National Wildlife Refuge==
[[File:Anglefish and Hump Coral - Howland Island NWR.jpg|thumb|[[Emperor Angelfish]] and hump coral – Howland Island NWR.]]
On June 27, 1974, Secretary of the Interior [[Rogers Morton]] created Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge, which was expanded in 2009 to add submerged lands within {{convert|12|nmi|km}} of the island. The refuge now includes {{convert|648|acre|km2}} of land and {{convert|410351|acre|km2}} of water.<ref>White, Susan. [http://www.fws.gov/howlandisland "Welcome to Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge."] ''U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,'' August 26, 2011. &nbsp;Retrieved: March 20, 2012.</ref> Along with six other islands, the island was administered by the [[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]] as part of the Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex. In January{{spaces}}2009, that entity was upgraded to the [[Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument]] by President [[George W. Bush]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bush |first=George W. |date=January 6, 2009 |title=Establishment of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2009/01/20090106-6.html |website=[[White House]]}}</ref>

Multiple [[Invasive species|invasive exotic]] species have affected the island habitat. [[Black rats]] were introduced in 1854 and eradicated in 1938 by [[feral cats]] introduced the year before. The cats proved destructive to bird species and were eliminated by 1985. [[Digitaria|Pacific crabgrass]] continues to compete with local plants.<ref name="Wildlife">{{Cite web |title=Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge |url=https://www.fws.gov/refuge/howland-island |website=[[U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service]]}}</ref>

Public entry to the island is allowed with a special use permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and it is generally restricted to scientists and educators. Representatives from the agency visit the island on average once every two years, often coordinating transportation with amateur radio operators or the [[United States Coast Guard|U.S. Coast Guard]] to defray the high cost of logistical support.<ref name="fws visiting" />