Editing Nature reserve (section)

=== United States ===
[[File:USFWS cascade head (23768226491).jpg|right|thumb|[[Cascade Head]], [[Oregon]], United States, is a [[Man and the Biosphere Programme|UNESCO biosphere reserve]].]]

In the United States, the [[United States Fish and Wildlife Service|U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]], managed by the [[United States Secretary of the Interior|Secretary of the Interior]], is responsible for managing many of the federal nature reserves including the [[National Wildlife Refuge|National Wildlife Refuge System]]. The National Wildlife Refuge System includes areas administered for the protection and conservation of fish and wildlife that are threatened with extinction, as well as wildlife ranges, game ranges, wildlife management areas, and waterfowl production areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/planning/glossary/index.html#R |title=Glossary|publisher=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Division of Refuge Planning, Mountain-Prairie Region|website=www.fws.gov |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170411054925/https://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/planning/glossary/index.html#R |archive-date=11 April 2017 |url-status=live |access-date=10 April 2017}}</ref>

The first North American wildlife refuge, Lake Merritt Wildlife sanctuary at [[Lake Merritt]], was established by [[Samuel Merritt]] and enacted in California state law in 1870 as the first government owned refuge.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/opr/s/Parks/OAK032395|title=Lake Merritt – Wildlife Sanctuary|website=City of Oakland|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426203029/http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/opr/s/Parks/OAK032395|archive-date=26 April 2012|url-status=live|access-date=22 December 2011}}</ref> The first federally owned refuge in the United States is [[Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge]] and was established by [[Theodore Roosevelt]] in 1903 as part of his [[Square Deal]] campaign to improve the country. At the time, setting aside land for wildlife was not a [[United States Constitution|constitutional]] right of the president. In 2006, a bi-partisan group of [[US House of Representatives]] members established the [[Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus]] to further support the needs of the National Wildlife Refuge System in [[US Congress|Congress]].

There are also state-level administered State Nature Reserves found throughout the country, as well as smaller reserves operated by local governments, private trusts, or even funded through public donations. Private nature reserves also exist, with land excluded from private land trusts and maintained at the sole cost of the proprietor, such as the {{convert|1800|acre}} [[Wilbur Hot Springs]].