Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge is a vast protected wetland in north-central Florida established in 1964 to provide habitat for migrating and wintering birds. Dominated by water, it includes more than 30,000 acres of marshes, swamps, and other aquatic areas whose levels are actively managed to support plant communities and wildlife. The refuge has recorded 215 bird species, including threatened and endangered birds, and also supports manatees, alligators, amphibians, and reptiles, showing its broader ecological importance. After years of limited funding, a major 1979 donation enabled long-delayed improvements in water regulation, trails, and species protection, strengthening its role as a major conservation landscape.