Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1933 on Maryland’s Eastern Shore along the Atlantic Flyway, protects more than 28,000 acres of marsh, wetlands, fields, and forest. Named for the dark, tannin-stained waters of the Blackwater and Little Blackwater rivers, it supports exceptional biodiversity, including more than 250 bird species, major wintering populations of geese and ducks, and one of the Atlantic coast’s most important bald eagle habitats. The refuge has also been central to recovery efforts for species such as the Delmarva fox squirrel and peregrine falcon, and to the near-elimination of introduced nutria. Its lands also reflect Indigenous history and Harriet Tubman’s legacy.