In the heart of Fairbanks, Alaska, lies Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge. This state refuge provides wetland habitat for thousands of migratory birds and other wildlife and serves as a recreational destination for the Fairbanks community.

Our Role

The Conservation Fund purchased 480 acres adjacent to the refuge from the University of Alaska and an additional 50 acres from a private landowner to expand the refuge by 530 acres. The protection of this land was a conservation priority for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and an objective outlined in the refuge’s management plan. In September 2020, the state of Alaska purchased the land from us for inclusion in the refuge using funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife Restoration Program.

Why This Project Matters

Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge is an important stopover for migratory birds flying both north and south during the changing seasons. The fields are well known for drawing thousands of migrating birds each spring, which in turn draws thousands of tourists. Upon arrival, visitors to the refuge are greeted by the words “Creamers Dairy” stenciled across a large barn. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this formerly bustling dairy farm went on to become the cornerstone of a valuable wildlife refuge.

At the turn of the 20th century, when Fairbanks was a booming gold-rush town, Charles Hinckley established the dairy farm to serve the growing population. Hinckley hired a teenager named Charles Creamer, who worked at the farm intermittently until leaving to serve in World War I. In the late 1920s, Charles and his wife Rosanna returned to Fairbanks and bought the dairy farm from Hinckley and later expanded the dairy operation to become the largest in central Alaska.

After acquiring the farm, the Creamers managed it to support their dairy operation as well as the migratory bird population that would descend upon the fields each spring. Charles saved barn sweepings of oats and barley to spread in the fields to provide additional food for the birds. The Creamers ran the dairy farm until Rosanna’s death in 1965, when Charles decided it was time to sell the farm. The community partnered with the Alaska Conservation Society and fundraised to secure an option to purchase the farm, which kept it off the market until the state had the funds to buy it in 1968. Soon after the Alaska Department of Fish and Game acquired the property from Creamer, the Alaska Division of Lands transferred management of an adjacent 1,524-acre tract of state land to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Together, the roughly 1,790-acre wildlife management area was aptly named Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge.

Today, the refuge features a mosaic of ecosystems and microhabitats. The diversity of wildlife habitat at Creamer’s Field supports a rich abundance of plant and animal species. The namesake fields are traversed by remnant stream channels that act as ephemeral wetlands, offering high-quality feeding and breeding habitat for migratory birds. Approximately 150 different bird species are found at the refuge throughout the year, including Canada geese, snow geese, trumpeter swans, mallards, northern shovelers and sandhill cranes.

Subarctic boreal forest sweeps through northern parts of the refuge in successional stages that are influenced by fire, weather and human activity. The younger stages of boreal forest are flush with shrubby plants and willow, aspen and birch trees. This habitat is preferred by many species of small mammals, songbirds, game birds and moose. In the climax stage, spruce and fir dominate the tree canopy and create a dense forest with a sparse forest floor. Wildfires shape boreal forests by burning mature spruce and fir trees to create patches of early successional grassland and thinning the canopy to allow aspen and birch trees to grow. Larger predators such as Canada lynx and gray wolves benefit from this diversity of habitat as the mature spruce stands provide them shelter while the younger willow and birch forests provide food for their prey.

The charismatic Alaskan wildlife found in the refuge draws visitors from all over the world. With an expansive network of trails, the refuge is popular for Nordic skiing, hiking, dog mushing, hunting and trapping. Biological research and educational programming are also frequently conducted at the refuge due to its exceptional biological diversity. The addition of 530 acres of land to the refuge will conserve wildlife habitat and expand the educational, recreational and research opportunities at the refuge for generations to come.

Learn More

• Creamer’s Field Resource Inventory
• Creamer’s Field Management Plan
• National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service | PDF