Come learn the history of the only designated National Wildlife Refuge dedicated solely to habitat research. Located in the backyard of the nation’s capital between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Md., it was established by executive order in 1936 by President Franklin Roosevelt, who declared that wildlife research is the “barometer for climate change.” As one of 540 such refuges throughout the U.S., Patuxent’s focus is mainly on bird research, but it also played an important early role in establishing the link between DDT and its ill effects on local earthworms and birds. The film reminds us that, regardless of decades of change, Patuxent’s mission of conserving and protecting the nation’s wildlife and habitat through research and wildlife management techniques has remained virtually unchanged. Produced by Northern Light Productions.