The land that would become the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was established by an Act of Congress after a year-long legal battle that pitted local residents against Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials wishing to turn the Great Swamp into a major regional airport for jet aircraft.
The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is located in Morris County, New Jersey. Established in 1960, as the first federal wilderness area, it now is among what has grown to be more than 550 refuges in the United States National Wildlife Refuge System.
The initial portion of the Great Swamp that was assembled and donated for perpetual preservation by the park service of the federal government was declared a National Natural Landmark in May 1966. It has grown several times with the assemblage of additional lands. Its eastern half was designated as a wilderness by Congress in 1968, making it the first wilderness area within the U. S. Department of the Interior.