Joint Committee Meeting to be Held at AFWA's Annual Meeting to Discuss the 75th Anniversary of the Wildlife & Sport Fish Restoration Program

The success of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs and its 75 years of partnership to restore America's fish and wildlife may be the greatest untold conservation story. But, you can help tell the story by celebrating WSFR’s 75th Anniversary with us in 2012.

The Education, Outreach & Diversity Committee of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies invites members of the Angler/Boater and Hunting and Shooting Sports Participation Committees (and anyone interested) to participate in a joint collaborative session to learn more about the timeline and tools available to promote the anniversary as well as to brainstorm ideas for celebrating 75 years of better hunting, fishing and wildlife-related recreation through WSFR. This joint session will lead off the scheduled EOD Committee meeting on Tuesday, September 13, 2011 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. at the Omaha Hilton, Murray Room.

> View the meeting agenda

Six State Fish and Wildlife Agencies to Receive Nearly $5 Million in State Wildlife Grants

Approximately $5 million will be distributed to state wildlife agencies in Arkansas, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Nebraska and Washington through the State Wildlife Grants Competitive Program to support cost-effective conservation aimed at preventing wildlife from becoming endangered, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced yesterday.

The State Wildlife Grants Competitive Program provides federal dollars to support the development and implementation of each state’s unique State Wildlife Action Plan, which assesses the health of wildlife and habitats, identifies the problems they face and outlines the actions needed to conserve and recover imperiled fish and wildlife species over the long term.

“Across the country, conserving high quality habitat, restoring degraded lands and waters and removing invasive species are among the top priorities for conservation,” said Ron Regan, Executive Director of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. “Though the challenges to keeping wildlife from becoming endangered are greater than ever before, State Wildlife Action Plans present a national action agenda for the conservation of wildlife species that have not benefited from conservation attention due to lack of funding.”

Priority for State Wildlife Competitive Grant funding is placed on multistate, cooperative conservation projects focused on species and habitats with the greatest conservation need. States and their partners will match the federal funding by more than $2 million in non-federal funds.

“We can wait for wildlife to decline and react to problems with expensive, last-ditch efforts or we can take proactive, cost-effective steps to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered before it is too late,” said Mark Humpert, Teaming With Wildlife Director at the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. The 6,300-member Teaming With Wildlife coalition, made up of organizations and businesses, strongly supports increased State Wildlife Grant funding for wildlife conservation, education and nature-based recreation. “The State Wildlife Grants Program helps states turn the trend around and reduce the need for listing many species and costly recovery efforts,” added Humpert.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded State Wildlife Competitive Grants to the following projects:

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission: Coordinated Multi-State Response to a Deadly, Emerging Threat – White-Nose Syndrome in Bats—to support a multi-regional coordinated response to white-nose syndrome (WNS), an emerging threat to cave-dwelling bats. State partners include Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin as well as Bat Conservation International (Austin, TX). Federal funds awarded: $998,834; non-federal match: $450,797

Iowa Department of Natural Resources: The Use of Fire and Grazing to Improve Grassland Habitats for Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)—to support the development of an effective management framework for increasing the diversity of grasslands in working landscapes, thereby increasing the capacity of these areas to support viable populations of SGCN. Project activities will take place on both public and private lands. Iowa DNR will partner with the Missouri Department of Conservation as well as personnel from Illinois and Oklahoma to accomplish project goals. Federal funds awarded: $732,904; non-federal match: $317,113

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife: The Conservation of Marsh Tidal Birds: Guiding Action at the Intersection of Our Changing Landscape—to provide information for the New England and Mid-Atlantic coast states to protect regionally important habitats for tidal marsh birds (including 26 species of greatest conservation need) and to provide a regionally consistent platform for tidal marsh monitoring in anticipation of sea-level rise and upland/watershed development. Primary state partners include Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland with work also occurring in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Virginia. Federal funds awarded: $760,202; non-federal match: $412,159

Michigan Department of Natural Resources: Oak Savanna, Pine Barrens and Jack Pine Restoration in Michigan and Ohio for Species of Greatest Conservation Need—to restore and enhance 600 acres of oak savanna in Michigan and Ohio for the recovery and benefit of the Karner blue butterfly and restore 400 acres of pine barrens and jack pine forest in Michigan for the recovery and benefit of Kirtland’s warbler. The project also will potentially benefit 188 species of greatest conservation need. Forty-five percent (or 450 acres) of the project lands fall under private ownership. Federal funds awarded: $852,484; non-federal match: $383,000

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Nebraska Natural Legacy Project: Phase III—to implement conservation partnerships and actions on private and public lands in Nebraska and South Dakota to enhance and improve native prairies, wetlands and woodlands for the benefit of SGCN in both states. This project will benefit Bell’s vireo, greater prairie chicken, ottoe skipper, swift fox and the Northern red belly dace. Federal funds awarded: $1,000,000; non-federal match: $333,333

Washington Department of Game and Fish: State Wildlife Grants Effectiveness Monitoring—to implement the third phase of development of a spatially enabled decision support system, which allows states to share common data with their conservation partners and strategically prioritize actions across multiple states. The system will facilitate strategic implementation of State Wildlife Grant program funds across multiple states including Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon. Federal funds awarded: $514,059; non-federal match: $171,353

Congress created the State Wildlife Grants Program in FY2002, funded from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Funds appropriated under the program are allocated to each state and other eligible jurisdictions according to a formula based on land area and population. Since the program’s inception, Congress has distributed more than $500 million for conservation work on state and private lands.

To view the State Wildlife Grant allocations for each state, go to http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/SWG/SWG09Apportionment.pdf.

For more information about State Wildlife Action Plans and to read an accomplishments report, visit www.wildlifeactionplans.org.

State Fish and Wildlife Agency Representatives Attend White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors

Rebecca Humphries (MI), Jon Gassett (KY), Matt Frank (WI), Nick Wiley (FL), Marc Miller (IL), Ken Elowe (ME), Greg Wathen (TN), Joe Maurier (MT), Bob Broscheid (AZ), Lauren Martinson (MN) and John Griffen (MD) represented state fish and wildlife agencies at today’s White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors. At the event, President Obama signed a Memorandum of Understanding launching the “America’s Great Outdoors Initiative,” which is intended to promote community-level conservation efforts and encourage families to spend more time outside.

“This was a very encouraging day—one that’s rooted in the 102nd anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt first convening a national conservation forum and the 40th anniversary of Earth Day,” said Rebecca Humphries, Director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment and Chair of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Executive Committee. “I hope the energy from today combined with the apparent commitment of many government agencies and non-governmental entities produces great results for the future of conserving America’s outdoor spaces and connecting more people to nature.”

“The White House Conference on the Great Outdoors was an invigorating opportunity to participate in a national forum with strong representation from state fish and wildlife agencies to help shape a 21st century conservation agenda,” said Ron Regan, AFWA Executive Director. “I was pleased to hear President Obama convey that ‘America’s Great Outdoors Initiative’ will build on the successful conservation efforts of state governments. The Association looks forward to engaging with the President’s administration officials leading the effort to promote sound resource management and conservation in the public interest.”

To read Presidential Memorandum – America’s Great Outdoors, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-memorandum-americas-great-outdoors

AFWA Supports Creation of New Wildlife & Hunting Heritage Conservation Council

The Council Will Help Strengthen Cooperation in Conserving Wildlife and Nurturing Future Generations of Sportsmen and Women

WASHINGTON, DC -- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer today at a joint press conference held at the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial announced the creation of the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council (WHHCC), an official advisory group chartered to provide advice to the government on wildlife conservation and hunting issues and on carrying forward the nation’s hunting tradition.

The WHCC replaces and improves upon the previously existing Sporting Conservation Council by bringing together state fish and wildlife agencies; Native American tribes; the sporting conservation community; the archery, shooting and hunting sports industries; and wildlife conservation organizations to provide a forum for sportsmen and women to discuss policies that benefit wildlife resources and recreational hunting.

The executive director of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) will serve as an ex officio member of the council, representing the voice of state wildlife agencies.

"Hunters are some of our nation's most influential conservationists, and through their license and equipment purchases, they are foremost funders of state fish and wildlife agencies' programs to restore and safeguard wildlife and their habitats," said Ron Regan, AFWA’s Acting Director. "The Association looks forward to serving on the new Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council and helping to ensure that the next generations of sportsmen and women enjoy the benefits of our great outdoors."

State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program Receive a Crucial Funding Boost from Congress

Increase will help state fish and wildlife agencies address environmental threats to some of the nation’s most imperiled species

Washington, D.C. – This week, Congress approved $90 million for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program as part of the $32.2 billion Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriation Act for 2010. The increase is $15 million over last year’s level and also includes a change in the nonfederal match requirement from 50% to 35%.

The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program, now in its 10th year, is a principal source of funding for implementation of congressionally required State Wildlife Action Plans in every state and territory. The Plans assess the health of each state’s wildlife and habitats, identify the problems they face and outline the actions needed to conserve them over the long term to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered.

The increase in federal dollars comes at a time when state fish and wildlife agencies are increasingly challenged to address the impacts of invasive species, habitat loss and degradation and the exacerbating affects of climate change.

“We appreciate the work of the administration and Congress to secure increased funding for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program,” said Matt Hogan, Executive Director of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. “These additional funds will help states tackle the backlog of conservation projects to address the threats of some of the nation’s most imperiled fish and wildlife and they will also maintain existing and create new jobs across the country.”

The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program was started in 2000 to meet a longstanding need for funding of fish and wildlife species that are typically not hunted or fished.

“We appreciate the work of Norm Dicks, Chairman of the House Interior, Environment and Related Appropriations subcommittee, Ranking Member Simpson and the entire committee for helping to secure the additional funding,” said Phil Anderson, Director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program is essential to the successful implementation of the Washington State Wildlife Action Plan and the additional funding will allow us to step up our efforts to address climate change.”

The apportionment of funding through the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program is based on one third of land area and two thirds on population. For example, for fiscal year 2010, the state of Washington will receive about $1.5 million in apportionment funds. The program also will provide tribes with $7 million for a competitive grants program. An additional $5 million will be made available to states for a competitive grants program.

“The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program provides the only source of federal funding directed at preventing wildlife from becoming endangered and is that much more urgent now because of the impacts to wildlife from global warming,” said Naomi Edelson, Senior Manager, State Wildlife Programs for the National Wildlife Federation and member of the Teaming With Wildlife steering committee. “This increase is a natural investment toward protecting fish and wildlife and the natural lands and waters they depend on for survival.”

Increased funding for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program is supported by the 6,200 member Teaming With Wildlife coalition made up of wildlife conservation groups, nature centers, hunting and fishing organizations and businesses.

For more information about Teaming With Wildlife and State Wildlife Action Plans, go to www.teaming.com.

Take Pride in America Strengthens Public Lands Stewardship

Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne, signed an order yesterday extending the authorization of Take Pride in America within the Department of the Interior through the year 2010. The program, designed to encourage volunteerism on public lands, had been set to expire on November 1, 2008.

The secretarial order further solidifies three strategic Take Pride in America priorities: engaging youth in service, promoting voluntourism and supporting beautification as an economic development strategy.

Secretary Kempthorne signed the order at a ceremony recognizing the volunteer efforts of students from Hyattsville Elementary in Hyattsville, Md., and others from across the country.

“These young people know what it’s like to feel pride in a job well done and just as important, they were outdoors the whole time,” said Secretary Kempthorne of the students from Hyattsville Elementary, a Take Pride in America school. The students recently participated in “Gorgeous Prince George’s Day,” beautifying their school grounds.

Scott Wilson of Big Sky, Mont., who also attended the signing ceremony, recently voluntoured along the Appalachian Trail. While hiking a distance of 2,175 miles, Wilson collected nearly 3,000 scraps of litter, and at times, carried the garbage up to 50 miles before finding a trash receptacle where he could dispose of it properly. Voluntourism is a concept that combines volunteer service into a vacation.

“Scott’s ‘Leave No Trace’ efforts improved more than 2,000 miles of trail, and enriched the experience for those hikers who followed. I am proud to recognize Scott’s meaningful voluntourism,” Kempthorne said.

Two volunteers from Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park were also recognized at the ceremony for calling attention to a pending breach in the canal’s towpath while on bike patrol. Thanks to Barbara Brown and Jane Collins, the area was properly cordoned off just a day before flood waters caused a 100-foot section to crumble, sending water 60 feet below into the Potomac River.

“Here’s an example where volunteers were the eyes and ears of park staff. It just shows how vital volunteers are to our public lands,” Kempthorne said.

Take Pride in America® is a national partnership program authorized by Congress and administered within the Department of the Interior to promote the appreciation and stewardship of public lands, including parks, forests, historic sites, and schools. Take Pride is active in all fifty states, has partnerships with public, private, and nonprofit organizations, and features Clint Eastwood as national spokesman. Citizen stewards know and count on Take Pride for the most comprehensive online portal of public lands volunteer opportunities (www.TakePride.gov) and for showcasing the most outstanding public lands stewardship activities through the annual national award ceremony.

SOURCE: DOI