May 30, 2024
The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies is pleased to see 46 bipartisan members of the U.S. Senate and 142 bipartisan members of the U.S. House of Representatives signed on to Dear Colleague Letters supporting funding for the State & Tribal Wildlife Grants (STWG) program next fiscal year.
“The State & Tribal Wildlife Grants program has successfully prevented dozens of species from being listed as endangered and is aiding the recovery of others already listed,” said Chuck Sykes, Director of the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries and President of the Association. “Recent funding cuts to this program have impacted the ability of states, territories, and tribes, who bear primary responsibility for fish and wildlife conservation, to stem the decline of fish and wildlife and their habitats.”
The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program is the nation’s core program to prevent fish and wildlife from becoming endangered. This program is the only federal grant program available to states, territories, District of Columbia and tribes to conserve more than 12,000 species identified by states as species in greatest conservation need. States, tribes and their partners have used this funding to combat invasive species, protect natural areas, restore habitat, conduct research, implement monitoring programs and facilitate partnerships with landowners to protect declining species and habitats on public and private lands.
“This successful program continues to prove that locally led and voluntary partnerships are the key to a successful conservation strategy,” Rep. Glenn (GT) Thompson (R-PA) said. “Funding through this program supports on-the-ground conservation, which provides jobs and helps sustain the booming outdoor recreation economy. As we have for the past several years, I proudly supported funding for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program with my colleague Rep. Mike Thompson.”
“The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program is core to our country’s fish and wildlife conservation. Year after year, the program supports critical conservation across states, sustaining our $454 billion outdoor recreation economy. I am proud to lead the appropriations request with Rep. GT Thompson to ensure the program’s full funding,” said Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA).
“As natural ecosystems across the U.S. deteriorate in the face of climate-related threats, conservation efforts funded by the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program are more important than ever," said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). “I’m glad to lead a bipartisan group of my colleagues in supporting the State and Wildlife Grants Program’s core mission of protecting at-risk fish and wildlife species in Rhode Island and across the country.”
“Our nation’s wildlife is best managed at the local level through collaborative efforts among federal, state and tribal entities. These grants provide science-backed solutions to help stabilize populations and promote healthy habitats. Supporting programs such as these grants means we can empower local conservation efforts without imposing heavy-handed, overreaching edicts from the federal level,” said Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID).
The Association continues to support legislative efforts in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to provide sustained and dedicated funding to conserve biodiversity by fully funding State Wildlife Action Plans and applauds its champions who are working to address this long-standing need.
The U.S. Congress created the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program in 2000 to address the longstanding need to conserve declining fish and wildlife. Since the inception of the program, over $1 billion has been appropriated to state, territorial and District of Columbia fish and wildlife agencies and tribes. The program led to the development of State Wildlife Action Plans, the blueprints for conserving our nation's fish and wildlife and preventing endangered species and is the principal source of funding for their implementation.
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The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies represents North America’s fish and wildlife agencies to advance sound, science-based management and conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats in the public interest. The Association represents its state agency members on Capitol Hill and before the Administration to advance favorable fish and wildlife conservation policy and funding and works to ensure that all entities work collaboratively on the most important issues. The Association also provides member agencies with coordination services on cross-cutting as well as species-based programs that range from birds, fish habitat and energy development to climate change, wildlife action plans, conservation education, leadership training and international relations. Working together, the Association’s member agencies are ensuring that North American fish and wildlife management has a clear and collective voice.