Ensuring the Viability of the American System of Conservation Funding: Improving the understanding of excise-tax based funding for conservation

The WSFR program allocates approximately $1.5 billion each year to state wildlife agencies for conservation. This funding also has a positive ripple effect on local economies through wildlife-related recreation. Furthermore, it creates and sustains opportunities for everyone to appreciate and engage with nature, including fish, wildlife, and the great outdoors. However, a growing disconnect exists between the public and the natural world. Many people fail to grasp the intricacies of our unique conservation system and the funding model that sustains it. It is crucial for our community to effectively involve our customers, industry partners, and the public by effectively communicating the captivating narrative of conservation funding and the unprecedented successes that have resulted from it. By strengthening relationships among industry, agencies, and other collaborators, we can efficiently promote our success stories in conservation and collectively engage our partners and customers to ensure the long-term stability of conservation funding. Furthermore, leveraging resources through partnerships can raise awareness among influential individuals and the public, allowing our conservation model to thrive for years to come. The objectives of this project are to clarify the role of industry partners in fish and wildlife conservation, highlight the benefits of conservation to our partners and customers, and increase awareness among key influencers regarding the crucial contributions made by states, manufacturers, and the sporting public. These efforts aim to shed light on what has long been our best-kept secret and our most remarkable conservation success story.