Wetland grant funding approved

Funds from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) and Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act were allocated last week.

The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission gave $24.6 million in NAWCA grants for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its partners to conserve or restore more than 176,000 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat. These lands will be beneficial for waterfowl, shorebirds and other wildlife in 18 states throughout the United States. An additional $26 million was allocated to 17 projects in Canada and Mexico.

“Hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation are true American pastimes,” said Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. “I grew up hunting and fishing and know first-hand how important the outdoors is for our own health, the health of our communities and the health of our economy. These projects expand access and protect the birds, lands and waters that we all love, while also growing local economies.”

This committee also allocated $9.8 million from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to projects covering 5,628 acres in two national wildlife refuges. The MBCF is funded by the sale of Duck Stamps, which are required for waterfowl hunters over the age of 16.

Most of these funds come from money spent by the hunting community.

Read more on this from the Department of Interior.

Read The Wildlife Society’s Standing Position on The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and Hunting.