The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced on August 12 that it is committing $10.8 million to farmers and ranchers on the northern plains to support migratory bird habitat. The new initiative the Northern Plains Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative (NPMBHI) is designed to enhance migratory bird habitat and improve water quality and the health of grasslands in the Prairie Pothole Region of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota, reports the Wildlife Management Institute.

On July 26, the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Natural Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands held a hearing on a bill intended to release some U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and USDA Forest Service wilderness study areas and roadless areas from protection. H.R. 1581?the "Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act of 2011"?is creating controversy within the conservation community, reports the Wildlife Management Institute.

Representatives of the Western Governors' Association (WGA), the U.S. departments of the Interior (DOI) and Agriculture (USDA) recently signed an agreement to improve coordination between state and federal agencies on identification and mapping of crucial habitat and wildlife corridors. This agreement clarifies state and federal roles for implementing a 2009 Memorandum of Understanding between WGA and DOI, USDA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop state-based decision support systems across the 19 western states.

Recessing for the month of August, the U.S. House of Representatives left the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill unfinished after a final deal was cut on raising the nation's debt ceiling.Congressional leaders are now expecting that all fiscal year 2012 (FY12) will be included within an omnibus appropriations bill. Some amendments were made to the House Interior Appropriations bill on the House floor before action was halted, but it is unclear if those funding and policy changes will be included in the comprehensive bill that will be developed in the fall.

U.S. Congressman Colin Peterson (D-Minn.) recently provided perspective on future conservation programs and on the success or failure of the so-called "Supercommittee" assembled by Congress to recommend at least $1.5 trillion of additional deficit-reduction measures. Peterson, former chairman and current ranking minority member on the House Agriculture Committee, noted that federal agriculture programs might actually fare better if the Committee fails to agree on deficit-reduction recommendations, according to the Wildlife Management Institute.

In the past decade, state fish and wildlife agencies (SFWAs) have been challenged to transform the way they strategically manage natural resources into the 21^st century. Given the growing threats facing conservation of fish and wildlife resources, there is little doubt that those agencies can play an essential, future leadership role in integrating the values, resources and perspectives of entities working collaboratively to address traditional and emerging conservation goals.