"Measuring State Wildlife Action Plan Implementation" is the topic of Special Session 1 at the 74th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. Concurrent with three other special sessions, it will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia. Five presentations will focus on the need and opportunities for sustainable funding to implement State Wildlife Action Plans.
Congress required that each state develop a Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, also known as a State Wildlife Action Plan, as a condition for states to receive State Wildlife Grants funding. The goal of the plans is to recover at-risk species to prevent future endangered species listings. Since the plans were submitted, states have received less than $70 million annually to implement the plans. It's estimated that implementation of the plans may exceed $1 billion per year. ?
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The Wildlife Conservation Society created the Wildlife Action Opportunities grant program to accelerate the implementation of State Wildlife Action plans through new public-private partnerships. Since the program began in 2006, more than 730 applications totaling $60 million have been received and 35 grants totaling $3.2 million have been awarded. ?
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One of the attributes of State Wildlife Actions Plans is that they are tailored to meet the needs of individual states. However, many issues affecting wildlife are best addressed at regional or national scales. The Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies is facilitating the collaboration of its member states to collectively address monitoring and other important issues. This collaboration could serve as a model for use by other regions. ?
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The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies recently released a report containing more than 150 examples of Wildlife Action Plan implementation successes. However, the report tells only part of the story. There are thousands of potential projects that cannot be started or completed because funding is unavailable. Delaying full implementation of Wildlife Action Plans is leading to lost opportunities and further imperilment of at-risk species. ?
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The Defenders of Wildlife recently completed a project that estimated the cost of implementing land protection actions identified in Wildlife Action Plans. The cost of implementing these actions will grow substantially in the coming years if action is not taken soon. ?
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Full implementation of State Wildlife Action Plans will require increased federal funding. The condition of the economy will have a bearing on annual appropriations and the prospects for dedicated permanent funding. A key member of Congress has been invited to share his perspective on the future of federal funding for Wildlife Action Plan implementation.
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Special Session 1, co-chaired by Keith Aune of the Wildlife Conservation Society and Matt Hogan of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, will address the host of issues that both constrain and offer prospect for State Wildlife Action Plan funding and implementation