The Department of the Interior recently announced $102.9 million in North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) funding has been approved by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. The money enables the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and its partners to conserve, restore or enhance 548,242 acres of critical wetland and associated upland habitat for migratory birds across North America. Organizations and agencies working with USFWS on the projects will provide $201.2 million in matching funds.
“For more than 35 years, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act has fostered partnerships and an investment in wetland conservation that yield both ecological and economic returns for local communities and a broad range of industries, including tourism, commercial fisheries, forestry and agriculture,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “These grants will increase and maintain healthy bird populations and wetland habitat, while supporting local economies and improving public access to recreational activities for American traditions, such as hunting, fishing and birdwatching.”
The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, chaired by the Secretary of the Interior, has helped conserve much of the nation’s most important waterfowl habitat and establish or enhance many of the country’s most popular destinations for waterfowl hunting and birding. The North American Wetlands Conservation Act is one of the continent’s most effective tools for migratory bird conservation.
“NAWCA funding supports projects that enhance or establish areas for hunting and birdwatching, uplifting local economies and improving public access to recreational activities for future generations,” said USFWS Principal Deputy Director J Shirley. “Projects made possible through these grants support public-private partnerships to make an investment in wetland conservation that benefits the economy, a thriving outdoor recreation sector and the valuable benefits provided by healthy wetland ecosystems.”
NAWCA is the only federal grant program dedicated to the conservation of wetland habitats for migratory birds. Since 1991, more than $7.1 billion in funding has advanced the conservation of wetland habitats and their wildlife across more than 32.9 million acres of habitat in all 50 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico, while engaging more than 7,100 partners in over 3,400 projects.
Through NAWCA, federal funds are typically leveraged at twice the legally required dollar-for-dollar non-federal match-to-grant ratio. Program partners include private landowners, state, tribal and local governments, conservation organizations, sportsmen’s groups, land trusts and corporations.
