On Feb. 11 Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgrum announced nearly $8 million would be added to the Western Big Game Seasonal Habitat and Migration Corridors grant program’s base funding of $2 million this year. The money, made available by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, goes to state wildlife-management agencies to maintain or improve migration routes critical when wildlife moves to winter or summer range. Secretary Burgrum’s announcement included a request for proposals (RFP) to address the alarming rate of land fragmentation on established corridors.
“CSF [Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation] extends our thanks to all involved in issuing this RFP to better position federal, state and tribal wildlife managers to conserve migration corridors across the nation,” said CSF Senior Vice President, Taylor Schmitz. “This RFP is a recognition of the importance of migration corridors for wildlife and marks an important step towards more fully addressing this challenging issue.”
In 2018, then Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke signed Secretarial Oder (S.O. 3362), a first of its kind and innovative effort to conserve big game migration corridors across the country. S.O. 3362 brought forward the necessary fiscal resources that vastly improved the understanding of big-game movement patterns, greatly expanded corridor mapping efforts in a voluntary manner, and facilitated communications and partnerships among private, tribal, state and federal partners. S.O. 3362 is a shining example of the bipartisan nature of big game species conservation. This grant program started in 2018 to help implement the Order and has since prospered by funding impactful voluntary conservation across the West.
The number of conservation groups applauding this month’s authorization continues to grow. “Secretary Burgum and Fish and Wildlife Service Director Nesvik are moving in the right direction for wildlife,” said Gray N Thornton, president and CEO of the Wild Sheep Foundation. “More species, and more areas—especially in winter ranges—will benefit from this work. This is a strong beginning for the Make America Beautiful Commission.”
“This renewed attention will enable state agencies, tribes, hunting groups and other partners to expand the results and scope of the program,” he added. “As of 2020, public and private funding had surpassed $40 million, completed 73 projects for habitat improvement, research, and mapping across 11 western states.”
“The migration corridors program began in 2018 as a proof-of-concept for a few species of big game. Having continued ever since, it has now proved the concept,” said Simon Roosevelt, executive vice president of conservation at the Boone and Crockett Club. “The Trump administration, Secretary Burgum and Director Nesvik in particular, has recognized this and we look forward to further expansion of this invaluable effort.”
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