Arkansas Game and Fish Commission receives grant to help protect endangered species

KUAR | By Maggie Ryan

Arkansas is the recipient of new funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has received nearly $2.2 million in a grant to purchase land where three endangered species live.

The grant, announced Monday in a press release, will be used to purchase just under 1,100 acres around the Upper Little Red River Watershed.

The area is inhabited by the yellowcheek darter, the speckled pocketbook mussel, and the northern long-eared bat, all of which are endangered species.

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission receives grant to help protect endangered species

Pedro Ardapple-Kindberg/U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service

A male yellowcheek darter on South Fork of upper Little Red River.

Boozman, Cardin Laud Congressional Passage of Legislation Protecting Migratory Birds

Photo by Steve Smith

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), senior members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, applauded passage of bipartisan legislation that will enable the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support conservation partners along migratory flyways throughout the Western Hemisphere. The Senate approved the bill Wednesday and it now heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law. 

“I applaud Senate passage of legislation to protect migratory birds. This will allow us to build on the success we’ve seen from this program and provide certainty for vulnerable bird populations for generations to come,” said Boozman, a Migratory Bird Conservation Co-Chair.

“I am glad to see the Senate take swift action to pass Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Enhancement Act. This bill makes thoughtful improvements to a critical bird habitat conservation program at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The unique program helps to ensure that in the backyard birds we know and love in Maryland like the Baltimore Oriole have places to nest and winter along their full migratory journey,” Cardin said. “Support for this important conservation program has been a cornerstone of my environmental work in the Senate, but I am not done yet. I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure the program’s funding levels continue to keep pace with its important work.” 

The Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Act, formerly the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, has a proven track record of reversing habitat loss and advancing conservation strategies for the hundreds of species of birds considered neotropical migrants—birds that spend summers in North America and winter in Central and South America and the Caribbean. Since 2002, the program has provided more than $89 million in grants to support 717 projects across five million acres of bird habitat in 43 countries. The federal investment in this program is leveraged to spur significant private partner funding.

Boozman, Cardin Introduce Bill to Safeguard Migratory Bird Habitats

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), senior members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, introduced legislation to reauthorize the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act which enables the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support conservation partners along migratory flyways throughout the Western Hemisphere. This is the only federal grant program that ensures the links in the full migratory chain have the conservation support they need. It promotes the long-term conservation, education, research, monitoring and habitat protection for more than 380 species of migratory birds along their full migratory pathway.

Photo by Robert Gramner

The legislation makes key improvements to the program, most notably lowering the required cost-sharing requirement for grant recipients from 3:1 to 2:1, which will make it more accessible to smaller organizations. The new legislation provides $6.5 million over five years. These and other strategic improvements will allow the program to better respond to the demonstrated need for funding and grow the local partner base.

 “As a Migratory Bird Conservation Co-Chair, protecting and improving migratory bird habitat is a priority for me. The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act will continue to build on the success we’ve seen from this program and provide certainty for vulnerable bird populations for generations to come,” said Boozman, a member of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission.

“Neotropical migratory birds, like our beloved Baltimore Oriole, take tremendous journeys,” said Cardin, “Their migratory paths require ‘habitat anchors’ that the species have relied on for tens of thousands of years. The wetlands of the Chesapeake Bay watershed provide one such critical stopover for hundreds of species traveling along the Atlantic Flyway each year. However, it is just one of many habitats that link together the full migratory chain. The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act program supports habitat conservation along their entire flight path. It is a proven success story, and I am proud of the improvements this bill makes.” 

“At a time when we are losing billions of birds, the legislation led by Senators Cardin and Boozman is critical to ensuring the survival of migratory birds all along their hemispheric routes, and to help communities conserve their own natural landscapes," said Felice Stadler, vice president of government affairs, National Audubon Society. “We thank Senators Cardin and Boozman for their leadership in conserving migratory species, who delight 96 million birdwatching Americans every year.”

“Public-private partnerships are essential to effective conservation efforts in the U.S. and globally. I applaud Senator Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Cardin and International Conservation Caucus Co-Chair Senator Boozman on their leadership promoting sound policy solutions regarding migratory birds as well as resource management issues around the world,” said David Barron, Chairman, International Conservation Caucus Foundation.

“Projects funded through the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act help conserve vulnerable bird populations while strengthening our ecosystems across the Americas,” said Karen Waldrop, Ducks Unlimited Chief Conservation Officer. “From Canada to the Bahamas – and everywhere in between – migratory birds know no boundaries, and the habitat investments of this bipartisan program reflect that. We applaud Senators Cardin and Boozman for their leadership.”

Since 2002, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act program has provided more than $89 million in grants to support 717 projects across five million acres of bird habitat in 43 countries. The federal dollars invested in this program are leveraged to spur significant private partner funding. 

Boozman, Heinrich, Kennedy Lead Introduction of Bipartisan Legislation to Restore Wetlands and Migratory Bird Habitat

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM), members of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, along with Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) lead their colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) through 2028. The legislation would also increase authorized annual funding for the program to $65 million. 

NAWCA was originally enacted in 1989 to provide federal matching grants —in partnership with funding from state and local governments, private industry and non-profit organizations—to projects that conserve North America’s wetlands, waterfowl and wildlife.  

“Tens of thousands of acres of wildlife habitat have been conserved in Arkansas thanks to NAWCA, which helps promote and maintain wetlands that serve as a world-class duck hunting environment. Ensuring we continue to protect and preserve it and other outdoor recreation sites not only benefits migratory bird populations and other species, it is also a sound economic investment. I’m proud to join Sen. Heinrich and our colleagues to introduce legislation reauthorizing this important program,” said Boozman.

“We owe it to our kids and grandkids to ensure they can inherit the full breadth of American wildlife and the wetlands that sustain them,” said Heinrich. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to bolster our nation’s most successful wetlands restoration program. By reauthorizing the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, this legislation will improve access to clean drinking water, invest in our thriving multi-billion-dollar outdoor recreation economy and conserve New Mexico’s wildlife and the habitats they depend on for future generations.” 

“Louisiana’s wetlands are a big part of our state’s outdoor sportsman culture and geographical beauty. The North American Wetlands Conservation Act is an important step to preserve our wildlife and protect our environment’s natural defense system,” said Kennedy. 

Wetlands secure freshwater supplies, recharge aquifers, and mitigate soil erosion and flooding. In addition, waterfowl, migratory birds, fish and other wildlife that depend on wetlands support multibillion-dollar outdoor recreation activities such as hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and photography. NAWCA funding has been critical to acquiring, restoring and enhancing this habitat in all 50 states, Canada and Mexico. In total, more than 3,300 NAWCA projects have contributed to the conservation and restoration of more than 32 million acres of habitat all across North America. 

NAWCA has provided a great return on investment, generating on average two additional dollars for every federal dollar. Over the program’s history, federal grants totaling more than $2.1 billion have spurred $4.3 billion for NAWCA projects through matching funds. NAWCA funds have also supported an average of 7,500 jobs each year and more than $5 billion in annual economic activity. 

The legislation was cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jon Tester (D-MT) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). 

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act is endorsed by Delta Waterfowl, Boone and Crockett, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Audubon, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Outdoor Industry Association, Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Restore America’s Estuaries. 

“NAWCA is a foundational pillar of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation,” said Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam. “The voluntary, incentive-based approach has conserved millions of acres of habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife while helping improve water quality and quantity and making our communities more resilient.”  

“The North American Wetlands Conservation Act is one of the most cost-effective conservation investments we can make. Often matched at a rate of 3:1, this important program is a great example of how federal investments into conservation can be leveraged with private contributions to secure a significant return on investment to bolster on-the-ground conservation,” said Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation President and CEO Jeff Crane.

“Wetlands shield against floods, help clean our drinking water and provide habitat for diverse plant and animal life. Reauthorizing the North American Wetlands Conservation Act is an opportunity for Congress to continue America's conservation legacy while sparking job creation and outdoor recreation opportunities.” said Tom Cors, Senior Legislative Director, The Nature Conservancy.  

“North America’s wetlands demonstrate what is possible for people, wildlife and clean water when we make strategic, concerted investments in conserving and restoring vital habitat,” said Andrew Wilkins, Land Conservation Policy Director, National Wildlife Federation. “This reauthorization bill will help keep our commitment to wetlands conservation strong and ensure that the people and wildlife whose work, water and way of life can endure for future generations. Congress should ensure the North American Wetlands Conservation Act remains one of America’s most successful conservation programs since it first passed in 1989.”  

The text of the bill is here.