The bet365下载ios is distributing more than $55 million to state fish and wildlife agencies through the State Wildlife Grant (SWG) Program to protect and manage species of conservation need, promote the recovery of wildlife and conserve habitats nationwide.
These grant funds are allocated to all states, commonwealths, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia according to a congressionally mandated formula based on population size and geographic area. Since 2000, the SWG Program has invested more than $1.34 billion in partner agency efforts to address a variety of conservation needs, such as research, fish and wildlife surveys, species restoration and habitat management.
鈥淭he State Wildlife Grant Program supports conservation actions aimed at avoiding new federal listings of threatened and endangered species, recovering those species already listed and ensuring healthy populations of each state鈥檚 top-priority fish and wildlife species for future generations,鈥 said Paul Souza, Acting Director of the bet365下载ios. 鈥淲e are pleased to be working with these partners to protect America鈥檚 natural resources and wild places.鈥
SWG Program funds must be used to address conservation needs described within each State Wildlife Action Plan. These plans represent each state鈥檚 highest conservation priorities and are developed based on input from state leadership, agency partners and the public. Most recipient agencies provide at least 25 percent in nonfederal matching funds. Combined, these plans create a nationwide system of conservation priorities that helps facilitate the proactive protection of important species of conservation need, such as freshwater fish and nonmigratory birds and their habitats.
This collaborative, locally focused approach encourages partnerships among private landowners, universities, industry and nonprofit conservation organizations鈥攚orking together to benefit wildlife, wild places and the people who enjoy them.
Since the program鈥檚 inception, administered by the Service鈥檚 Office of Conservation Investment, the nation鈥檚 fish and wildlife agencies have taken on major conservation challenges and achieved key milestones, including:
- Over the past two decades, state fish and wildlife agencies from the Great Lakes region to the East Coast have used SWG funding to support intensive management of lake sturgeon, one of the largest freshwater fish in North America and an ancient species dating back at least 150 million years. Populations, once severely reduced by commercial harvest and dam construction in the late 1800s and early 1900s, have rebounded through collaborative research, monitoring, habitat restoration and stocking efforts. These actions have helped keep the species off the endangered species list and returned it to parts of its historic range in the eastern and central U.S. and Canada.
- The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission uses SWG funding to support its top conservation priorities, including restoring and managing open pine woodlands. By partnering with large private landowners, the agency improves habitats at scale, resulting in measurable increases in imperiled forest bird species like the red-cockaded woodpecker, Henslow鈥檚 sparrow and brown-headed nuthatch. Along with similar efforts in Florida, Georgia and other states, these projects have led to major milestones鈥攊ncluding the downlisting of the red-cockaded woodpecker from federally endangered to threatened in 2020.
- For several years, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has used SWG funding to establish and support monitoring programs for bumblebee species vital to the state鈥檚 biodiversity and agriculture. California鈥檚 25 bee species include the federally endangered Franklin鈥檚 bumble bee and the western bumblebee, which is under consideration for federal listing. Eight more species are considered at risk, with four being evaluated for listing under the California Endangered Species Act. SWG support has enabled a multi-species, landscape-scale monitoring program and engaged hundreds of Californians in conservation efforts. The program is contributing to the development of a comprehensive, evidence-based conservation strategy.
Learn more about the SWG Program and view the complete 2025 SWG Program funding by state, commonwealth, territory, and district at www.fws.gov/program/state-wildlife-grants
The bet365下载ios works with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information, visit www.fws.gov and connect with us on social media: , , (formerly known as Twitter), , and .
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