Partners for Piping Plovers!

Submitted by Mary Pfaffko on May 15, 2012 - 2:46pm

Piping Plover numbers are up! The number of breeding pairs has more than doubled from when it was listed as a federally threatened species in 1986 to nearly 1,800 pairs today—close to the range-wide recovery goal of 2,000 pairs!

Tennessee uses State Wildlife Grants to help restore Lake Sturgeon

Submitted by Mary Pfaffko on May 8, 2012 - 10:09am

Last April 2012, State Wildlife Grants funded the reintroduction of 30 Lake Sturgeon in Tennessee. The Lake Sturgeon is listed as a species of greatest conservation need in the Tennessee Wildlife Action Plan. Extirpated from Tennessee since 1960, the Lake Sturgeon population has increased to 115,000 thanks to the Saving the Sturgeon program. Now it has 30 more. With the help of 5th-10th graders, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency & the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute are connecting kids with nature while helping to restore a state-endangered species.

Secretary of Interior Salazar and State & Tribal Wildlife Grants

Submitted by Mark Humpert on May 2, 2012 - 3:55pm

Secretary of the Interior Ken SalazarSecretary of Interior Ken Salazar held a meeting and conference call with conservation groups this afternoon to discuss the future of conservation funding. Naomi Edelson of the National Wildlife Federation (and member of the Teaming With Wildlife coalition steering committee) asked the Secretary about funding for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program.

Written testimony Supporting State & Tribal Wildlife Grants submitted to Senate Interior Appropriations subcommittee

Submitted by Mark Humpert on April 27, 2012 - 3:12pm

Members of the Teaming With Wildlife Steering Committee submitted testimony today supporting at least level funding ($61.3M) for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program in FY13. The letter was supported by the American Fisheries Society, Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, Association of Zoos & Aquariums, National Audubon Society, Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, The Nature Conservancy, The Wildlife Society and Wildlife Management Institute. The National Wildlife Federation, also a steering committee member opted to send their own letter requesting a higher level of funding. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies appreciates the support of these steering committee members and the National Wildlife Federation for their support. The written testimony follows:

Consider Submitting Written Testimony to the Senate on State & Tribal Wildlife Grants

Submitted by Mark Humpert on April 11, 2012 - 4:45pm

Would you like to show your support for the State & Tribal Wildlife Grants Program? You can submit written testimony in support of funding for the program in FY13 to the Senate Interior Appropriations subcommittee. Send your testimony formatted in MS Word to INT@appro.senate.gov with the subject line “OWT”.

More than 100 Members of US House of Representatives Sign Dear Colleague Letter Supporting State & Tribal Wildlife Grants

Submitted by Mark Humpert on March 29, 2012 - 8:59am

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressmen Don Young (AK), Todd Platts (PA), Mike Thompson (CA) and Ron Kind (WI) have been joined by 106 of their colleagues on a letter to the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. The letter is in support of the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program, which is aimed at preventing wildlife in the U.S. from declining to the point of being endangered. In the letter, Members urge the Subcommittee to provide the most robust funding possible for the Program, while also recognizing the fiscal constraints that the nation is under.

State and Tribal Wildlife Grants in the Presidents' FY13 Budget

Submitted by Mark Humpert on February 22, 2012 - 9:19am

The FY13 funding request by the President for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants was a matter of not so good news, good news and bad news. The funding level proposed for next fiscal year is $61.3 million, roughly the same level as last year.

State Wildlife Grants Restoring Marine Systems

Submitted by Mark Humpert on February 22, 2012 - 8:56am

We don’t often think about how the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program is helping to restore marine ecosystems. This ScienceDaily Article (dated Feb. 17, 2012), explains how the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is supporting partners who are growing and transplanting staghorn coral to a threatened reef off Florida’s Broward County coast.

Help keep Conservation in the Conservation Title of the Farm Bill

Submitted by Mark Humpert on February 10, 2012 - 5:45pm

Farm SceneThe Conservation title of the Farmbill provides many benefits to at-risk fish and wildlife. In this era of strained budgets, many of the gains made during the last several decades connecting conservation to agriculture policy could be lost. Consider joining a letter to the Senate and House Agriculture Committees demonstrating broad and strong support for the Farm Bill Conservation Programs. The goal is to get 500 national, state,and local organizations to sign-on by the February 28 Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on conservation programs. The political context of this letter is that there remains strong bipartisan bicameral agreement in the House and Senate Agriculture Committees for the draft Conservation Title. The big challenge is securing adequate funding for these programs.

This is an online sign-on. Visit the following link and officially add your name: http://goo.gl/VaokH. You can forward the link to your chapters and constituencies asking them to sign on as well. Feel free to share both the attached .pdf of the letter and the link which directs folks to the electronic form. Additionally, at any time, you can view a live list of sign-ons at the following link: http://goo.gl/NeBrb. The deadline is February 24th, 2012.

86% of the public in six western states support conservation funding

Submitted by Mark Humpert on January 31, 2012 - 9:49am

Voters in six Western states overwhelmingly agree that despite state budget problems, money should still be provided to protect land, water and wildlife. A total of 86% of respondents agree with the need for funding conservation. The poll was conducted in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. The full results of the poll are available at http://www2.coloradocollege.edu/stateoftherockies/conservationinthewests….

Good News on Appropriations

Submitted by Mark Humpert on December 15, 2011 - 3:57pm


We learned today that the “megabus’ that would fund the Department of Interior and other federal agencies for the current fiscal year included $61.4M (<1% cut from FY11) for State and Tribal Wildlife Grants. A vote in the House on the compromise bill could happen as soon as Friday.

Public Comments on Draft National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy

Submitted by Mark Humpert on January 20, 2012 - 4:29pm

Jointly with the FWS and NOAA, the Association issued a press release yesterday (attached) announcing that the draft National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy is available for public review and comment through March 5 at www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov. Patty Riexinger (NY) is quoted along with David Hayes, Deputy Secretary of the Interior and Dr. Jane Lubchenco, NOAA Administrator.

2012 Teaming With Wildlife Fly-In Event

Submitted by Liz Skipper on January 17, 2012 - 1:17pm

February 28-29, 2012 - Washington DC — Just a reminder to Teaming With Wildlife supporters that online registration is still open. The Registration fee of $50.00 includes includes admission to the Coalition Reception (evening on 2/28/12), Congressional Awards Banquet (evening of 2/29/12) and Lunch on 2/28/12.

Thanking our Supporters:
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Teaming With Wildlife Update

Submitted by Mark Humpert on November 18, 2011 - 11:38am

Imperial MothThe Senate and House passed and the President will sign (today by electronic pen) a minibus that concludes three of the 12 annual appropriations bills for FY12 (Agriculture, Commerce Justice Science, Transportation-HUD). The bill includes significant cuts to Farmbill Conservation Title Programs (see below). The spending bill also includes an extension to the CR (that expires tonight) until December 16th. Since work as stalled on a second minibus for energy and water programs, it is growing more likely that the remaining spending bills (including Interior) will be bundled into a military spending bill that would serve as a vehicle for an end of the year omnibus. So there is still time to weigh in with your members about State Wildlife Grants. We would like them to support funding levels in the Senate Interior & Environment draft of $61.4M for SWG. Thanks to Missouri for sending letters up to their entire delegation this month.

Call for 2012 TWW Fly-in Award Nominations

Submitted by Mary Pfaffko on November 16, 2011 - 2:32pm

Do you know of an exceptional TWW coalition member or SWAP partnership that you would like to recognize? Nominate them for an award! There are 2 awards, and you may nominate for either or both: TWW Coalition Member Achievement Award and State Wildlife Action Plan Partnership Award. Click on the link below for nomination and submission details. Nomination deadline is Friday, January 13, 2012.

Funding for State & Tribal Wildlife Grants for FY12 still uncertain

Submitted by Mark Humpert on November 9, 2011 - 11:37am

Blue-spotted salamanderEven though the federal fiscal year started on October 1, a final budget has not been passed and most of the federal government is operating under a continuing resolution (CR) until November 18th.

New Tool to Coordinate All Species of Greatest Conservation Need!

Submitted by Mary Pfaffko on September 19, 2011 - 3:52pm

The SGCN tool is back!

The USGS compiled SGCN from each SWAP into a nationally comparable format to facilitate coordination of priorities & conservation actions across states, regions, and the country, in a common language.

We are requesting that each state review its list to confirm that it is correct. If any states have undergone SWAP revisions that led to adding/removing species, please submit your new SGCN list to AFWA.

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