Grant Program Provides Wildlife Funding

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke on Friday announced over $50 million in funding to states through the State Wildlife Grant Program.
The funds will support state conservation efforts of non-game fish and wildlife, and is the only federal program that has the explicit goal of preventing endangered species listings. The SWG Program helps states implement approved State Wildlife Action Plans, which list species and habitats in need of assistance. All 50 state and U.S. territorial wildlife agencies have these plans, which include detailed strategies to proactively protect species in greatest conservation need.
SWG Program grants are administered by the Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program and are allocated to states and territories according to a congressionally mandated formula based on population and geographic area. Grant funds must be used to address conservation needs, such as research, wildlife surveys, and species and habitat management.
Zinke was quoted as saying that this funding is an investment in the future of wildlife, because when we can recover species before they are listed under the Endangered Species Act, more federal resources are available for the other species that need it most.