North Carolina Leaders Support Funding Increase for Wildlife Conservation

RALEIGH, N.C. (May 8, 2007) — Wildlife in North Carolina received a strong show of bi-partisan support on Thursday after seven state leaders from the U.S. House of Representatives signed letters asking for $85 million for federal State Wildlife Grants, the nation’s core program for preventing wildlife from becoming endangered.

The state leaders, along with 155 other Representatives and a record 60 Senators, signed the letters, which were addressed to the Chairman and Ranking Member of both the House and Senate Interior Appropriations Committees.

The requested $85 million is $15.5 million over what the President’s fiscal year 2008 budget proposes. Last year, the State Wildlife Grant program received $67.5 million, and North Carolina’s share was $1.4 million.

North Carolina congressional supporters of the program serve districts across the state. They are: Rep. Howard Coble (R) of Greensboro; Rep. Robin Hayes, (R) of Concord; Rep. Mike McIntyre (D) of Lumberton; Rep. Brad Miller (D) of Raleigh; Rep. David Price (D) of Chapel Hill; and Rep. Heath Shuler (D) of Haywood County.

They believe the State Wildlife Grants program needs more money to fund implementation of the State Wildlife Action Plans. These plans—a component of the State Wildlife Grants Program specifically required by Congress—outline proactive measures to conserve wildlife and their habitat before they become more rare and more costly to protect.

Created by Congress in 2001, State Wildlife Grants allocate federal dollars to every state wildlife agency to address pressing wildlife needs in each state. Projects range from habitat restoration to invasive species management and have created new conservation partnerships between the states and private conservation groups.

As the largest single source of funds for North Carolina’s Wildlife Diversity Program, State Wildlife Grants have enabled the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission to fund projects benefiting a wide variety of nongame wildlife, animals that are neither hunted nor fished. Projects include a survey and management program of colonial nesting waterbirds along the Coast, a tagging and monitoring program of the robust redhorse in the Pee Dee River, and a survey and monitoring program for whip-poor-wills and other birds in western North Carolina.

The State Wildlife Grants program is supported by Teaming with Wildlife, a national coalition of more than 5,000 groups including state agencies such as the Commission, nature-based businesses, wildlife biologists, hunters, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts who support the goal of conserving our nation’s wildlife. Teaming with Wildlife has launched a renewed campaign to boost state and federal funding for wildlife conservation, outdoor recreation and conservation education in every state.

For more information on the State Wildlife Grants program and the Teaming with Wildlife campaign, visit www.teaming.com or http://statewildlife.nwf.org/nc/. For more information on North Carolina’s wildlife action plan, click here.