Salazar Rescinds Endangered Species Regulation Changes

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke announced that the two departments are revoking an eleventh-hour Bush administration rule that undermined Endangered Species Act protections. Their decision requires federal agencies to once again consult with federal wildlife experts at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration before taking any action that may affect threatened or endangered species.

Good Morning Missouri

By PJ Maguire
It was mid-morning on a bright sunny, March day in Mound City, Missouri.  Chris Coffey, J.D. and I had just ordered breakfast at a small diner. Seated and standing in the diner around us were camo-clad clients, make-up wearing waitresses and cracker-jack snow goose guides.  The tail end of the snow goose migration [...]

Salazar Announces $280 Million Investment to Create Jobs and Promote Conservation

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will invest $280 million in more than 830 projects through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to build visitor centers, improve infrastructure, support voluntary habitat conservation partnerships on private land and bolster conservation at national wildlife refuges and hatcheries across the country.

Ohio Youth Wins the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Competition

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a single wood duck was selected to appear on the 2009-2010 Federal Junior Duck Stamp. The design for the new stamp, painted by 16 year-old Lily Spang of Toledo, Ohio, was chosen by a panel of judges on April 22 at the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest held at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C.

Sea Level Rise Simulations Are Now Available Online

In celebration of Earth Day, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today launched a Web site where the public can view simulations of sea level rise in coastal areas. This program is designed to help understand the potential impacts of climate change. The application shows a pair of maps of the same area but at differing sea levels.

Endangered Species

More than $57.8 million is going to 27 states to support conservation planning and acquisition of vital habitat for threatened and endangered fish, wildlife and plants. Funding is awarded through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund and species to benefit range from the desert tortoise to Indiana bat.

Tribal Wildlife Grants Program

Under this program, 41 Native American tribes in 16 states are to receive $7 million in competitive funding to assist with a wide range of wildlife conservation efforts.

Competitive State Wildlife Grants

More than $9 million will go to 12 state wildlife agencies to help conserve and recover imperiled fish and wildlife species. The federal funding will be matched by more than $7 million in additional funding provided by states and their partners.

Earth Day, Wetlands Maps – One Year Later

The Fish and Wildlife Service maps of its National Wetlands Inventory are available for viewing on Google Earth. Since its launch one year ago, over 1.4 million maps of wetlands data have been downloaded using this versatile, fast program. If you don’t have Google Earth, the Service’s Wetlands Mapper, a separate site, fully integrates digital data with printable customized maps.

Earth Day 2009

Celebrate and enjoy the natural world this Earth Day, April 22, 2009. The people and places of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be marking this day all across the country. Learn about things you can do to help wildlife, and take action on Earth Day to make a better planet for fish, wildlife, and their habitats. Find special events in your area and get together with friends and family to enjoy the outdoors.

Dakota Flood Update

The Sheyenne River in North Dakota is experiencing record high water levels, producing major flooding. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Valley City National Fish Hatchery and Valley City Wetland Management District office are under immediate threat by rising waters. The Fish and Wildlife Service continues to deploy dozens of employees, airboats and equipment to aid local communities threatened by rising waters.

New Report Shows Waterfowl Hunting’s Contribution to U.S. Economy

Waterfowl hunters spent $900 million on a variety of goods and services from food, transportation, guns and decoys to hunting dogs, clothing and other incidental expenses in 2006, according to a new report issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.