“It’s not too late to save America’s wildlife — but the greatest ally of extinction is inaction.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, a House Natural Resources subcommittee is holding a hearing on two bills aimed at helping wildlife populations thrive: the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act and the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act.
“It’s not too late to save America’s wildlife — but the greatest ally of extinction is inaction,” said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “The bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, sponsored by Representatives Dingell and Fortenberry, proposes a visionary, collaborative solution to save more than 12,000 species based on the premise that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. By acting today, we can ensure that our children and grandchildren inherit a full symphony of birds, streams teeming with fish, and grasslands dotted by herds of pronghorn. The Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act will help ensure wildlife can move through an increasingly fragmented landscape to get to the food, water, breeding grounds, and seasonal habitat they need to survive.”
“In addition to managing wildlife for biological and scientific purposes, we as Natives, also manage our wildlife for spiritual, cultural, and traditional purposes. A large part of the Native way of life is centered on wildlife,” said Gloria Tom, director of the Navajo Nation’s Department of Fish and Wildlife. “That’s why Recovering America’s Wildlife Act is so important. The Tribal Title would provide $97.5 million in dedicated funding for tribal nations — investment that is desperately needed to support tribal nations who have well established, comprehensive wildlife management programs or tribes who need support to expand their existing programs.”
“Wildlife don’t recognize boundaries as they move across federal, state, tribal, and private lands for their seasonal, mating, and foraging migration needs,” said Jesse Deubel, executive director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. “That’s why a federal policy that provides incentives for all stakeholders to protect wildlife corridors is so critical. This bill will ensure that America’s wildlife populations survive and thrive for generations to come."
About the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act
About the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act
Prepared Testimony
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