In September, the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission (Commission) approved more than $27 million in funding for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its partners to purchase, lease or otherwise conserve nearly 200,000 acres of wetland and associated upland habitats for waterfowl, shorebirds and other birds across the United States.
Of the total funds approved by the Commission, $21.4 million will be provided through North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grants to conserve more than 133,000 acres of wetlands and adjoining areas in 13 states.
The Commission also approved expenditure of nearly $6.5 million from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to conserve 3,274 acres for five national wildlife refuges through fee title land acquisitions and easement acquisitions.
The $6.5 million from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund was raised partially through the sale of Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps (Duck Stamps), which help provide habitat for wildlife and increased opportunities for refuge visitors who hunt, bird-watch, photograph and view wildlife.
For every dollar spent on federal Duck Stamps, 98 cents goes toward the acquisition or lease of habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since 1934, the Federal Duck Stamp Program and Migratory Bird Conservation Fund have provided more than $800 million to acquire more than 5.7 million acres for the National Wildlife Refuge System.
An additional 45 small grants worth $3 million were awarded earlier by the North American Wetlands Conservation Council.
source: U.S. Department of the Interior