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"The State Wildlife Grants program is now the Nation's core program for preventing species from becoming endangered in every State. In my State of Vermont, it has more than doubled the funding available for these purposes, as it has for many other States. By providing real, tangible support through funding for on-the-ground conservation, this program is letting us get ahead of the game. Instead of reacting to crises, we now have the ability to take preventive action to keep wildlife populations healthy and avoid conflicts over endangered species."
Ron Regan, Director of Operations, Vermont Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
Bat gate
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Sturgeon
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The State and Tribal Wildlife Grant program assists States and Federally recognized Tribes in the development and implementation of activities that benefit wildlife. The President's 2005 budget for these grants proposes $80 million.
The funding benefits a broad range of species, including species not fished or hunted, and their habitats. Since so many issues related to wildlife conservation are not contained by jurisdictional borders, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the States are working together to coordinate efforts to conserve endangered and threatened species, manage migrating birds, and lay foundations for good wildlife management.
For example, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is using Federal money to protect more than 30,000 bats at two mines in Pennsylvania. The State will install special gates at the entrances to the bat caves - called hibernacular or winter homes - to prevent disturbance and vandalism during periods when these species are highly vulnerable.
Of the 2005 amount, $14 million has been proposed to reach Federally recognized Tribes. One project recently awarded the Tribal Wildlife Grant will establish, restore, and maintain a harvested lake sturgeon population in the Lac du Flambeau Chain of Lakes by the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin. The Lake sturgeon is culturally significant to this Tribe and economically important to the State of Wisconsin.
June 2004
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