The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission has approved $28 million in funding for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its partners. The funding will go towards purchase, lease, restore or otherwise conserve more than 128,000 acres of wetland habitats for ducks, bitterns, sandpipers and other birds in 16 states.
“Many people dont realize how important swamps, bogs, marshes and other wetlands are to maintaining the populations of birds we see flying overhead and visiting our backyards,” said Service Director Dan Ashe. “These habitats play a crucial role in breeding, migration and other parts of migratory bird life cycles.”
Of the total funds approved by the commission, $24.6 million will be provided through North American Wetlands Conservation Act grants to conserve more than 127,000 acres of wetlands and adjoining areas in 16 states. Eight of the 24 grants will target species or areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Grants made through this program require matching investments; the projects approved today will leverage an additional $54.4 million in non-federal matching funds. More information about these grant projects is available
The commission also announced the approval of more than $3.5 million for fee title land acquisitions of more than 1,700 acres on four national wildlife refuges. These funds were raised largely through the sale of Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, commonly known as “Duck Stamps.” For every dollar spent on Federal Duck Stamps, 98 cents goes directly to acquire habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
