Delivery of habitat conservation programs on private land

Abstract

ABSTRACTState Wildlife Action Plans serve as blueprints for conserving our nation's fish and wildlife and preventing endangered species listings. These plans guide conservation of >12,000 species in greatest conservation need. Recovering these species will require a dramatic increase in funding. The majority of these habitat‐restoration efforts will have to be located on private land, particularly in the eastern two‐thirds of the United States. A wide variety of state and federal habitat conservation programs and associated funding sources already exist, but current funding mechanisms appear to be inadequate to meet conservation needs, and delivery mechanisms are duplicative. Coordination is difficult for state and federal natural resource agencies, which can lead to inefficiency and redundancy among programs. Successful conservation depends on the collaboration of many individuals, government agencies, and nongovernmental organizations. Conservation program efficiency can be improved by expanding, strengthening, and simplifying partnerships. We believe federal natural‐resource agencies should transfer funds to states through block grants and technical‐service provider agreements to manage and protect habitats for threatened and endangered species, migratory birds, and other federal‐trust species primarily through conservation delivery on private lands. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.