Teaming with Wildlife

APRIL 2013
turtle  
WILD CALL
Teaming with Wildlife Coalition Newsletter

A coalition of over 6,300 organizations supporting increased and dedicated funding for wildlife conservation education and nature based recreation.
   
ACTION ALERT
Yesterday, congressman Don Young (AK), Michael Grimm (NY), Mike Thompson (CA) and Ron Kind (WI) released a Dear Colleague Letter supporting "robust" funding for the

State & Tribal Wildlife Grants in fiscal year 2014.  We need your HELP to contact your members in the House of Representatives and encourage them to sign on to this letter.  The more members who sign on, the more likely that funding for this vital program will continue.  Below are links to the Dear Colleague Letter, a list of congressional environmental staff and a call script.  Please call and/or email congressional staff for House of Representative members in your state and ask them to sign on to the Dear Colleague letter by the deadline (April 10-noon eastern).  If you send an email, forward the Dear Colleague letter to them.  We have an unusually short timeline this year which will make this task difficult.  Staff are busy so you may need to contact them multiple times up to the deadline.  Be persistent and don't give up until they have signed on or say they will not be able to do so. Email Mark Humpert if you need any information.  Thanks for your help.  

 


Sequestration 

Sequestration Deals Another Blow To State & Tribal Wildlife Grants  

On March 26th, the President signed the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act which funds the federal government for the remainder of 2013. Due to budget sequestration, the State & Tribal Wildlife Grants program will sustain another 5% cut this year. The program has now been cut by over 35% since 2010. These cuts are coming at a time when the program is demonstrating success in preventing federal endangered species listings, saving taxpayer's dollars. Even though the program sustained another cut, we are grateful for the efforts of the Teaming With Wildlife Coalition for being a voice for fish and wildlife conservation. Without your steadfast support, the program would have sustained even deeper cuts.  


 

 

2014 House Dear Colleague Letter

Activity to Secure FY14 Funding For State & Tribal Wildlife Grants Heats Up

Although, the President has not yet released his FY14 budget, the House and Senate have both passed budget resolutions which will set spending levels due to begin in October.  It looks like we will have another challenging year ahead as Congress continues to focus on deficit reduction.  We will need your help to ensure investments in the

State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program remain as robust as possible.  In addition to saving taxpayers money by preventing federal listings, the program supports 1,520 jobs and contributes $181M in total economic activity each year.

 

Would You Like to Help Protect Funding For State & Tribal Wildlife Grants?

 

There are several ways you can help ensure this vital program continues to be funded:   

  
As a citizen or a member of an organization you can submit written testimony to the House Interior & Environment Appropriations Subcommittee supporting at least level funding for the
State & Tribal Wildlife Grants program. Testimony can be submitted via email. The testimony can be brief (1-3 paragraphs), should mention the name of the program and why it is important in your state. The deadline for submitting testimony is April 25, 2013. Full instructions to submit written testimony.

You can contact your members in the US House and US Senate and ask them to include no less than level funding for State & Tribal Wildlife Grants in their programmatic requests this year.  You can find out the deadline for programmatic requests by contacting your member offices at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov

 

2013 Fly-In Update


We had another successful Teaming With Wildlife Fly-In on March 5th and 6th. Over 80 individuals representing 31 states participated in the event. Although there was a federal government shutdown due to a snow storm that turned into rain, the event went off without a hitch. Congresswoman DeLauro (CT) gave a heartfelt speech about State and Tribal Wildlife Grants and how the program is helping wildlife in her District. Jeff Vonk, Director of South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks spoke about the importance of the program in conserving at-risk species in his state and across the nation. Around 125-150 people attended the congressional reception this year. Thanks to all of you who made the trip this year.

We are appreciative of the following sponsors who supported the Fly-In, we could not have done this without your help:


Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, DOW AgroSciences, Syngenta

National Wildlife Federation, National Shooting Sports Foundation,

American Eagle Foundation, Delta Waterfowl Foundation, DJ Case & Associates
Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Organization for Fish & Wildlife Information Managers
Pheasants Forever, Responsive Management, Southwick Associates
The Nature Conservancy, The Wildlife Society, Trout Unlimited
Wild Sheep Foundation, Wildlife Conservation Society
Wildlife Management Institute

  


IN THE NEWS

Article from the THE OUTDOOR WIRE PUBLICATION
"I am honored to have received this award and take it as a call to continue advancing efforts to protect our wildlife," DeLauro said. "The state and tribal wildlife grants I have strongly supported throughout my career help states preserve wildlife and prevent more species from becoming endangered. In Connecticut they have protected terns, herons, and egrets on our coastal islands; New England Cottontails and bunnies in Madison and Guilford; bats in North Branford; and even bald eagles in New Haven. Wildlife like these, and habitats like the Long Island Sound, are regional and national treasures. We must ensure their protection and preservation - not only for today, but for our children and our children's children."  Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT)
 

 

2013 Fly-In Awards

The following Awards were presented at the Members of Congress Reception on March 6, 2013. 


The
Maryland Teaming With Wildlife Coalition

is the recipient of The Teaming With Wildlife Coalition Member Achievement Award which recognizes outstanding achievements of coalition in support of funding for wildlife diversity conservation.   

 

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Tennessee Hellbender Recovery Partnership is the recipient of the State Wildlife Action Plan Award which recognizes both a state fish and wildlife agency and a partner agency or organization for the outstanding collaboration in the implementation or revision of the state's Wildlife Action Plan.

  

Members of Congress also received an award for their exceptional leadership as a champion for state wildlife diversity conservation funding: 


Senator Saxby Chambliss (R, Georgia)

Senator Dick Durbin (D, Illinois)

Congressman Jim Gerlach (R, Pennsylvania)

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D, Connecticut)

 

Crowdrise

Please help us keep critters off the endangered species list!


If you love wildlife, then team up with us today to help keep critters with fins, fur, feathers and scales off the endangered species list.

  

Teaming With Wildlife advocates for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program, the ONLY federal program out there working to protect at-risk species from the brink of extinction before they get listed and so costly to save.

  

How You Can Help....
Teaming With Wildlife is all about keeping common species common. It wouldn't be Nature without the sounds of birdcalls in the air, the rustling of leaves made by little paws in the woods or the splash of a fish jumping out of a burbling stream.


Your donation of $10 (or more or less) will help the Coalition take action to conserve all species of fish and wildlife and the places where they live (and where we live too!), and make sure they survive for future generations to enjoy.


 



The Teaming With Wildlife Staff:

Mark Humpert, Teaming With Wildlife Director, (202) 624-3637
Mary Pfaffko, Teaming With Wildlife Associate, (202) 624-5429
Liz Skipper, Administrative Assistant, (202) 624-5829

In This Issue
Sequestration
2014 Dear Colleague Letter
Fly-In Event Update
Media Coverage
Fly-In Event Awards
Help TWW
Featured Article


Quick Links