If ever there were an opportunity to help ensure long-term conservation of wildlife resources, that opportunity is before us now with the conservation funding legislation that has passed the House and currently exists in the Senate. Just as the Wildlife Society has actively participated in the development and implementation of some of the most historically significant conservation legislation of the last century, so we begin this century by supporting the passage of a conservation funding bill that provides dependable, long-term funding for our Nation, imperiled wildlife populations.
The need for sufficiently funded proactive wildlife management continues to grow, as does the public demand for the responsible stewardship of wildlife. These public demands are reasonable and should be met: without proper conservation, more and more species will become threatened and endangered. Trying to reverse these trends, rather than preventing them, is extremely expensive and inefficient, and the public foots the bill. Annual expenditures for recovery efforts of listed species have risen from $43 million in 1989 to $312 million in 1995. In addition, although funding exists for game management through the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937, the public's interest in wildlife observation is substantial. According the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, wildlife-watchers spent $29 billion in State and local economies in 1996, 39% more than that spent just 5 years before. And nature-based tourism is increasing, at a higher rate than any other segment of tourism worldwide. We would like to offer recommendations for the wildlife title of a compromise bill based on elements found in Title III of S. 2123, S. 2181, and S.25. The Wildlife Society recommends that the following specific elements be included in the final wildlife title of the bill:
Wildlife conservation strategy found in S. 2181. This language provides for efficient and effective use of Title Ill funds to address all wildlife species needs and has broad support among wildlife conservationists. No cap on wildlife recreation program spending. Success of wildlife conservation and management programs relies on public support. Public support is fostered when people are engaged in wildlife-related recreation from which they can develop a personal connection to wildlife values. These recreational programs should not be limited by a 10% funding cap. Both S. 25 and S. 2181 already address this concern.
Increased base funding for states from 1/2 to 1% to benefit small population/small land- base states. The benefits to wildlife conservation in these 11 small states (NH, SD, NJ, CT, DE, RI, VT, ME, ND, HI, and WV) would greatly outweigh the minimal reduction in funds distributed to all other 39 states (a total reallocation of $11.9 million, or 3.4% of the total, would result from this change). In many of the small northeastern states, wildlife managers face many unique challenges due to rapid development and increasing human populations. The problems they face are no less pressing than those of larger states. No existing bill currently addresses this issue. Assure adequate funding for wildlife conservation, recreation and education. The $350 million specified in CARA and CASA is the minimum necessary to allow state wildlife agencies to begin addressing the estimated $1 billion per year need.
If states continue to be deprived of dependable funding for wildlife conservation, the declining trends of many species will continue to accelerate over the next few years. More than 2,000 non- game, non-listed species of fish and wildlife in the ITS are lacking the attention that they need. Without sufficient funding, state resource managers will be unable to act as more and more species reach a critical status and are listed as threatened or endangered. We all know that our diverse wildlife is a source of pride for the citizens of this country -- so why wait until conditions are severely degraded before taking action? There are cost-efficient, effective and popular ways of providing, landowners with incentives to conserve wildlife habitat, by providing states with the resources they need to be proper stewards of this nation's wildlife, these responsible conservation techniques will be implemented.
The Wildlife Society commends the members of this Committee who have sponsored or cosponsored some form of conservation funding legislation. All of the existing bills are worthy of praise, and are a testament to the commitment and foresight of this Congress to have a conservation legacy that benefits all American citizens. We are confident that your commitment to bipartisan legislation will produce a compromise bill that preserves the integrity of the original bills and provides for thorough, effective use of wildlife conservation funding. Wildlife professionals, the American public, and their children will thank you for it.