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State Conservation Strategy Completed
 Between 2003 and 2005, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) prepared a comprehensive state wildlife conservation strategy. Finalized in August 2005, the strategy was approved by the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in December, 2005, making Alaska eligible for future Congressional appropriations of State Wildlife Grants funds.
Alaska's strategy was developed with input from a broad array of participants, including representatives of state and federal natural resource agencies, university and non-governmental organizations, hunting and other conservation groups, and members of the general public. The best available wildlife data were used to prepare the document.
Background on State Wildlife Grants Program
 The State Wildlife Grants (SWG) program is designed to assist states by providing federal funds for developing and implementing programs that benefit the full array of a state's wildlife (including fish and invertebrates) and their habitats, especially species that have been underrepresented in the mix of traditional funding sources such as license and tag fees. SWG funding is intended to supplement, not duplicate, existing fish and wildlife programs. Program funding is provided for species with the greatest conservation need, species indicative of the diversity and health of the state's wildlife, and low and declining populations as deemed appropriate by the state's fish and wildlife agencies.
Since the early 1990s the national Teaming With Wildlife coalition has worked to secure funding for state fish and wildlife agencies to take preventative actions that help keep rare species from becoming endangered and keep common species common. In response to these, and many other efforts, in Fiscal Year 2002 (FY02) President Bush signed the SWG program into law. This program distributed $85 million among the states, $3.9 million of it to Alaska. The program has continued with appropriations of $65 million ($2.9 million to Alaska) in FY03, $70 million ($3.1 million to Alaska) in FY04, and $69 million ($3.1 million again to Alaska) in FY05. Ongoing annual appropriations represent support for the program and a long-term funding source for diverse wildlife conservation activities in Alaska. |
Alaska's Strategy
Alaska's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CWCS) covers a broad spectrum of activities by many potential partners. At ADF&G, it includes activities in the Sport Fish and Wildlife Conservation Divisions. Through this planning effort and product, ADF&G hopes to recruit a variety of partners to work on mutually beneficial fish and wildlife projects and establish long-term funding arrangements. Partnering will focus conservation efforts on high priority needs, make the best use of limited funding, and ultimately help to keep species from being listed as threatened or endangered.
 The Strategy addresses species with special conservation needs. It emphasizes species that are not commercially or recreationally hunted, trapped, or fished, or wildlife populations, including selected game populations, about which we have specific conservation concerns. To meet the Congressional intent for the SWG program, the primary focus of the conservation strategy is on nongame species, while retaining the flexibility to include other high priority conservation target species and habitats identified by experts, or other peer-reviewed planning processes.
Where appropriate, proposed conservation actions and strategies relating to identified species, populations, and their habitats will be developed or integrated with existing management and research programs.
Learn more about the Featured Species of Alaska's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy.
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