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	Help protect wildlife for Maryland and DC's citizens.

Traditionally, much of wildlife management and conservation has been focused on game species and other animals that more directly affect humans. And funding responsibility mainly fell on the shoulders of hunters and anglers. In recent times, attitudes have shifted and people are beginning to understand the important role non-game wildlife plays in ecosystem function and in people's enjoyment of nature. In addition, land use changes have created new threats to wildlife and conservationists are challenged to create new management actions, while revenues to carry out the actions are not increasing. Each state and six territories have developed state wildlife action plans that outline these new threats and actions to take to deal with them. Now implementation of these actions plans must begin. This requires new and increased funding from federal, state and local governments. We need your help!

Join the Maryland & DC Teaming with Wildlife Coalition today by mailing in the statement of endorsement or join online! Endorsing the Maryland & DC Teaming with Wildlife Coalition costs your organization nothing, but it shows support for the essential funding needed to implement these plans.

If your organization has already joined spread the word about Maryland's Wildlife Diversity Conservation Plan and DC's Wildlife Action Plan. Encourage other organizations to join Teaming with Wildlife. Learn more about the Maryland and DC's Wildlife Action Plans to see how your organization can contribute to the implementation of these plans.

$85 million for wildlife funding in FY08!

This week, the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, led by Chairman, Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA), allocated $85 million for the State Wildlife Grants Program. In Maryland and DC, this national level increase will amount to an additional $200,000 and $80,000, respectively that will be used to protect wildlife before it is too late. In April, an incredible 222 Members of Congress, including Senators Cardin and Mikulski and Representatives Gilchrest, Bartlett, Cummings, Sarbanes, and Wynn from Maryland and Representative Norton from DC, supported the increase to $85 million in a bi-partisan letter to the Subcommittees. Please e-mail or call the representatives and senators who signed the bill from Maryland and DC to let them know their support is appreciated.

Please call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to speak with your member of Congress. Find out who your Representative and Senators are.

List of FY08 Signers of the letter circulated in Congress supporting $85 million for wildlife.

Our wildlife need dedicated funding.

While having $85 million appropriated for 2008 is great news, it still requires Teaming with Wildlife Coalition members to meet with members of Congress to request the funding each year. Wildlife managers need dedicated funding from Capitol Hill to better plan for future wildlife conservation. Furthermore, dedicated funding may allow for wildlife education and recreation which is not permitted under the State Wildlife Grants Program. The Teaming with Wildlife Act and many climate change bills have been introduced in Congress this session. These pieces of legislation could provide the dedicated funding wildlife needs.

To learn more about dedicated funding for wildlife read:

Teaming with Wildlife Act

Climate Change Legislation

Other things YOU can contribute:

Letter from organization/agency supporting wildlife

Letter from individual supporting wildlife