Our Organization

Through the African Elephant Conservation Fund, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's International Affairs Program supports the conservation of African savanna and forest elephants and their habitats across Africa's 37 elephant range countries. Collaborating with national governments, U.S. agencies, and a diverse array of other partners, we implement a strategic, results-based approach to African elephant conservation. Supported activities range from preventing or tackling poaching and conducting applied research and monitoring, to developing and executing ivory action plans and mitigating human-elephant conflict.

Maintaining good air quality is important not only for human health but also for the health of natural resources. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitors air quality in selected sites to minimize harm from human-caused air pollution to wildlife and sensitive wildlife habitat on national wildlife refuges. These efforts promote biological integrity and diversity and the environmental health of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Under direction of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska is responsible for the conservation of polar bears, northern sea otters, and Pacific walruses that inhabit Alaskan waters. Our sister agency, the National Marine Fisheries Service, is responsible for whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions.

--NOTICE: Available for Public Comment--

1) Our draft stock assessment reports (SARs) for Pacific walrus and the northern sea otter stocks are available for public review and comment. You will find the reports and can submit comments by visiting www.regulations.gov and searching docket number: FWS-R7-ES-2022-0155. The comment period is 90 days starting February 7, 2023. In 2021 we determined that these SARs should be revised based on new information available that allows us to better describe their status. The new information does not indicate that any change to the status of the stocks is warranted at this time. The reports were prepared using the best available science and in consultation with the Alaska Scientific Review Group. 


2) Proposed Incidental Harassment Authorization; Prudhoe Bay Unit of the North Slope of Alaska

In response to a request under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended, from BP America Production Company, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to authorize nonlethal incidental take by harassment of small numbers of Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) polar bears between issuance and December 14, 2023. The applicant requested this authorization for take by harassment that may result from activities associated with closure, remediation, and rehabilitation of the Foggy Island Bay State No. 1 gravel pad in the Prudhoe Bay area of the North Slope of Alaska. We estimate that this project may result in the nonlethal incidental take by harassment of up to three SBS polar bears. This proposed authorization, if finalized, will be for up to three takes of polar bears by Level B harassment only. No take by injury or mortality is requested, expected, or proposed to be authorized.

The proposed incidental harassment authorization and supporting documents are available for public review and comment at www.regulations.gov, docket number FWS-R7-ES-2022-0141. The public comment period is from February 15, 2023 to March 17, 2023. Once the public comment period closes, we will review all submitted comments prior to making a final determination.

Comments may be submitted electronically or by U.S. Mail. All comments received on a proposed authorization during the comment period will be posted at http://www.regulations.gov. You may request that we withhold personal identifying information from public review; however, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Electronic Submission: Federal eRulemaking Portal at: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments to the appropriate Docket No.

U.S. Mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-R7-ES-2022-0141, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/3W, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

Healthy fisheries are core to the conservation work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We are working with partners to protect and enhance the health of fish and other aquatic animals in aquaculture and in the wild.

Aquatic Resource Education grant funds are authorized through the Sport Fish Restoration Act, which provide funds to the states, the District of Columbia and insular areas fish and wildlife agencies, for their aquatic resource education programs. The purpose of these funds are to enhance the public's understanding of aquatic resources and sportfishing, and to promote the development of responsible attitudes and ethics toward the aquatic environment.

Aquatic invasive species cause tremendous harm to our environment, our economy, and our health. They can drive out and eat native plants and wildlife, spread diseases, and damage infrastructure. We work to protect our waterways and the communities that depend on them from the threat of invasive species.

Aquatic Nuisance Species are organisms that produce harmful impacts on aquatic ecosystems or activities or dependent on these ecosystems such as agricultural, aquacultural, or recreation. ANS may occur in freshwater, estuarine, and marine waters and are one of the most significant threats to waters of the United States. Aquatic Nuisance Species are also known as Aquatic Invasive Species.

Through the Asian Elephant Conservation Fund, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's International Affairs Program provides financial and technical support to partners to reduce threats to Asian elephants in their natural habitats across Asia's 13 elephant range states. Collaborating with national governments, U.S. agencies, and a range of non-governmental partners, we implement a strategic, results-based approach to Asian elephant conservation, supporting activities such as protected area and habitat management, applied research, improved law enforcement, conflict resolution initiatives, and community education and outreach.

Historic funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law builds on proven projects, expands partnerships, and develops sustainable solutions for the Klamath Basin. 

The Boating Access sub-program of the Sport Fish Restoration Grant program provides federal funds for facilities that create or add to public access for recreational boating and improvements to waterways that increase access to recreational boating opportunities.

The Boating Infrastructure Grant Program provides funds for tie-up facilities and support facilities for transient vessels greater than 26 feet in length for stays of up to 15 days.

Most bird families across the continent are declining, and many species are at risk of disappearing entirely. It is estimated that North America has lost nearly 3 billion breeding birds since 1970, which is roughly 1 out of every 4 birds. By working together, we can strengthen our partnerships, efforts, creativity, and capacity to sustain and grow bird populations to Bring Birds Back.

The Recovery Program for the California condor is an international multi-entity effort, led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Partners in condor recovery include numerous stretching across state, federal, non-governmental and tribal partners.

The Recovery Program is working to establish robust self-sustaining populations of condors within the historical distribution. The program includes several key components including addressing threats to the species in the wild; captive breeding; and release and monitoring at our field sites. In addition, we are working to increase the public's knowledge about the species and how you can support recovery of the condor.

In 1967 the California condor was listed as endangered by the federal government under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, the predecessor to the Endangered Species Act, and in 1979 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established the California Condor Recovery Program. The 1996 Recovery plan established goals (criteria) for down listing the species from Endangered to Threatened. These include establishing two wild, geographically distinct self-sustaining populations, each with 150 birds and at least 15 breeding pairs. In addition, the plan includes maintaining a third population of condors in captivity.

The species historically ranged from California to Florida and western Canada to northern Mexico but by the mid-20th century, condor populations had dropped dramatically.

By 1982, only 22 condors survived in the wild, in an effort, to avoid extinction of the species, the Service and partners began to capture the remaining wild condors. Five years later, all remaining wild condors were in captivity and a captive breeding program to save the species was underway.

Today, the Service, and its public and private partners, have grown the total wild free-flying condor population to more than 300 condors. In 2004, the Recovery Program reached an important milestone with the first successful chick hatched in the wild. In 2008, another major milestone was reach when more condors were flying free in the wild than in captivity for the first time since the program began.

Congratulations to our 2023 CA JDS Best of Show Artwork winner Michelle Lin, Age 16, from Fremont CA at Irvington High School with an acrylic realistic medium titled "Glimpse of Temperance" depicting an American Wigeon! (see above banner image)

Sophia Fan, Age 12, from San Jose, CA wrote the winning 2023 CA JDS Best of Show Conservation Message: "Each act of conservation is a bright brush stroke on the canvas that is our future".

All CA Winners will be announced by Summer 2023. The National Competition will take place on April 21, 2023 in Washington DC. Thank you to our volunteer judges who make this contest possible every year!

Welcome to the California Junior Duck Stamp Page. Learn about the program, contest, and more by exploring our site. Please note the CA contest is now fully virtual. There is no longer a traveling art display for festivals or events due to limited staff availability & funds.

We assess the conservation status of species, using the best scientific information available, and identify those that warrant listing as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. A species that we find warrants a proposal to list as endangered or threatened, but listing is precluded by higher priority listing activities, is referred to as a candidate species. Working with public and private partners, we develop and facilitate the use of voluntary conservation tools to address threats and improve habitat to eliminate the need for listing.

Once spanning more than 580 million acres across Indigenous Lands, Canada, the United States, and Mexico, the Central Grasslands, also known as the Great Plains, are the world’s most imperiled and least conserved ecosystem. One of the last intact temperate grassland landscapes in the world, these grasslands are experiencing greater proportions of biodiversity loss than any other ecosystem and the magnitude of grassland loss is causing a landscape-scale collapse that threatens communities, industries, and wildlife.

Well-thought out and ready to roll, Chesapeake WILD is one of the sure-fire strategies for sustaining an enormous and enormously important 41-million acre landscape surrounding the largest estuary in the nation. - Tony Hiss, author “Rescuing the Planet: Protecting Half the Land to Heal the Earth”

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) entered into force in 1975, and became the only treaty to ensure that international trade in plants and animals does not threaten their survival in the wild. A State or country that has agreed to implement the Convention is called a Party to CITES. Currently there are 184 Parties, including 183 member countries and the European Union. A meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) takes place every two to three years.

The 19th meeting of the CoP to CITES took place in Panama City, Panama from November 14-25, 2022. For information on this meeting, including outcomes of species proposals, please click on the CoP19 tab in the left side bar.

The Clean Vessel Act (CVA) program provides funding to state boating agencies for the construction, renovation, operation, and maintenance of pump-out stations and waste reception facilities to meet the needs of recreational boaters.

We administer the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA), which encourages the conservation of storm-prone and dynamic coastal barriers by withdrawing the availability of federal funding and financial assistance within a designated set of units known as the Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS). The CBRS includes 3.5 million acres along the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico coasts.

The Coastal Program is one of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s most effective resources for restoring and protecting fish and wildlife habitat on public and privately-owned lands. We play an important role in promoting the Service’s mission and priorities, delivering landscape-scale conservation, and implementing strategic habitat conservation.

Wildlife trafficking – the poaching or taking of protected or managed species and the illegal trade in wildlife and their related parts and products – has escalated into an international crisis. Wildlife trafficking is both a critical conservation concern and a threat to global security with significant effects on the national interests of the United States and the interests of our partners around the world. Through the Combating Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) Program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's International Affairs Program supports innovative projects to halt wildlife trafficking, providing a lifeline to the many species worldwide threatened by illegal trade.

CART is a platform that enhances collaborative conservation efforts at all scales by facilitating issue-based, not geography-based, peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. By connecting hundreds of individuals from dozens of organizations across North America, CART helps bridge the gaps between work at project, landscape, and operational scales.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works collaboratively with other federal agencies, industries, and other stakeholders to achieve infrastructure development goals in ways that are sustainable and compatible with the conservation of fish, wildlife, and their habitats.

Once common throughout parts of the Southwestern U.S. and Mexico, the Mexican wolf was all but eliminated from the wild by the 1970s due to conflicts with livestock. In 1976, the Mexican wolf was listed as endangered and a binational captive breeding program was initiated soon after to save this unique gray wolf from extinction. In 1998, the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service released the first captive Mexican wolves into the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area in Arizona and New Mexico. Absent from the landscape for over 30 years, the resounding howl of the endangered Mexican wolf could once again be heard in the mountains of the Southwest.

Environmental contaminants experts within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ensure that environmental cleanups of polluted lands and waters minimize toxicological and ecological risks and restore the site to a safe and inhabitable condition.

The mission of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is to work with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The FWS procures goods and services in support of this mission.

Grants for states and territories, offered through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, fund participation in a wide array of voluntary conservation projects for species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act, as well as candidate species and at-risk species.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's scientific data serve as the foundation for future conservation actions. The Service has committed to the goals of good data stewardship in order to make better decisions based on defensible, high-quality scientific information, practice more efficient project management, and improve conservation delivery, all to provide beneficial conservation outcomes.

The Fish and Wildlife Service's Gulf Restoration Office (GRO) is responsible for managing a large and diverse team of Service professionals who are planning and implementing Gulf of Mexico restoration projects and activities. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlements are the funding sources for these projects. The GRO also provides technical assistance to other, non-Deepwater Horizon, oil spills located in the Southeast Region f the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Restoring the Delaware River Basin

The Desert Tortoise Recovery Program works to provide effective and coordinated recovery, research, and monitoring activities for the Mojave Desert Tortoise; provide a sound and defensible scientific basis for decision-making; assess the benefits of recovery actions; provide information and syntheses; facilitate communication of progress toward, and maintain an open dialogue regarding, desert tortoise recovery goals; and provide greater credibility and support for recovery efforts.

Forty years ago, our national symbol, the bald eagle, was in danger of extinction throughout most of its range. Habitat destruction and degradation, illegal shooting, and the contamination of its food source, largely as a consequence of DDT, decimated the eagle population. Habitat protection afforded by the Endangered Species Act, the federal government’s banning of DDT, and conservation actions taken by the American public have helped bald eagles make a remarkable recovery. Bald eagles were removed from the endangered species list in August 2007 because their populations recovered sufficiently, and their population has continued to grow in the years since. Bald eagles are a fantastic conservation success story, a pride of the American people.

The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act continue to provide protections not only for bald eagles, but golden eagles, too. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works to assure the preservation of both species of eagles.

Restoring America’s Natural Infrastructure
Ecosystem Restoration is a significant down payment in protecting our shared natural heritage. In collaboration with states, Tribes, local communities and federal agencies, we are using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to advance habitat restoration, conduct invasive species control and conserve at-risk species. These activities benefit several significant ecosystems and recreational sites.

Emergency management is a key part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service mission of protecting fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Our emergency management experts provide strategy and support in preparing for and responding to natural and man-made disasters.

We provide national leadership in the recovery and conservation of our nation's imperiled plant and animal species, working with experts in the scientific community to identify species on the verge of extinction and to build the road to recovery to bring them back. We work with a range of public and private partners to protect important habitat, and increase species' populations and reduce the threats to their survival so that they can be removed from federal protection.

The initial environmental justice spark sprang from a Warren County, NC protest. In 1982, a small, predominately African-American community was designated to host a hazardous waste landfill. This landfill would accept PCB-contaminated soil that resulted from illegal dumping of toxic waste along roadways. After removing the contaminated soil, the state of NC considered a number of potential sites to host the landfill, but ultimately settled on this small African-American community.

We provide national leadership in the protection and restoration of fish, wildlife, and habitats that have been threatened or injured by oil discharges, releases of hazardous substances, or other emerging contaminants of concern.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages fire safely and cost-effectively to improve the condition of lands while reducing the risk of damaging wildfires to surrounding communities. This balanced approach to fire management benefits people and wildlife.

A Friends partnership is made up of a nonprofit Friends organization and a national wildlife refuge or national fish hatchery. All refuge Friends organizations share the same primary mission: the support of a national wildlife refuge, a complex of refuges or a program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), is a statute that establishes a right of public access (with certain exemptions and exclusions) to agency records.

Geospatial science, data, and technologies are vital components needed to meet the mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

To paraphrase one of our regional geospatial coordinators, “No major conservation actions happens without geospatial technology, science, and data.” Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and remote sensing are the primary elements which fall under the geospatial services umbrella. Geospatial services provide the technology to create, analyze, maintain, and distribute geospatial data and information. GIS, GPS, and remote sensing play a vital role in all of the Service’s long-term goals, including meeting the challenges posed by climate change.

The Highlands region spans 3.4 million acres across Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. In an effort to conserve natural resources in this region, the Highlands Conservation Act was passed in 2004, founding the Highlands Conservation Act grant program. This grant program is among the many that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service administers to help partners conserve an array of plants, fish, wildlife, and their habitats. Grant funding also supports states, non-governmental organizations and other conservation partners working to sustain key landscapes in the Highlands region for the benefit of both people and wildlife.

This iconic landscape is distinguished by Appalachian ridges, hills, and plateaus. It is marked by deciduous and coniferous forests, streams and lakes, and thousands of plant and animal species. It is not only ecologically diverse, but sustains forest management, working farms, nature-oriented recreational opportunities, and clean water for the many people who live in the region.

Since the passage of the Highlands Conservation Act in 2004, $28 million in federal funds, matched by $53 million in non-federal funds, have been awarded to permanently protect 12,766 acres of land. Projects supported by the Highlands Conservation Act grant program are led by state agencies and address lands that support key conservation objectives outlined in the Highlands Conservation Act such as clean drinking water, healthy forests, thriving wildlife populations, productive agriculture, and abundant recreational opportunities.

FWS Human Resources is a cohesive, collaborative team of professionals dedicated to creating partnerships with employees and leadership focused on supporting all FWS mission areas.

The Hunter Education Program provides grant funds to state and U.S. territory fish and wildlife agencies to provide instruction in firearm and archery safety, wildlife management, conservation, ethics, game laws, outdoor survival, and wilderness first aid.

"The Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council's purpose is to provide recommendations to the Federal Government, through the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, that (a) benefit wildlife resources; (b) encourage partnership among the public; sporting conservation organizations; Federal, State, Tribal, and territorial governments; and (c) benefit fair chase recreational hunting and safe recreational shooting sports. "

We are committed to using sound science in decision-making and to providing the American public with information of the highest quality possible.

Our infrastructure portfolio drives local economic activity and supports every recreation and conservation activity that takes place on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands. Infrastructure and the Service maintenance workforce are the foundation of almost everything that occurs within the National Wildlife Refuge System. Water control infrastructure helps maintain healthy habitats. Visitor centers, trails and roads improve the public’s experience and access. Fleet maintenance provides boats, airplanes, heavy equipment, trucks and other tools needed for fire management, law enforcement and habitat management.

Preventing the introduction of new harmful species is the only way to fully avoid impacts of injurious species on local, regional, and national economies and infrastructure, and on the natural resources of the United States.

International Conservation Chiefs Academy
"Strengthening Global Law Enforcement Relationships to Combat Illegal Wildlife Trafficking"

Conservation through the Arts

Combating aquatic invasive species in Lake Tahoe with the Washoe Tribe and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.

Latin America is the most biologically diverse region of the world and of critical importance to wildlife conservation efforts in the Western Hemisphere and globally. Aside from providing important habitat for many species, including many that are shared with the United States, Latin America's ecosystems help reduce the severity of climate change impacts, provide important economic benefits, and are critical for regional stability. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Latin America Regional Program works with a wide range of partners to conserve priority species, habitats, and ecological processes across landscapes with high biodiversity value in Mexico and Central and South America.

We use the best scientific information available to determine whether to add a species to (list) or remove from (delist) the federal lists of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants. We also determine whether already listed species should be reclassified from threatened to endangered (uplist) or from endangered to threatened (downlist). All species, both foreign and domestic, may be considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act.

We provide leadership in the conservation and management of our nation's marine mammals under our jurisdiction – sea otters, Pacific walruses, polar bears, and West Indian manatees – as well as the marine ecosystems that support them.

Marketing Communications is responsible for web, social media, and video strategy and development, as well as printing and publishing operations in support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service mission.

The MENTOR Fellowship Program brings together teams of emerging conservation leaders for rigorous academic and field-based training, long-term mentoring, experiential learning, and project design and implementation to address major threats facing wildlife populations. These fellowship programs help strengthen capacity in-country – a fundamental objective of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Africa.

Monitoring migratory game bird harvest in the United States 

The purpose of Migratory Bird Permits is to promote long-term conservation of migratory birds and their habitats and encourage joint stewardship with others.

We foster collaborative partnerships with the Department of Defense to promote conservation on military lands. Working under the authority of the Sikes Act, we offer guidance and field support for the conservation and management of fish and wildlife resources on military installations while supporting military readiness.

This grant program provides funding for wildlife and sport fish restoration projects which address problems affecting states on a regional or national basis. Priorities are established by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA).

This competitive program provides funding for long-term conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems by helping States and Territories to protect, restore and enhance coastal habitats.

The Eagle Repository is a one of a kind facility, operated and managed by the Office of Law Enforcement, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  The main purpose is to receive, evaluate, store and distribute dead golden and bald eagles, parts and feathers to Native Americans and Alaska Natives who are enrolled members of federally recognized tribes throughout the United States.  Also, to develop and provide educational programs regarding wildlife trade, wildlife laws, raptors and the Native American eagle feather program.  

The National Eagle Repository changed its operational procedures in response to an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Learn more about HPAI and our response below in "Our Library"

Housed on the grounds of D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, the National Fish & Aquatic Conservation Archives (NFACA) is a national program within the Fish & Aquatic Conservation Program of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The NFACA collection collects, preserves and shares the stories of the history, culture, management, resources, challenges, and successes of the Fish & Aquatic Conservation Program. The artifacts and records encompass the breadth and depth of its history, which goes back to 1871. The U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries, as it was then called, is our nation’s oldest federal conservation agency (and is now part of today’s U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service).

The D.C. Booth hatchery staff established the NFACA Collection in the early 1970’s. Today the collection comprises over 2 million objects and archival documents from our fish stations, past and present, across the United States.

The National Fish Habitat Partnership is a comprehensive effort to treat the causes of fish habitat decline, not just the symptoms. The Partnership is a national investment strategy to maximize the impact of conservation dollars on the ground. Funds are leveraged through regional partnerships to address the nation’s biggest fish habitat challenges.

The National Fish Hatchery System works to support healthy, self-sustaining populations of fish and other aquatic species across the country. Every year we raise and stock over 100 million fish to support the recovery and restoration of imperiled species, recreational fishing, and Tribal subsistence fisheries.

Across the country, millions of barriers are fragmenting rivers, blocking fish migration, and putting communities at higher risk to flooding. Improving fish passage is one of the most effective ways to help conserve vulnerable species while building safer infrastructure for communities and improving climate resilience. The National Fish Passage Program restores rivers, protects wildlife, and rebuilds economies.

The Office of the Native American Liaison advises leadership on actions and identifies project areas federal and tribal conservation efforts will effectively conserve fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats. To support national efforts Native American Liaisons are placed in each region as an integral resource to provide their expertise to staff as they work with federally recognized Indian tribes.

The National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, & Wildlife-Associated Recreation is coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and provides information on individuals involved in fishing, hunting, and other wildlife-related recreation.

The National Wildlife Property Repository (Repository) near Denver, Colorado is a unique facility which serves the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) by receiving and storing wildlife and wildlife products seized and forfeited during OLE’s investigation and inspection activities. No live wildlife is stored at the facility, but there are roughly 1.4 million items in inventory from whale products to rhino parts, mounted tigers to monkey skulls.

The National Wildlife Refuge System coordinates an interdisciplinary science team to inform planning and management decisions for frontline managers. By integrating findings from numerous scientific fields — including wildlife biology, air quality and human dimensions — managers can better address complex management challenges. These science programs are administered by the Natural Resource Program Center in Fort Collins, Colorado — where many federal agencies share research operations and facilities.

Conserving birds across the americas

The inception of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program in New York began in 1990 and has been growing at a steady pace ever since. Fish and wildlife habitats that were once in a degraded state are now providing important cover, food, water and breeding areas for many species.

The Division of Partners and Intergovernmental Affairs is responsible for, among other duties, establishing, managing and strengthening partnerships between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Service (Service) and national non-traditional organizations.

Protecting, restoring and enhancing wetland habitat for birds.

The Training and Development Unit: Preparing the Front Line

Proper Training is critical to the role of law enforcement and providing officers with the knowledge, skills, and professionalism to do their jobs. Whether it is initial training for new recruits learning the basic skills and knowledge needed for their new positions or providing advanced and refresher training to seasoned agents, inspectors, and conservation officers, the Office of Law Enforcement’s (OLE) Training and Development Unit (TDU) is responsible for planning, coordinating and providing that training. In addition to preparing its own workforce, the TDU also assists its partners by providing conservation training to state, tribal and international partners here in the United States and in other regions of the world.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) manages public lands in all 50 states and 5 U.S. territories and within an hour’s drive of 100 major cities. This varied and abundant network of public lands and waters generate many economic benefits for both rural and urban areas.

The Pacific region is committed to collaborating with our numerous partners, including Tribes and state, local and federal agencies, Native Hawaiians, and Indigenous Pacific Island communities.

We administer a network of grant programs, providing millions of dollars to states, tribes, and territories in the Pacific Region to benefit land, water, wildlife, and people.

Although one finds partnerships and partnering opportunities throughout the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, External Affairs’ Partners and Intergovernmental Affairs coordinates many of them, working with other federal government bureaus, and non-governmental entities and individuals. It also manages the Service's Environmental Justice program.

Our Branch helps U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offices with everything from layout and design to printing and publishing.

The goal of the FWS Privacy program is to ensure that all Personally Identifiable Information (PII) entrusted to the Service from members of the public, project partners, and personnel is protected and handled according to the Fair Information Practice Principles upon which the Privacy Act and other privacy legislation is based.

Public Affairs works to ensure the public can find out about us and our work in a timely way and in formats they can easily access, use, and understand.

The Records and Information Management Branch, which falls under the Division of Information Resources and Technology Management, manages the Bureau’s Records Program. They support FWS to assure proper documentation of records for the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, and essential transactions of the Service and designed to furnish the information necessary to protect the legal and financial rights of the Government and of persons directly affected by the Bureau’s activities. They ensure that the FWS operating units, develop, maintain, archive, or dispose of official records in conformance to law. They conduct audits and educates FWS employees regarding filing records, records retention, and disposition of federal records.

We work with partners to conserve the ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species depend, developing and maintaining conservation programs for these species to improve their status to the point that Endangered Species Act protection is no longer necessary for survival. This process is called recovery.

Guided by the founding principles of the National Wildlife Refuge System and the mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, federal wildlife officers protect wildlife and habitat and make refuges safe places for staff and visitors; conserve America’s natural resources; and seek to exemplify excellence in public service to all.

Through the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's International Affairs Program provides financial and technical support to restore rhinoceros and tiger populations to healthy numbers in the wild. Collaborating with national governments, U.S. agencies, and a range of other partners, we implement a strategic, results-based approach to tiger conservation in Asia and rhinoceros conservation in Africa and Asia. Supported activities range from tackling poaching to managing habitats and ecosystems, supporting protected areas, conducting species research and conservation, developing community conservation initiatives, mitigating human-wildlife conflict, and raising public awareness.

The western United States’ sagebrush country encompasses over 175 million acres of public and private lands.

Sagebrush country contains biological, cultural and economic resources of national significance. America’s sagebrush ecosystem is the largest contiguous ecotype in the continental United States, comprising one-third of the land mass of the continental lower 48. This landscape provides many benefits to our rural economies and communities, and it serves as crucial habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including the iconic greater sage-grouse and over 350 other species.

Did you know that there is a simple and concrete way for you to help support the conservation of elephants, rhinos, great apes, tigers, marine turtles, and tortoises and freshwater turtles around the world? By purchasing the Save Vanishing Species Stamp, nicknamed the "Tiger Stamp," Americans have raised nearly $7 million, supporting 135 projects in 37 countries to date and contributing directly to the conservation of some of the most beloved endangered species on Earth.

The Tiger Stamp, featuring an Amur Tiger cub by artist Nancy Stahl, was launched in 2011 and represents the first stamp in the history of the U.S. Postal Service to raise funds for international conservation. The price of the stamp marginally exceeds the cost of first class postage. A portion of the proceeds of each Tiger Stamp goes directly to conserving endangered species around the world.

The Southeast Region carries out this mission within the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Our regional office is located in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Sport Fish Restoration Program was created in 1950 to restore and better manage America's declining fish resources.

The Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council is a Federal Advisory Committee Act group that advises the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce on aquatic conservation and restoration endeavors in​ ​fresh, estuarine, and marine environments that benefit recreational fishery resources, enhance recreational boating, and encourage partnerships among industry, the public, and government to advance these efforts.

Attention School teachers, Homeschool groups and Scout leaders: Come to the St Marks National Wildlife Refuge for a FREE field trip! You can pick from one of our current education programs or our Environmental Educator can tailor your trip to fit what you are studying in the classroom. Each lesson incorporates a variety of hands-on activities into every program. Through multi-sensory experiences, audience interaction, fun animal bio facts and meaningful contact with Refuge Staff, all participants may experience a new awareness and appreciation for the natural world.

Established in 2000, State Wildlife Grants provide money to states, territories, commonwealths, and D.C. to address wildlife conservation needs such as research, surveys and species and habitat management. Projects focus on wildlife species of greatest conservation need identified in State Wildlife Action Plans.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) administers the Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize Advisory Council (Council) and its six Boards established in the John D. Dingell, Jr., Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Public Law 116-9) and America’s Conservation Enhancement Act (P.L. 116-188).

A program that supports city partners in conserving birds and their habitats and providing opportunities for community engagement in bird-related recreation, education, and conservation activities in urban and suburban areas.

The Division of Visitor Services and Communications manages opportunities for outdoor recreation that draw millions of people each year to national wildlife refuges, boosting local economies. Many visitors take part in heritage sports such as hunting and fishing. Others enjoy walking, paddling, wildlife viewing or nature photography. All these activities offer visitors a chance to unplug from the stresses of modern life and reconnect with their natural surroundings.

Providing Funding for both Research and Management Activities

Wilderness areas are wild, undeveloped, federally protected areas where you can see wildlife in its natural habitat, enjoy adventure and unmechanized recreation, or just relish solitude. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages more than 20 million acres of Congressionally designated wilderness — about one-fifth of all the designated wilderness in the nation.

The Wildlife Restoration Program provides grant funds to the states and insular areas fish and wildlife agencies for projects to restore, conserve, manage and enhance wild birds and mammals and their habitat. Projects include providing public use and access to wildlife resources, wildlife area acquisition and management, research, hunter education and development and management of shooting ranges. The Program was first authorized by the Wildlife Restoration Act (Pittman-Robertson PR) of 1937.