Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne today announced nearly $4.5 million in federal grants to support neotropical migratory bird conservation in the United States, Canada, Mexico and many Latin American and Caribbean countries.
The Zoological Society of Milwaukee will receive $14,708 and match this grant with $44,124 to work with private landowners in Wisconsin to conserve birds shared with Belize in Central America.
"What happens in Central and South America affects the birds that visit our backyards every spring and summer. These grants will support cooperative conservation projects and research to benefit our shared migratory bird resources throughout the hemisphere,” said Kempthorne.
In the 2009 President’s budget request, the Department of the Interior launched the Birds Forever initiative. It includes an increase of $8 million to support targeted planning and broad-scale activities to address threats to bird species. The initiative supports the Presidents October 20, 2007, announcement highlighting his support for migratory bird conservation and working across international borders to conserve shared species. These grants support the President’s pledge that Interior will work with counterparts in Mexico to conserve bird habitat.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide 37 grants to conservation partnerships in those countries. Partners will, in turn, match those funds with more than $15 million that will be used to conduct research, monitoring, and management programs for migratory bird populations, as well as related outreach and education.
There are 341 species of neotropical migratory birds that breed in the United States and Canada and winter in Latin America including species of plovers, terns, hawks, cranes, warblers and sparrows. Many of these birds are presently in decline, and several species are protected as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 2000 established the matching grants program to fund projects promoting the conservation of neotropical migratory birds in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Funds can be used to protect, research, monitor and manage bird populations and habitat, as well as to conduct law enforcement and community outreach and education. By law, at least 75 percent of the money goes to projects in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada, while the remaining 25 percent can go to projects in the United States.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov.
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