Ohio, Michigan DNRs team up on turtle research

Washington, D.C. — The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (Association) applauds the distribution of more than $55 million for state fish and wildlife agencies to restore and manage Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) through the implementation of State Wildlife Action Plans.

Last week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced the disbursement of funds through the State Wildlife Grants Program to support state efforts to conserve at-risk species and their habitats across the nation.

“State Wildlife Grants are vital for proactive conservation efforts that prevent species from becoming endangered, enhancing regulatory certainty, and avoiding costly recovery measures,” said Judy Camuso, commissioner of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. “We are grateful to the Service for the continued transparent and responsible administration of these funds and thank Congress for recognizing the return on investment for the American taxpayer.”

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Established in 2000, the State Wildlife Grants (SWG) program has been proven to strengthen local economies. More than 100 million Americans participate in wildlife-related recreation such as hunting, fishing, birding, hiking, and photography.

The outdoor recreation economy generates $1.2 trillion in economic output, contributes 2.3% to GDP, and supports 5 million American jobs. Healthy fish and wildlife populations are the foundation of this economic engine, according to the Association. 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.

State Wildlife Action Plans are the blueprints for conserving the nation’s fish, wildlife, biodiversity, and their habitats. Recent successes include the delisting of the least tern, downlisting of the American burying beetle, and not warranted findings for the brook floater and yellow banded bumblebee. Examples of projects funded by State Wildlife Grants include:

• Assessment and conservation of Blanding’s and spotted turtles in Michigan and Ohio. The Michigan and Ohio DNRs are continuing their successful partnership to conserve at-risk turtles at a large landscape scale. This project will collect key information on the status, distribution, and ecology of Blanding’s and spotted turtle populations in Michigan and Ohio to inform and prioritize management efforts. Both species have experienced range- wide declines and are currently in review for federal listing under the Endangered Species Act. Data and other key information generated through this project will be shared with other stakeholders and partners and contribute to range-wide recovery efforts for these species.