Recovering America's Wildlife Act

One-third of all U.S. wildlife species currently face an elevated risk of extinction. Unless we take action, we risk losing our nation's treasured wildlife heritage - from backyard birds to bighorn sheep.

Habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, and emerging diseases are taking a toll on our nation’s birds, mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, butterflies, and bees. The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act is a bold, bipartisan solution that will help at-risk species with cost-effective, collaborative conservation.

Tell Congress to take action for America's wildlife. ACT NOW

America's Wildlife Crisis

Roughly one-third of America’s wildlife species face an extinction risk. All categories of wildlife are declining—in many cases dramatically. More than 1,600 U.S. species are already listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, more than 150 U.S. species have already gone extinct, and nearly 500 additional species have not been seen in decades and may be extinct.

• Birds — One-third of bird species in North America are in need of urgent conservation action.
• Fish — More than 40 percent of freshwater fish species are at risk in North America.
• Amphibians — Approximately 42 percent of amphibians like frogs, toads, and salamanders are threatened or declining in the United States.
• Reptiles — In the United States, 33 percent of turtles are threatened and 5 percent of other reptiles are threatened.
• Butterflies — Of the roughly 800 butterfly species in the United States, 17 percent are known to be at risk of extinction—but that’s likely just the tip of the iceberg, since there is little information on many native butterfly species.
• Bumblebees — More than one-quarter of North American bumblebee species are facing some degree of extinction risk.
• Bats — An estimated 18 percent of bat species are at risk of extinction, with an additional 13 percent potentially at risk. This places bats among the most threatened groups of North American vertebrates.
• Freshwater Mussels — Overall, 70 percent of freshwater mussels in North America are already extinct or imperiled.
• Plants— Nearly 33% of our nation’s plant species are at risk of extinction, and only 11% are protected by the Endangered Species Act.

Widespread loss of species will lessen our quality of life and harm local and regional economies. For example, birds, bats, and butterflies create hundreds of billions of dollars in benefits to farmers by eating pests and fertilizing plants, but all are experiencing steep declines. Outdoor recreation adds nearly $900 billion to the economy each year and is often dependent on healthy wildlife populations and habitats.

Recovering America’s Wildlife Act

A Bold Vision for Funding Wildlife Conservation

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act will allow the states, territories, and tribes to invest up to $1.4 billion annually in proactive, on-the-ground, collaborative efforts to help species at risk by restoring habitat, controlling invasive species, reconnecting migration routes, addressing emerging diseases, and more.

Specifically, the bill will:

• Provide state and territorial wildlife agencies with up to $1.4B annually so they can implement their federally-approved Wildlife Action Plans.
• Invest up to $98M annually in the wildlife conservation efforts led by Tribal Nations.
• Support state, tribal, private, and national efforts to recover wildlife already identified as threatened or endangered.

Tell Congress that wildlife can't wait any longer. SPEAK UP NOW.

Implementing Wildlife Action Plans

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would give the states and territories up to $1.4 Billion a year to implement their Wildlife Action Plans – their science-based blueprints for protecting at-risk wildlife and plants. Collectively these plans identify more than 12,000 species of plants and animals in need of assistance.

The current source of federal funding for implementing these plans — the State Wildlife Grants Program — only provides around $65 million a year, split between all the states and territories. This is less than five percent of what would be needed to implement these federally-mandated plans in a meaningful way.

Investing in Tribal-led Conservation

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would invest up to $98M annually in conservation work led by the 574 federally-recognized Tribes — their first-ever dedicated source of federal wildlife funding. Despite the fiscal constraints, many Tribal Nations have accomplished wildlife and land management programs that restore habitats and recover at-risk species such as bison, black-footed ferrets, and bighorn sheep.

This investment in Tribal conservation is long overdue – and an enormous opportunity. Tribal Nations own or influence the management of an estimated 140 million acres and these lands provide habitat for more than 525 threatened and endangered species.

Businesses and Non-Profits and Conservation Groups: SIGN THE LETTER TO CONGRESS
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Additional Resources:

• State Impacts of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (2022) - Funding for each state with links to local information
• Report: Reversing America’s Wildlife Crisis: Securing the Future of Our Fish and Wildlife (2018) - One-third of North America’s wildlife species are at increased risk of extinction
• Report: 20 Years of Conservation Success (2020) - state & tribal conservation successes
• Tribal Conservation and the Recovering America's Wildlife Act - factsheet
• Inequities in Tribal Fish and Wildlife Funding - (2022) NAFWS article
• Fast facts on the wildlife crisis (references here)
• Recovering America's Wildlife and the Great American Outdoors Act (2020) - factsheet
• Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish & Wildlife Resources’ recommendations (2016) - Working group recommendations underpinning the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act
• Endangered Species Recovery and Habitat Conservation Legacy Fund (2022) factsheet on Title III of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act of 2021

Learn More

Wildlife Success Stories

12 hopeful reminders that when we invest in wildlife conservation, wildlife wins

7 Reasons to Support the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act

Read the latest story from the National Wildlife Federation blog

Report: Reversing America's Wildlife Crisis

How the Recovering America's Wildlife Act can help species in trouble