COOPERATIVE ALLIANCE FOR REFUGE ENHANCEMENT
The
Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE) was created
in 1995 as a loose coalition of diverse organizations concerned
about the ability of our National Wildlife Refuges to fulfill
their missions.
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New Report Highlights Refuge Funding Needs
Download 2009 CARE Report!
America’s National Wildlife Refuge System, comprising 150 million acres, requires a minimum of $808 million annually to operate adequately. However, the System is currently receiving $462.8 million per year – an average of just $3.08 per acre.
The report finds that:
- One in three refuges are operating without a single staff member
- The System has already cut 300 staff positions; without adequate funding increases, plans for a 20 percent staff reduction will resume
- The system needs 845 full-time law enforcement officers, but currently has just 205 – one officer for every 731,000 acres – CARE conservatively recommends immediately adding 241 positions to retain visitor and officer safety
- Mission Critical, non law enforcement positions need to increase by 74 percent, an additional 2740 positions
- The System is able to invest just 0.67 percent of its value in annual maintenance – CARE recommends investing $380 million annually or 1.6 percent, still woefully short the industry standard of investing 2-6 percent
- More than two million acres have already been lost to invasive species, placing threatened and endangered species at even greater risk
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ENDORSE CARE NOW!
The Refuge System is the only federal network of lands dedicated to the conservation of America's wildlife. It currently consists of 548 units, representing every state and most U.S. territories. In fact, there is a wildlife refuge within a one-hour drive of every major citiy, serving as destinations for more than 40 million visitors annually. (By 2009, public use is expected to increase to over 60 million visitors a year.) At refuges across the country, visitors enjoy opportunities to observe and photograph wildlife, experience pristine sunrises during hunting or fishing trips, or simply learn about the outdoors through quality environmental education and interpretation programs. The Refuge System is also a source of pride for local communities (e.g, over 200 Friends Groups, non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting individual refuges, provide millions of volunteer hours, completing critical conservation projects and welcoming visitors.)
For
general information on the Refuge System, you can look here.
Refuges provide a substantial economic return, creating nearly 27,000 jobs and over $1.7 billion in economic activity, a figure more than three times greater than the operations and maintenance funding the Refuge System receives. Between 2004 and 2009, visitor generated sales to regional economies is expected to increase from an estimated $862 million per year to over $1.2 billion per year.
Unfortunately, 35% of refuges are currently unstaffed, and every refuge has unmet operations and maintenance needs. The unmet operations and maintenance needs of the Refuge System is $3.5 billion. This backlog is a serious threat to the overall health of wildlife conservation in the United States and the safety and satisfaction of refuge visitors.
In order to unite the varied groups around CARE and to focus its collective efforts, the core of CARE's concern was, and still remains, correcting the inadequate funding for the operations and maintenance of National Wildlife Refuges. To guide the alliance's deliberations and maintain its focus, CARE has drafted the following core principles:
Principles
National Wildlife Refuges must be staffed and funded adequately to (1) conserve and manage habitats and wildlife in order to fulfill their overall mission, and (2) provide opportunities for the added mission of compatible fish-and-wildlife dependent education and recreation.
At current funding and staffing levels, many critically important biological and management actions are not possible on refuges. Ways must be systematically explored to recover costs (user fees), manage more efficiently, attract cost-sharing, find new funding and, overall, improve the management capability of refuges.
Role
of CARE member-organizations
Members of CARE recognize the inadequacy of existing funds to operate and maintain the National Wildlife Refuge System and the biological, recreational, and economic consequences that this lack of funding has on the Refuge System and its surrounding communities.
The
current members of CARE are as follows:
American Birding Association
American Fisheries Society
American Sportfishing Association
Assateague Coastal Trust
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation
Defenders of Wildlife
Ducks Unlimited
Izaak Walton League of America
National Audubon Society
National Rifle Association of America
National Wildlife Federation
National Wildlife Refuge Association
Safari Club International
The Corps Network
The Nature Conservancy
The Wilderness Society
The Wildlife Society
Trout Unlimited
U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance
Wildlife Forever
Wildlife Management Institute
Organizational
statement of support from the individual organizations in
CARE:
American
Birding Association
"With
birding as the fastest-growing form of American outdoor recreation,
it is imperative that one of our great resources be protected
and enhanced, said American Birding Association Board Chair
Richard H. Payne of Huntsville, Texas. "Our National Wildlife
Refuge System, unique in the world, faces significantly increased
visitation from birders and others, multiplying pressures
on a system that has been under-funded for years. The National
Wildlife Refuge System cannot provide wildlife and increasing
numbers of visitors without investing more in both maintenance
and operation."
American
Fisheries Society
As
aquatic stewards, AFS feels strongly that financial support
is needed to continue to protect and preserve our refuges,
with special attention paid to the aquatic refuges that sustain
not only fish but also birds and animals . Refuge funding
has been stretched to the breaking point particularly in the
maintenance current refuges. More and more refuges and their
staffs are relying on volunteers and "Friends Of" groups to
help preserve the wilderness. All conservation stakeholders
need to work together to support our National Wildlife Refuge
System to ensure that these great resources will be around
for future generations.
American
Sportfishing Association
"Wildlife
refuges are America's secret fishing spots," said Mike Nussman,
President of the American Sportsfishing Association. "Ask
any angler and he'll tell you that these wild areas support
some of the best fishing around. However, to continue providing
this wealth of opportunities we must invest in the rejuvenation
of the refuge system. This will be money well spent as the
economic returns from the millions of anglers that fish in
the refuges alone can make it worth our while."
Assateague
Coastal Trust
"The
shortchanging of America's wildlife is evident from the fact
that the refuge system lists 388 biologist positions as essential
but has lacked the money to fill them," says Phyllis Koenings,
executive director of the Assateague Coastal Trust. "This
is deplorable, and actually compounds refuge funding problems.
Without the necessary biologists, refuges are hindered in
initiating and justifying projects to which other organizations,
such as Ducks Unlimited, and even special programs of the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service itself, might provide grants."
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
"The
National Wildlife Refuge System should be, in Aldo Leopold's
words, 'the finest example of sound wildlife management',"
said Max Peterson, Executive Vice President of AFWA. "To
meet that goal requires adequate funds to meet both current
needs as well as address the backlog of accumulated needs
now requiring attention. Whether for hunting, fishing or other
wildlife-related activities, the Wildlife Refuge System serves
millions of people while providing social, economic and environmental
benefits so important today."
Congressional
Sportsmen's Foundation
"Our
National Wildlife Refuge System provides over $416 million
to communities surrounding refuges through fishing, hunting
and wildlife watching related activities," said Melinda Gable,
executive director of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation.
"Our governmental leaders should not only look at how the
refuge system benefits our natural environment, but also look
at those who rely upon tourism dollars created by the refuges
themselves. CARE's proposal to the Administration and Congress
represents a necessary increase to help make the refuges a
more healthy system for the wildlife and the people who visit
them. A system who's founder - President
Theodore Roosevelt - would be proud of."
Defenders
of Wildlife
"From
protecting America's highest concentration of unique plants
and animals, to restoring a population of 16,000 trumpeter
swans from just 73 birds at the brink of extinction, to providing
crucial
stepping stones to other migratory birds, the first 100 years
of the National Wildlife Refuge System have been a triumph,"
said Rodger Schlickheisen, President of Defenders of Wildlife.
"But without adequate funding, the promise of the Refuge System
over the coming century will be seriously compromised."
Ducks
Unlimited
"Millions
of sportsmen-conservationists, and other wildlife enthusiasts
have a fantastic opportunity to enjoy the outdoors by visiting
the National Wildlife Refuge system, said Don Young, Executive
Vice President of Ducks Unlimited. "These special lands are
responsible for keeping populations of waterfowl, shorebirds,
and many other types of wildlife, abundant and healthy. Ducks
Unlimited prides itself as being a long time partner on the
refuge system, where we have teamed up on almost six hundred
projects encompassing approximately three hundred thousand
acres of wetlands and associated uplands. Our field biologists
work cooperatively with the committed staffs on refuges to
help design and maintain habitat that helps the Fish and Wildlife
Service accomplish its mission. A significant amount of refuge
lands were paid for with funds provided by sportsmen and women
through the purchase of federal duck stamps. But acquiring
lands for wildlife is not enough. Refuges need proper funding
to most effectively manage the resource. As we look forward
to the second century of the National Wildlife Refuge System,
we thank Congress and the Administration for their support
in the last several years and hope that these needs will be
addressed even more in the years ahead."
Izaak
Walton League of America
"America's
National Wildlife Refuge System is one of the world's premier
networks of land and water set aside to meet our natural resource
stewardship responsibilities," said Paul Hansen, the League's
executive director. "Its very existence reflects the incredible
conservation vision of President Teddy Roosevelt and is a
credit to our nation's hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching
heritage. The Congress has taken steps in recent years to
begin addressing this critical funding backlog. We know more
must be done. For seven years the CARE Group has been tracking
the Refuge System's funding needs and that trend data has
led correctly to a request that Congress more than double
the money available next year for refuge operations and maintenance
in anticipation of the Refuge System's 100th birthday."
The Corps Network
"As
stewards of their communities and the environment - both today
and for the future - the 23,000 young adults enrolled in service
and conservation corps across the country recognize the critical
importance of the refuge system.," says Sally Prouty, President
of The Corps Network. The Corps Network "is grateful to CARE for its incredible work
supporting the health of the refuge system and believes that
more needs to be done. It is time to provide the National
Wildlife Refuge System with the appropriate resources it needs."
National
Audubon Society
"The
National Wildlife Refuge System is at a crossroads," said
National Audubon Society President John Flicker. "Are we going
to cheat future generations of this American treasure by bleeding
its coffers dry? We are turning a source of national pride
into a source of national shame. It is time to do the right
thing."
National
Rifle Association
"Almost
a century ago, Teddy Roosevelt and other enlightened sportsmen
established a system of public lands to safeguard America's
wildlife resources," said James J. Baker, Ex Dir. of the Institute
for Legislative Action, for the National Rifle Association.
"The question today is whether our stewardship of the National
Wildlife Refuge System measures up to the expectations of
these visionary conservationists. The NRA believes that a
sound base of financial support must be provided in order
for us to live up to our stewardship responsibilities."
National
Wildlife Federation
"All
our National Wildlife Refuges are national treasures that
we must do everything in our power to enhance the wildlife
and wilderness values that American's hold dear," said Mark
Van Putten, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation.
National
Wildlife Refuge Association
"The
National Wildlife Refuge System is a natural treasure for
wildlife and people alike, but desperately requires increased
funding to address the needs of both," said Evan Hirsche,
President of the NWRA. "In these times of uncertainty, Americans
are turning to national wildlife refuges across the country
for comfort and reflection. Without sufficient funding for
refuges, people and wildlife suffer."
Safari
Club International
"In
1997, Congress recognized the importance of the National Wildlife
Refuge System to sportsmen and other outdoor enthusiasts,"
said Peter J. Dart, Executive Director of Safari Club International.
"SCI supports appropriate and responsible levels of funding
to assure that these public
lands are properly managed for their mission of wildlife conservation
and for their benefits to the American public."
Trout
Unlimited
"American
anglers know well that the National Wildlife Refuge System
includes 'fish' as well as 'wildlife',"
said Charles Gauvin, Trout Unlimited's President and CEO.
"Some of the nation's last best fish habitats are found in
the Refuge System. While Congress has made substantial progress
in recent years in fixing Refuge System problems, more needs
to be done. We urge Congress to heed CARE group's funding
proposals and make sure that the 'fish' stay firmly intact
in the National Wildlife Refuge System."
U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance
"The
National Wildlife Refuge System is an integral part of wildlife
management programs across this country," said Walter P. Pidgeon,
president and CEO of the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance. "Adequate
funding of this 'crown jewel' should be the backbone of any
conservation plan before Congress."
The
Wilderness Society
"The
National Wildlife Refuge System protects many of America's
most awe-inspiring natural wonders," said William H. Meadows,
President of The Wilderness Society. "Our Refuge System must
be healthy and well-managed if we are to preserve America's
wild heritage for future generations."
Wildlife
Forever
"A
dollar spent to maintain wildlife refuges returns more benefits
for wildlife and outdoor recreation than any competing conservation
investment in America," said Douglas H. Grann, President and
CEO, Wildlife Forever. "Congress should celebrate the National
Wildlife Refuge System's second century by funding it at the
level C.A.R.E. is recommending."
Wildlife
Management Institute
"National
Wildlife Refuges are a treasured part of the nation's natural
resources, history, and culture," said Steven A. Williams,
President of the Wildlife Management Institute. "We need greater
investment in their operation and management to maintain and
restore habitat and abundant fish and wildlife populations
for the nearly 40 million people each year who visit our refuges
to observe nature and engage in wildlife-dependent recreation,
such as hunting and fishing.
The
Wildlife Society
"Many
refuges suffer from a shortage of professional wildlife biologists
on staff," said Tom Franklin, Executive Director of the Wildlife
Society. "This lack of technical expertise severely limits
the Service's ability to adequately monitor wildlife populations
and perform studies that are needed for the proper management
of refuge biological resources."
