NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION

CONSERVATION PROGRAMSAS A LEADING CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION, THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION IS ACTIVE ACROSS A BROAD ARRAY OF ISSUES. THE BREADTH OF OUR WORK REFLECTS THE BREADTH OF THREATS CONFRONTING FISH AND WILDLIFE AND IT HAS NEVER FELT MORE IMPORTANT AS TREASURED AND UNKNOWN SPECIES ALIKE FACE MOUNTING PRESSURES: HABITAT DEGRADATION AND FRAGMENTATION, THE SPREAD OF ZOONOTIC DISEASES AND INVASIVE SPECIES, AND THE IMPACT FROM EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS MEAN MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF ALL SPECIES IN THE UNITED STATES FACE AN INCREASED RISK OF EXTINCTION IN THE COMING DECADES.RECOVERING WILDLIFE IS THE THREAD LINKING EVERYTHING THE FEDERATION DOES. AND WHEN WILDLIFE THRIVE, IT IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE AND HELPS RESTORE THE ENVIRONMENT.OUR PROGRAMS DEVELOP, PROMOTE, AND ENACT SCIENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO HELP WILDLIFE AND PEOPLE ADAPT AND THRIVE IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD.WILDLIFE RECOVERY AND HABITAT RESTORATIONRESTORING GRIZZLY BEARS IN THE NORTH CASCADE MOUNTAINS: GRIZZLIES ARE INTEGRAL TO A HEALTHY FOREST AND MOUNTAIN HABITAT. AN ESTIMATED 50,000 GRIZZLIES ONCE ROAMED THE LOWER 48, NOW THERE ARE FEWER THAN 2,000. NWF HAS LONG ADVOCATED FOR ACTION TO ENSURE GRIZZLIES HAVE ROOM TO ROAM AND CAN SAFELY COEXIST WITH HUMANS, INCLUDING IN THE NORTH CASCADES MOUNTAIN RANGE (LOCATED IN NORTHWEST WASHINGTON) WHERE OUR WASHINGTON AFFILIATE CONSERVATION NORTHWEST IS A LEADING ADVOCATE FOR THE GREAT BEAR'S RETURN. IN MARCH, THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR COMPLETED ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND IDENTIFIED A PREFERRED PLAN TO RESTORE GRIZZLY BEARS TO THE NORTH CASCADES, ONE OF SIX FEDERALLY DESIGNATED GRIZZLY BEAR RECOVERY ZONES. THE DEPARTMENT'S STUDY AND RECOMMENDATIONS SET THE STAGE FOR AN AMERICAN CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY.KEEPING INVASIVE CARP FROM THE GREAT LAKES: INVASIVE SPECIES ARE A PERSISTENT PROBLEM COSTING THE U.S. ECONOMY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ANNUALLY. IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION ALONE, SHIP-BORNE INVASIVE SPECIES COST AN AVERAGE OF $138 MILLION EVERY YEAR. THE BRANDON ROAD PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO RELIEVE SOME OF THIS BURDEN BY REDUCING THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE CARP. NWF WORKED WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS TO GET THE BRANDON ROAD PROJECT PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT SIGNED. THE PROJECT FUNDS STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THE BRANDON ROAD LOCK AND DAM IN ILLINOIS THAT WILL PREVENT THE UPSTREAM MIGRATION OF INVASIVE CARP INTO THE GREAT LAKES.RESTORING RIPARIAN HABITAT AND REDUCING HUMAN-BEAVER CONFLICT: THE HEALTH AND VIABILITY OF WESTERN WATER RESOURCES ARE CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS AND SURVIVAL OF BOTH WILDLIFE AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES. NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS, IMPLEMENTED AT SCALE, PROVIDE AN UNRIVALED OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT AND RESTORE THESE PRECIOUS RESOURCES. INSPIRED BY BEAVERS, THE WESTERN WATER TEAM DEPLOYED BEAVER DAM ANALOGS AND FACILITATED BEAVER RESTORATION, AS PRACTICAL, NATURE-BASED APPROACHES TO MITIGATE THE RISK OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENHANCE AQUATIC HABITAT. IN 2024, THE TEAM RESOLVED 64 HUMAN-BEAVER CONFLICTS, COMPLETED 25 CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROJECTS, AND RESTORED OVER 180 ACRES OF RIPARIAN HABITAT ACROSS MONTANA. THEY ALSO WORKED WITH AFFILIATES AND OTHER PARTNERS ACROSS THE WEST TO BUILD SUPPORT FOR THESE EFFORTS AND THEIR ENABLING POLICIES.SAVING SPECIES ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES: THROUGH SUPPORT FROM MUTUAL OF OMAHA'S WILD KINGDOM, NWF PROVIDED SEVEN GRANTS TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THAT SHOWCASE AND FUND INNOVATIVE AND SOLUTIONS-BASED PROGRAMS THAT HELP PROTECT THREATENED AND ENDANGERED WILDLIFE, INCLUDING THE NORTHERN LONG-EARED BAT, HINE'S EMERALD DRAGONFLY, THE GOPHER TORTOISE, AND THEIR HABITATS. THE SCHOOLS ARE: BELLEVUE COLLEGE IN WASHINGTON STATE; JOLIET JUNIOR COLLEGE IN ILLINOIS; ROANOKE COLLEGE IN VIRGINIA; UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA; UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA OMAHA; UNIVERSITY OF WEST ALABAMA; AND THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN EAU CLAIRE.CONNECTING HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE: THE CALIFORNIA REGION'S FLAGSHIP PROJECT, THE WALLIS ANNENBERG WILDLIFE CROSSING, WHICH WILL BE THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD ONCE COMPLETED, SAW MAJOR PROGRESS IN THE SUMMER OF 2024 WITH THE INSTALLATION OF 82 GIRDERS AND THE COMPLETION OF THE BRIDGE STRUCTURE OVER THE 101 FREEWAY. THE FEDERATION ALSO HELPED TO FOUND AND LAUNCH CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE RECONNECTED, A COLLABORATION WITH THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA, CALTRANS, AND THE CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY, AND HOSTED THE CONNECTIONS IN CONSERVATION CONNECTIVITY WORKSHOP IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OFFICIALS FROM FLORIDA AND TEXAS.RESTORING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY: THE CHOOSE CLEAN WATER COALITION, HOSTED BY THE FEDERATION, HAS MADE MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY RESTORATION EFFORT. THE CHESAPEAKE WATERSHED AGREEMENT SET 2025 AS THE DEADLINE FOR FINALIZING ALL POLLUTION-REDUCTION PRACTICES THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED. OUR COALITION DIRECTOR HAS BEEN AT THE CENTER OF CONVERSATIONS FOCUSED ON WHAT LIES BEYOND 2025. AT OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE, THE BEYOND 2025 COMMITTEE RELEASED ITS INITIAL PLAN AND GATHERED FEEDBACK IN REAL-TIME. OUR LETTER DETAILING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PROPOSED PLAN WAS CO-SIGNED BY 131 OF OUR PARTNERS. FINALLY, WE COORDINATED AN OP-ED CAMPAIGN AMONG ORGANIZATIONS, PARTNERS, AND BUSINESSES IN SUPPORT OF THE RESTORATION.RESTORING CENTURIES-OLD WILDLIFE PASSAGES IN MONTANA: MIGRATORY SPECIES SUCH AS PRONGHORN, MULE DEER, MOOSE, AND ELK RELY ON THE ECOLOGICALLY DIVERSE AND EXPANSIVE LANDSCAPE IN THE SAGEBRUSH BIOME OF THE HIGH DIVIDE. ANCIENT MIGRATORY ROUTES OF THESE ICONIC SPECIES ARE OFTEN THREATENED BY FENCING, IMPEDING MOVEMENT AND FRAGMENTING HABITAT ALONG THEIR JOURNEY. WORKING WITH VOLUNTEERS, LANDOWNERS, AND STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, WE REMOVED OR CONVERTED 33 MILES OF FENCES TO ALLOW PRONGHORN AND OTHER SPECIES TO FREELY MOVE ACROSS THE RUGGED LANDSCAPE OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA. THIS BRINGS OUR TOTAL TO OVER 50 MILES OF FENCE CONVERSIONS SINCE THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN 2021. OUR TEAM LEVERAGES RESOURCES TO ACCELERATE THE PACE AND SCALE OF HABITAT RESTORATION ACROSS LAND OWNERSHIPS, TRANSFORMING THIS WILD, RURAL CORNER OF MONTANA INTO A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE THRIVE.PROTECTING SEA TURTLE HATCHLINGS: BRIGHTLY LIT BEACHES AND PARKING LOTS POSE RISKS BOTH TO NESTING SEA TURTLES AND THEIR HATCHLINGS, WHO ARE INSTINCTUALLY COMPELLED TOWARDS LIGHT SOURCES. SEA TURTLE LIGHTING ORDINANCES IN FLORIDA FOCUS ON REDUCING HUMAN LIGHT POLLUTION SEASONALLY ALONG THE STATE'S NESTING BEACHES. NWF, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SEA TURTLE CONSERVANCY (STC), HAS ENGAGED IN A MULTI-YEAR CAMPAIGN TO ENSURE SEA TURTLE HATCHLINGS HAVE A FIGHTING CHANCE. IN THE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE HAD TWO MAJOR SUCCESSES IN PASSING MODEL ORDINANCES IN TWO FLORIDA COUNTIES. BY USING PROPER BULBS, SHIELDING, ARCHITECTURE, AND LIGHTING, COMMUNITIES CAN ENJOY WILDLIFE-FRIENDLY NIGHT SKIES AND ENSURE SAFER CONDITIONS FOR SEA TURTLE HATCHLINGS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.PROTECTING HORSESHOE CRABS: AS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE HORSESHOE CRAB RECOVERY COALITION (HCRC)'S CORE TEAM, NWF AND THE COALITION ACHIEVED A MAJOR MILESTONE IN 2024. AFTER EXTENSIVE ADVOCACY WORK URGING THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY TO CEASE BLEEDING HORSESHOE CRABS AND ADOPT ALTERNATIVES, THE UNITED STATES PHARMACOPEIA (USP) APPROVED CHAPTER 86. THIS NEW STANDARD RECOGNIZES SYNTHETIC ALTERNATIVES TO HORSESHOE CRAB BLOOD FOR MEDICAL TESTING. THIS IS A CRUCIAL DEVELOPMENT, AS NEARLY 97,000 CRABSOR ABOUT 15%DIE FROM THE BLEEDING PROCESS EACH YEAR (WITH SOME ESTIMATES SUGGESTING THE RATE COULD BE CLOSER TO 30%). THIS PROGRESS IS PARTICULARLY TIMELY, AS BIOMEDICAL USE OF HORSESHOE CRAB BLOOD IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH, WITH AN ESTIMATED ONE MILLION CRABS BLED ANNUALLY.CLIMATE SOLUTIONS AND CLEAN ENERGYSUPPORTING NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS IN THE QUAD CITIES: IN APRIL, NWF AND OUR ILLINOIS AFFILIATE, PRAIRIE RIVERS NETWORK (PRN), PUBLISHED A CLIMATE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT FOR THE QUAD CITIES, A FAMILY OF COMMUNITIES IN IOWA AND ILLINOIS THAT STRADDLE THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WHERE THE RIVER FLOWS EAST TO WEST. THE ASSESSMENT FOUND THAT THE "NEW NORMAL" FOR THE REGION WILL INCLUDE INCREASED FLOODING AND EXTENDED HEATWAVES. THE ASSESSMENT RECOMMENDS NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO HELP ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS, SUCH AS CREATING NATURAL SPACES WITHIN THE CITY THAT CAN HELP KEEP TEMPERATURES FROM SOARING WHILE ABSORBING STORM RUNOFF. NWF AND PRN ARE USING THE FINDINGS TO WORK WITH RESIDENTS, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS, AND LOCAL LEADERS TO HELP IDENTIFY AND IMPLEMENT NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS WITH COMMUNITY SUPPORT.

EDUCATION OUTREACH & PUBLICATIONSTHE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION BELIEVES EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CARING FOR THE EARTH AND IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION PROVIDES ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION THROUGH OUR K-12 ECOSCHOOLS PROGRAM, WHICH HAS ENGAGED OVER 6,500 SCHOOLS AND CERTIFIED NEARLY 18,000 SCHOOLS SINCE 2009.THE EARTH TOMORROW PROGRAM HAS TRAINED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN LEADERSHIP AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECTS FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS. THE PROGRAM HAS INVOLVED MORE THAN 5,000 YOUTH IN CONSERVATION ACTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS AND BROUGHT TOGETHER HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THE PROGRAM'S IMPACT CAN BE SEEN IN THE HUNDREDS OF HOURS YOUTH HAVE SPENT EXPLORING, RECREATING, AND SERVING IN STATE PARKS, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PROPERTIES, USDA FOREST SERVICE LANDS, URBAN FORESTS, AND NATURE CENTERS.EXPANDING EARLY OUTDOOR LEARNING: THE GOAL OF THE EARLY CHILDHOOD HEALTH OUTDOORS (ECHO) INITIATIVE IS TO ENSURE ALL YOUNG CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHY OUTDOOR PLAY AND LEARNING. ECHO RELIES ON COLLEAGUES AND AFFILIATES TO BETTER INCORPORATE LOCAL CONTEXTS AND COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES TO BRING AUTHENTIC VALUE TO LOCAL PROJECTS. ECHO AND SACRED GROUNDS COLLABORATED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO A VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS IN DETROIT IN BUILDING NATURE-BASED, RESILIENT OUTDOOR SPACES FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES. IN ADDITION, THE ECHO TEAM WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE FEDERATION TO BUILD THE FOUNDATION FOR GROW OUTDOORS SC, A FIVE-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE TO SUPPORT QUALITY OUTDOOR LEARNING FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.