For anyone who scans the newspaper, reads social media, or listens to the radio, it seems there is always a new recommendation on what to eat, how much to exercise or when to see the doctor.
The concept of preventive care is fundamental to our public response to human health, but is still catching on when it comes to the health of the natural world.
While the challenges to healthy animal populations are immense, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is working to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to the health of our wildlife populations and the habitats that support them.
We have identified more than 250 species of greatest conservation need — species such as golden eagles, wolverines, pygmy rabbits, bighorn sheep, orcas, white sturgeon, bull trout, Cope’s giant salamander and sandhill cranes, to name just a few.
In recent years, we’ve also seen wildfires, drought, new invasive species and outbreaks of wildlife disease. Among Western states, we are the smallest with the least amount of public land and a rapidly growing population. The health of our wildlife populations and our natural world affects our quality of life and should concern us all.
Thankfully, legislators such as Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., and Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., have recognized the importance of early action and are sponsoring bipartisan legislation in Congress that can help us take a more proactive approach to the health of wildlife in our country.
The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would redirect $1.3 billion in existing revenue annually from the development of energy and mineral resources on federal lands and waters. This funding would help states like Washington fulfill their State Wildlife Action plans and avoid more costly and complicated measures to restore wildlife.
Washington and other states have developed Wildlife Action Plan to assess wildlife population health, conserve landscapes and outline the conservation actions necessary to keep species from becoming listed under the Endangered Species Act, or disappearing altogether.
Unfortunately, these proactive and preventive plans lack the funding to see them through. As a result, states are forced to focus on species that are already endangered without adequate means to proactively conserve those that are vulnerable to listing.
‘Emergency room’ measure
Listing a species under the ESA is an “emergency room” measure. An ESA listing means species are at such critically low numbers that we need costly efforts to keep them part of the natural heritage we enjoy. It means more intense resource management actions and more restrictions to bring species back from the edge. In effect, it means we are triaging the priceless resources of nature, making tough choices about those species and landscapes in critical condition, instead of engaging in preventive care.
If we do not protect habitats and prevent species from falling to such critically low numbers, we all lose. Proactive fish and wildlife conservation saves tax dollars and species, supports local economies, and maintains our way of life.
We love nature in Washington. Whether hiking, hunting, fishing or camping, we collectively spend nearly 450 million days outside each year, according to a recent study produced for the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. Washington’s quality of life is better because of its incredible wildlife.
If you also support less costly and more effective approaches to conserving wildlife, I urge you to visit www.ournatureusa.com to learn more about the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, and to contact your federal representative to express your support for this initiative.
James Unsworth is director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
