Federal Wildlife Funds

Your Dollars Helping Wildlife August 22, 2012 Reporter: Patrick McMurtry Videographer: Brad Rice

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It is hard to look anywhere in the state and not see some way money from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service benefits people right here in West Virginia.

“The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program is probably the oldest and most successful conservation program in the world,” John Organ, the chief of wildlife and sport fish restoration, said. “It's a program that began in 1937 when conservationists, sportsmen and the firearms and ammunition industry got together to do something about the decline of wildlife in the country.”

They came up with a program that pumps money, a lot of money, into every state in the country. Much of it comes directly from you when you buy hunting and fishing licenses, but you also help out when you buy gear.

“Collectively, between them both, the wildlife and sport fish restoration programs, there's been $14 billion going to the states in the program,” Organ said. “Between both programs, it's almost $1 billion a year that goes to state fish and wildlife programs.”

The money goes to a lot of different programs, programs you benefit from almost every time you hit the woods or waters of West Virginia.

“It benefits hunters and anglers by ensuring there will be sustainable populations of fish and wildlife in habitats they depend on for West Virginians and all Americans. That includes buying land for wildlife management areas, doing research on problems affecting wildlife, managing habitats, teaching hunters education programs and assisting other wildlife programs." Organ said.

Programs that benefit include fish hatcheries and black bear studies, turkey restoration and managing deer herds – programs that benefit us all.

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