Recovering America's Wildlife Act

Recovering America’s Wildlife Act

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA) – HR3742 is federal legislation that will provide states, territories, and tribes with $1.4 billion annually to catalyze proactive, on-the-ground, collaborative efforts to restore essential habitat and implement key conservation strategies, as described in each state’s Wildlife Action Plan. If it passes, an estimated $27.8 million will come to Georgia each year to help hundreds of troubled plants and wildlife before they face more dire risks and recovery efforts become significantly more expensive.

Here are some details about the funds and how they will help wildlife and people:

• The House bill would provide $1.4 billion in dedicated annual funding for proactive, collaborative efforts by the states and tribes to recover wildlife species at risk.
• The state agencies have identified 12,000 species of wildlife and plants in need of conservation assistance in their federally-approved State Wildlife Action Plans. These plans would guide spending from the bill.
• The Tribal Nations would receive $97.5 million annually to fund proactive wildlife conservation efforts on the more than 140 million acres they manage.
• At least 10 percent of the resources would be used to recover species listed under the Endangered Species Act.
• A 2018 report, Reversing America’s Wildlife Crisis: Securing the Future of Our Fish and Wildlife, found that one-third of America’s wildlife species are at increased risk of extinction. More than 150 U.S. species already have gone extinct. Nearly 500 additional species have not been seen in recent decades and are regarded as possibly extinct.

Take a look at Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan to learn more about the work in Georgia that Recovering America’s Wildlife Act will fund.

Businesses and Organizations in Georgia Signing onto the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act Support Letter

Altamaha Riverkeeper
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Beech Hollow Wildflower Farm
Bridgestone Golf
Center for Invasive Species & Ecosystem Health, UGA
Coosa River Basin Initiative/Upper Coosa Riverkeeper
Flint Riverkeeper
Fort Valley State University
Gaskins Forest Education Center
Georgia Bat Working Group
GA Dept. of Natural Resources
Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance (52 organizations)
Georgia River Network
Georgia State University Perimeter College
Georgia Wildlife Federation
Johns Creek Community Wildlife Habitat
Kennesaw State University
Monarchs Milkweed & More, LLC
North American Land Trust
Ogeechee Riverkeeper
Terra-Ignea Botanical Garden
The Wildlife Society, Georgia Chapter
The Wildlife Society, UGA Student Chapter

See the Sign-on letter and nationwide supporters.  TAKE ACTION: Sign-on your organization.