Echoes of 1937: Recovering America's Wildlife Act would bring wildlife conservation funding full circle

Abstract

Wildlife populations face significant threats, including habitat loss and climate change. However, the United States has faced major biodiversity crises in the past. In 1937, in response to dwindling wildlife populations, Congress passed the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, known as “Pittman-Robertson” (PR). The law helped restore wildlife populations by establishing a federal role in funding state wildlife agencies enabling states to develop the infrastructure and expertise for effective wildlife conservation. Now, the 117th Congress is considering the Recovering America's Wildlife Act (RAWA). RAWA would provide state, tribal, and territorial wildlife agencies the funding to implement their State Wildlife Action Plans for the conservation of nongame wildlife. Herein, we explore the relationship between PR and RAWA while tracing the historical roots of PR and discussing its successes and limitations. We also demonstrate how RAWA builds upon PR and could become a generational conservation accomplishment.