State Fish and Wildlife Agencies Pass Formal Resolution of Support for the National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy
OutdoorHub 09.27.13
State fish and wildlife agencies demonstrated their collective support for the nationwide, multi-agency National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy by passing a formal resolution at the annual meeting of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies on September 11, 2013.
With this resolution, state fish and wildlife agencies recognize that a changing climate is one of the many stressors currently impacting populations of fish, wildlife and marine species and the habitats upon which they depend.
“This resolution affirms AFWA’s commitment to supporting the states in developing and implementing climate adaptation strategies and reinforces the value of multi-agency partnerships in the effort to help our natural resources adapt to a changing climate,” said Kevin Hunting, chief deputy director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Development of the Strategy was guided by an innovative partnership of federal, state and tribal fish and wildlife conservation agencies in response to a 2010 call by the U.S. Congress for a national, government-wide climate adaptation strategy. More than 90 researchers and managers from federal, state and tribal natural resource management agencies across the country participated in drafting the strategy.
“Given the complementary authorities of federal and state wildlife agencies, effective conservation can only happen when we work closely together, and the development of this Strategy was a great example of how to do that,” said Dr. Rowan Gould, deputy director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “We also know that many of our state colleagues have been engaged in climate adaptation work even before the federal government and we have benefited greatly from their pioneering work.”
The Strategy is a call to action, designed to inspire and enable natural resource administrators, elected officials and other decision makers to take action to adapt to a changing climate. Adaptation actions are vital to sustaining the nation’s ecosystems and natural resources as well as the human uses and values that the natural world provides.
For more information about the Strategy, visit www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov.
AFWA resolutions are formal opinions approved during the Association’s annual September business meeting. To read AFWA resolution #2013-5: In Support for the National, Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy, go to www.fishwildlife.org/files/2013AnnualMeetingResolutions.pdf.
