Recovering Americas Wildlife Act

377 wildlife species in Arkansas have been identified as species of greatest conservation need. They are among the one-third of all U.S. wildlife species currently facing an elevated risk of extinction.

Wildlife species are in crisis due to habitat loss, invasive species, emerging diseases, and a changing climate. More than 1,600 U.S. species are already listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, including 37 species in Arkansas.

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act is a bipartisan act that would provide approximately $1.4 billion annually throughout the nation for proactive, on-the-ground efforts to help at risk species by protecting and restoring habitat, controlling invasive species, addressing emerging diseases, and reconnecting wildlife movement corridors.

If the act passes, Arkansas will receive approximately $15 million annually to support species of greatest conservation need through implementation of the Arkansas Wildlife Action Plan, administered by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The current amount of annual funding to support the plan is $600 thousand – an inadequate investment to reverse our wildlife crisis.

December 2022 – The bill passed the house in June 2022 with Arkansas Representative French Hill among its house Republican cosponsors. The bill has 47 cosponsors in the Senate, including Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas and 46 other senate Republicans. In December 2022, the bill came very close to passing, but was ultimately left out of the omnibus spending package. Supporters, including Arkansas Wildlife Federation, are very disappointed, but not giving up. A renewed effort to get the bill finally passed in 2023 is underway.

STATUS UPDATE: April 2023 – The bill has been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate. We urge our Arkansas congressional representatives, including Sen. Boozman, to cosponsor, support, and get this bill passed. NOW is the time.