The Agriculture Department is launching an effort to better utilize conservation programs to create corridors for wildlife to pass through, Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Monday.
Through a memorandum, Vilsack directed the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, Forest Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to consider wildlife habitat connectivity in their program planning efforts. He also suggested they "improve inter-jurisdictional coordination" with states, tribes and other federal agencies on wildlife corridor efforts.
Wildlife don't recognize human boundaries, Vilsack said in the memorandum. Migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds, pollinators and hoofed mammals all traverse the nation seasonally.
But "the expanding human footprint can result in habitat loss and barriers to animal movement, as well as increasing interactions between people and wildlife," he added. Drought, wildfires and invasive species are adding to these risks.
"Addressing these challenges requires a clear understanding of wildlife movements and habitat needs, as well as the effects of human activity and the array of locally appropriate solutions," Vilsack wrote.
While federal lands serve as "anchor points," private and tribal lands provide homes for much of the nation's wildlife. States and tribes hold much of the jurisdiction when it comes to managing wild animals.
Vilsack asked the Forest Service to consider wildlife habitat connectivity in land management plans, wildfire efforts, state forest action plans, tribal forest management plans and five programs it oversees.
Cut through the clutter! We deliver the news you need to stay informed about farm, food and rural issues. Sign up for a FREE month of Agri-Pulse here.
He told the Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency to do the same for farm bill conservation programs.Vilsack directed the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to think about corridors in its wildlife damage, disease and invasive species assistance efforts.
"While the successful conservation and restoration of wildlife creates benefits for many, there may be disproportionate costs and risks for some," he wrote. "For instance, while abundant migratory flocks and herds produce hunting and wildlife-watching opportunities that contribute to quality of life and rural economies, they can also damage crops or compete with livestock for forage. They can transmit disease and attract predators, threatening livestock and sometimes threatening human safety."
The agency will also establish within 45 days a terrestrial wildlife habitat connectivity and corridors committee, which will be tasked with ensuring the memorandum is implemented. It will be composed of one representative from each of the four USDA agencies named in the memorandum. The committee will provide the Agriculture Secretary with a report by June 30, 2025.
Lesli Allison, the CEO of the Western Landowners Alliance, lauded the memorandum, pointing specifically to its focus on partnerships between the federal government, states, tribes, and private landowners.
"This directive builds on successful, locally supported partnerships between the USDA, States, Tribes and private landowners. Conservation works best when we work together," Allison said in a release.
