By Brandt Mannchen

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) is up for reauthorization by the U.S. Congress.  This law is needed for wetlands conservation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, non-governmental organizations, private landowners, and others who protect, restore, and enhance wetlands.

NAWCA is an incentive-based wetland conservation grant program which was originally approved by the U.S. Congress in 1989 to support protection, restoration, and enhancement of waterfowl habitats that are listed in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

This Plan was created and signed by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico because waterfowl populations had declined broadly over many habitats in all three countries.  This grant program for wetland conservation projects is applicable to all three counties.  In the past two decades 2,644 projects (over 33.4 million acres of habitat) have been approved with matching funds on a 1:1 basis.

NAWCA creates jobs.  About 7,500 new jobs each year are created in the United States by NAWCA.  The $1.48 billion in grants that have been awarded since 1989 have leveraged $4.34 billion in other contributions from partners to protect, restore, and enhance habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.

Sierrans should let their two U.S. Senators, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, and their U.S. Representative, know that they support the reauthorization of NAWCA.  Our wonderful National Wildlife Refuges like, Anahuac, McFaddin, Trinity River, Texas Point, Brazoria, San Bernard, Big Boggy, Aransas, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Laguna Atascosa, and many other public and private lands protect, restore, and enhance wetlands with NAWCA's help.  Just say yes to migratory birds, wildlife, and wetlands!