February 27, 2019

CHICAGO, IL – Yesterday, the House passed legislation that permanently reauthorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), one of the country’s most successful conservation programs. For over 50 years, LWCF has protected parks, opportunities for recreation, cultural heritage sites, as well as important bird and wildlife habitat in all 50 states and almost every country.

Yesterday’s vote also reauthorized the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA), which supports full life cycle conservation for the more than 300 bird species in the U.S. that migrate every year to wintering grounds in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Rebeccah Sanders, National Audubon Society Vice President for the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi Flyway, issued the following statement:

“If you have ever enjoyed a public park or natural area, you should thank the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Across the Great Lakes region, LWCF has protected natural treasures such as Starved Rock State Park in Illinois, the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin, Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio, and Huron-Manistee National Forest in Michigan. These parks are critical habitat for many bird species such as Bald Eagle and Golden-winged Warbler and an important part of our natural and cultural heritage.

“We applaud Congressman Ron Kind (WI-3) for championing the reauthorization of the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act. NMBCA is a cost-effective approach to big picture conservation for the more than 300 neotropical bird species in the U.S. that travel to South America and the Caribbean every year, such as Scarlet Tanager, Purple Martin, and Baltimore Oriole. The LWCF and the NMBCA are bedrock conservation programs that protect places that are important for people and for birds.”

Read more: https://www.audubon.org/news/victory-birds-parks-and-taxpayers-audubon-fought-land-and-water-conservation