Nongame Program History, Mission and Funding
Nongame Wildlife Program History
Although the Idaho Department of Fish and Game had always managed nongame wildlife to some degree, the Nongame Wildlife Program became a reality in July 1982 following legislation that established the state's first income tax check-off on the 1981 income tax form. The first few years brought in about $80,000 per year, but then began the decline in contributions as more check-offs were added to the Idaho income tax form. We presently receive about $55,000 per year from the check-off.
The amount of money being brought in by the income tax check-off was clearly not enough to operate a nongame program responsible for 84% of Idaho's wildlife species. In the late 1980's the Region 3 citizen's nongame wildlife committee began looking at other options to fund the nongame program. These included a small portion of the sales tax (1/8 of 1 percent as the Missouri Department of Conservation had done), creation of an endowment fund, wildlife license plates, general fund dollars, or a portion of the Idaho lottery funds. They met with key legislators from the House and Senate resource committees to discuss which funding option would have the best chance of passing the Idaho legislature. The only option these legislators supported was wildlife license plates. House Bill 698 (Idaho Wildlife License Plate) passed the House and Senate and was signed into law 8 April 1992. The bill allowed the Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation to design two wildlife plates. The legislative intent language that accompanied the bill stated, "It is the intent of the Idaho Legislature that the revenues generated from the sales of the Idaho wildlife license plates be applied to the management and protection of nongame, including the acquisition, development, and enhancement of special educational and small demonstration project areas. Examples include additions to urban nature centers and improvements to wildlife viewing areas. It is the intent of the Legislature that these monies not be utilized by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to acquire more than a very occasional five or ten acres, or less, of land for fulfilling the purposes of this act. It shall be clearly understood that none of these monies should be used for gray wolf activity or recovery programs."
The bluebird license plate was first available for purchase in July 1993. The elk plate became available in 1998. The fee formula for the wildlife and all other special plates was changed in 1999 (SB1161) so that the special plates received a greater portion of the fees than the Idaho Transportation Department. The cutthroat trout plate became available in 2003 after amending the wildlife license plate legislation to allow a third plate. The amending process also opened the legislation to other amendments which ultimately diverted a portion of funds from the elk plate to the Idaho Fish and Game Wildlife Health Laboratory for wildlife disease research and monitoring and to the Idaho Department of Agriculture for wildlife disease research and monitoring. A portion of funds were also diverted from the cutthroat trout plate to the Department of Parks and Recreation for the construction and maintenance of non-motorized boating access facilities for anglers.
What is the mission of the Nongame Wildlife Program?
The mission of the Nongame Program is to insure the viability of nongame populations, including threatened and endangered species, and their habitats in Idaho. It is not possible to address the needs of every species, so many times we focus on a multi-species and habitat-based approaches (see Idaho's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy). Efforts are also put into wildlife viewing, photography, education, and other non-consumptive activities to instill a greater appreciation for all wildlife. This appreciation and education will in turn help conserve all of Idaho's wildlife.
Who is the constituency of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game?
Over the years, the constituency of the Department has been changing. In 2001, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted their regular survey on hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching. In Idaho, 74% of respondents stated they had enjoyed wildlife watching in Idaho. Only 23% stated they hunted, and 48% stated they fished in Idaho. These numbers alone show our constituency is not only hunters and anglers, but those that enjoy non-consumptive wildlife recreation. Wildlife watching is becoming a phenomenon throughout the country with wildlife viewing trails and birding trails popping up all over the nation. This is our growing constituency, and the Nongame Wildlife Program works to fulfill the needs of these constituents.
How are the dollars spent on the threatened, endangered, and at-risk species management and research?
Only a small portion of nongame funds are spent on threatened and endangered species, and these are to meet the requirements for matching the federal funds we receive for endangered species recovery (grizzly bear, woodland caribou, northern and southern Idaho ground squirrels, Columbia spotted frogs). Nongame dollars match U.S. Forest Service and BLM challenge cost share funds for monitoring peregrine falcon and bald eagle nesting throughout the state (required as part of the post-delisting monitoring of peregrine falcons and the proposed delisting of bald eagles), and other at-risk species. Most of our nongame funds are focused on research, surveys, inventory, monitoring, and conservation programs for species at risk of being listed as threatened or endangered in the near future and match federal funds from the State Wildlife Grants program (see list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the Idaho Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy). The intent is to engage in proactive species conservation programs to avoid listing more species as threatened or endangered and hence avoid the regulatory burden that can accompany listing.
Does the nongame program receive other funds? If so, from where?
The nongame program receives funding from the Idaho income tax check-off and wildlife license plates. Approximately $12,000 a year comes from direct donations and sales of books and other items. All these dollars are used to provide the 50% required match to the federal dollars from the State Wildlife Grants program for species of greatest conservation need (similar to the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson federal funds that come to the Department for sport fish and wildlife restoration). The nongame program also receives Section 6 funds (Endangered Species Act section that deals with state cooperation) from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for work on threatened and endangered species recovery programs in Idaho. These Section 6 funds are used for grizzly bear and woodland caribou recovery programs in the Selkirk Ecosystem of northern Idaho, grizzly bear recovery monitoring in eastern Idaho (flights to count sows with cubs), northern and southern Idaho ground squirrel recovery programs in southwestern Idaho, and Columbia spotted frog research and monitoring in southwest Idaho. Section 6 funds require a 25% match of nongame funds.
It is important to note that the nongame program does not directly use any dollars from sportsmen and women (unless they voluntarily contribute). All funds from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and tags and the associated federal Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson funds go to the management of sport fish and wildlife.
The total nongame budget amounts to about 2% of the Department's overall budget.
Are there any nongame dollars spent on wolf management?
No nongame dollars are spent on wolf management.
Do nongame funds benefit game species?
In a general, nongame funds are dedicated to the conservation and related education and recreation of the 84% of Idaho's 619 vertebrate species classified as nongame wildlife. Because of the shear number of nongame species, we attempt to take a habitat and landscape-based approach to nongame wildlife conservation and management. Our focus is on multi-species management that benefits the maximum number of species and a few of the most critically endangered or at-risk species. Habitat-based management in the shrub-steppe ecosystems of southern Idaho will benefit pygmy rabbits, sage sparrows, sage thrashers, sage grouse, mule deer, and pronghorns. Management of open grassy meadows for northern Idaho grounds squirrels on the Payette National Forest will also benefit elk. Protecting and enhancing wetlands for trumpeter swans in the Caribou/Targhee National Forest benefits moose and a host of other waterfowl and wetland dependent species. Just as decades of habitat management programs focused on game species has undoubtedly benefited many nongame species, current nongame species and habitat programs can also benefit game species. It is all about wildlife habitat protection and enhancement.
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