What is the Refuge System Funding Crisis?
Severe funding and staffing shortfalls have led to the decline of refuge habitats and wildlife populations and have put popular wildlife-dependent recreation programs at risk. Aging facilities and equipment, invasive exotic species, human encroachment, pollution inadequate water supplies and other problems plague many refuges, making it nearly impossible for refuges to meet their conservation mission. Management programs that help recover endangered species, restore damaged habitats, address threats to water quality and other problems are left unaccomplished on an alarming number of refuges. Most refuges are operated only with minimal staffing, and approximately 200 refuges have no staff on-site. In 1997, the CARE group analyzed the current refuge funding levels and devised a feasible strategy for reducing and eventually eliminating the now $2-billion funding backlog in time for the Refuge System’s centennial in 2003. Each year CARE publishes a report called Restoring America’s Wildlif
