Last November in Pinedale, Governor Freudenthal presented a draft bill creating a wildlife trust fund to the Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Interim Committee, a group of 14 Wyoming legislators. Freuden-thal urged the lawmakers to take advantage of the minerals-driven budget surplus and establish the trust fund during February’s legislative session.

“This is a remarkable opportunity... We’ve always had the time and the talent, but not the dollars, and now we have the dollars,” the governor said.

In February, the Wyoming Legislature adopted the governor’s vision into law with the passage of the Wildlife and Natural Resource Funding Act.

Over the past six months, Freudenthal stressed that the wildlife trust concept was not his idea, but rather one he had resurrected from Wyoming’s political history. The legislature considered – and defeated – wildlife trust bills in 1982, 2002 and 2004.

“Had we acted when this legislation was initially proposed 30 years ago, wildlife in this state would today be living with the benefits,” Freudenthal wrote this past January in a Casper Star-Tribune opinion piece.

Wildlife Habitat Funding Declines
According to a recent Wyoming Wildlife Federation report, the demand from Wyoming landowners for wildlife habitat work greatly exceeds government funding and technical assistance. In 2004, the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service, received applications from 190 landowners for $15.2 million in habitat projects, but funded just 19 projects with $2.4 million – only 16 percent of the demand. Likewise, wildlife habitat funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and local conservation districts has decreased over time.

National private nonprofit organizations raise large sums of money for wildlife habitat work in Wyoming, but their funding fluctuates according to the strength of the national economy. Partnerships with government and landowners are crucial to the Wyoming wildlife habitat work of nonprofit groups. For example, a $106,000 Wind River and Bull Lake Creek project designed to restore wetlands and riparian habitat for birds, fish and water fowl involved the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Ducks Unlimited, the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapahoe tribes, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Popo Agie Conservation District, The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Governor Signs Wildlife Trust Bill
On March 8 in Casper, Governor Freudenthal signed into law the long-anticipated bill, Senate File 41, creating a trust fund to protect and restore Wyoming wildlife habitat (see sidebar). At its core, the new law embraces the notion that state revenues should support Wyoming’s wildlife and open spaces that we all enjoy. Efforts to pass SF 41 were led by a diverse coalition of Wyoming residents concerned about the state’s abundant wildlife and some of the best wild lands left in America. WOC worked quietly behind-the-scenes to help rally Wyoming conservationists and the Cheyenne-based environmental lobby. Our deliberate teamwork brought us new allies and laid the foundation for future innovative partnerships in the conservation arena.

Summary of SF 41

What will the law do?
Preserve Wyoming wildlife habitat through a permanent trust account of up to $200 million. In March, the legislature seeded the trust account with $15 million and the income account with $300,000 (for staffing and administration).

How will the trust account work?
The state treasurer will invest the $15 million appropriated by the legislature. Only the interest income from these investments can be spent. The trust account can be enlarged with federal grants, private donations and legislative appropriations.

Can people donate real property?
Yes. Immoveable property such as land, buildings or water rights (if attached to land) can be donated to the state pending approval by the State Board of Land Commissioners.

What kind of projects can be funded?
Wildlife and fishery habitat conservation projects; water enhancements projects for wildlife; conservation easement and open space projects; natural resource impact mitigation projects; and wildlife disease projects.

Who can apply for grant funding?
Any nonprofit organization or government agency (on condition that project funds do not supplement or replace money in general operating budgets).

How are grant proposals handled?
A nine-member management board will establish grant criteria, evaluate proposals and approve projects under $200,000. A six-member legislative committee will sponsor legislation for any project over $200,000.

Can citizens track this program?
Yes. The management board will submit an annual report to the governor and legislature by September 1 of every year. The report will include the status of the trust and income accounts as well as wildlife habitat projects.

What will be accomplished in 2005?
The governor must appoint the management board, with confirmation by the state senate. (Board members must be Wyoming residents involved in wildlife, agriculture, energy, sporting or tourism.) The management board can begin their work in July. Between October 1 and November 15, the board must adopt final rules and regulations designed to implement this new law. By July 15, the legislature must appoint the legislative oversight committee (which was modeled, incidentally, after the legislative committee that sponsors water development legislation).