A Message from Signe Holtz:
As some of you may know, I am the former director of the Endangered Resources program in the Department of Natural Resources--a program dedicated to conserving Wisconsin's native animal and plant species and natural communities and to providing data and information to help others conserve them, too. I retired this January, and now I get to enjoy the birds that visit our feeders every morning, and I have more time to see and hear the natural wonders that my home state has to offer. Therefore, it is a pleasure for me to contact all of you to provide information on what's happening with Teaming With Wildlife. In addition, I need your help.
Background. Your support has been the key to continued funding of the federal State Wildlife Grant Program, the nation's core program for preventing wildlife from becoming endangered. These funds have been used by many conservation partners in Wisconsin and by the Department of Natural Resources. All of the recipients of these funds are excited about the results of their projects, and I hope that you will take a look at the wide range of projects that have benefited from State Wildlife Grant funds.
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/er/swg/projects.htm
Take Action. The decision to fund this program is made every year in the annual federal budget and this year is no exception. Please join me in letting our Congressional delegation know that this funding is critical. Call, FAX, or email your representative and Senators in the next few days and urge them to support funding for State Wildlife Grants (SWG) at the $115 million level. Share this email with other members of your organization and urge them to do the same.
At the bottom of this message is a sample email that you could use as is or you could customize for yourself. The email addresses and phone numbers of Wisconsin's Congressional delegation are also shown.
We all can do something for wildlife!
* Send a message now, urging your representative and Senators to support $115 million for the State Wildlife Grant program.
* Volunteer your time to an environmental organization.
* Volunteer your time towards one of the following native plant and animal monitoring programs: Citizen-Based Monitoring
* Donate to your favorite environmental organization.
* Donate to the Endangered Resources Program which depends on donations for much of its work. (And your donation provides the required matching money for federal grants and for the state's support of this program.)
* Donate to Endangered Resources
Wisconsin Members of Congress – 2010
United States House of Representatives
Paul Ryan
1st District
Email: http://www.house.gov/ryan/email.htm
Phone: (202) 225-3031
Fax: (202) 225-3393
Tammy Baldwin
2nd District
Email: http://tammybaldwin.house.gov/get_address.html
Phone: (202) 225-2906
Fax: (202) 225-6942
Ron Kind
3rd District
Email: http://www.kind.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=18§iontree=18
Phone: (202) 225-5506
Fax: (202) 225-5739
Gwen Moore
4th District
Email: http://www.house.gov/gwenmoore/issue_form.shtml
Phone: (202) 225-4572
Fax: (202) 225-8135
James Sensenbrenner
5th District
Email: http://sensenbrenner.house.gov/Contact/Email.htm
Phone: (202) 225-5101
Thomas Petri
6th District
Email: https://forms.house.gov/petri/zip_authen.shtml
Phone: (202) 225-2476
Fax: (202) 225-2356
David Obey
7th District
Email: http://forms.house.gov/obey/webforms/contact.htm
Phone: (202) 225-3365
Steve Kagen
8th District
Email: https://forms.house.gov/kagen/webforms/contact.shtml
Phone: (202) 225-5665
Fax: (202) 225-5729
United States Senate
Russ Feingold
Email: http://feingold.senate.gov/contact_opinion.html
Phone: (202) 224-5323
Fax: (202) 224-2725
Herb Kohl
Email: http://feingold.senate.gov/contact_opinion.html
Phone: (202) 224-5653
Fax: (202) 224-9787
Sample Message to be sent to Congressional Delegation Members
Subject Line: From a voter in your district who is Concerned about Wildlife
[Note: Keeping subject line consistent among all of us is best.]
I am a member of the Teaming With Wildlife Coalition, and I am concerned about wildlife in Wisconsin. The State Wildlife Grant Program is a successful, cost-effective way to keep wildlife species from becoming endangered. I urge you to support $115 million for the State Wildlife Grant Program, the country’s core program for preventing wildlife from becoming endangered.
In addition, I urge you to 1) become a co-sponsor of the Teaming With Wildlife Act, which would provide increased and dedicated funding for wildlife conservation, and 2) to support adaptation funding for wildlife in any or all climate change legislation.
Thank you for your support of wildlife.
For more information about the State Wildlife Grant Program:
http://www.teaming.com/funding/state_wildlife_grants.html
To learn more about the wide range of projects that have benefited from State Wildlife Grant funds in Wisconsin:
http://dnr/wi/gov/org/land/er/swg/projects/htm
To see a map of State Wildlife Grant projects by Wisconsin Congressional District:
http://www.teaming.com/funding/state_wildlife_grants.html
