The History of Wildlife Conservation

Since settling in the area, Massachusetts residents have had to balance the need to live off the land and its wildlife with the need to live in co-existence with the land and its wildlife. Throughout our history, there has been a constant struggle to avoid over-exploitation and maintain balance. To recover endangered species, the state began regulating hunting and fishing. Licenses were required to hunt and fish, and the state limited the number of licenses sold, thus regulating the number of people who could hunt and fish. Proceeds from the sale of these licenses provided money to implement restoration efforts of endangered game species. The state also regulated official seasons when hunting was and was not permitted. These measures effectively curtailed excessive hunting, allowing game species to gradually return in numbers.

Additional funding for endangered species protection came from federal sources. In 1937, the U.S. Congress passed the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (commonly known as the Pittman-Robertson Act) to support state efforts in wildlife restoration. In 1950, the U.S. Congress adopted companion funding under the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act (commonly known as the Dingle-Johnson Act) to support sport fish restoration. In 1984, the Wallop-Breaux Amendment enhanced this earlier action.

These efforts resulted in the successful restoration of wild turkey, moose, fisher, beaver, and bobcat populations in Massachusetts. Still, with almost all funding going towards game species, non-game species were left unsupported. Not surprisingly, due to excessive development in the 20th century, many non-game species became threatened and endangered.

To address this problem, the U.S. Congress passed the Endangered Species Act in 1973, providing funding for the recovery of federally threatened and endangered species. This legislation has saved many endangered species from extinction, but its funding has remained unpredictable. An even more pressing problem was that species with stable populations began to decline as habitat continued to be developed. Programs to protect game species and endangered species resulted in conservation efforts that were opportunistic rather than strategic, especially for declining species which were not yet listed as threatened or endangered.

To protect ALL species of wildlife—not just those favored by hunters or those appearing on an endangered list—conservationists highlighted the one thing upon which all wildlife depend: habitat. In 2000, Congress passed the Conservation and Reinvestment Act, and in 2001 it initiated the State Wildlife Grants program. State Wildlife Grants provide federal money to every state for conservation efforts to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered. In order to make the best use of funds provided through the program, Congress charged each state and territory with developing a statewide wildlife action plan. These proactive plans will help conserve wildlife and vital natural areas before they become more rare and costly to protect. The Massachusetts plan emphasizes a habitat-based strategy that identifies the areas of land needed most for wildlife habitat. By protecting and managing that land, we hope to balance our needs with those of the wildlife.