Deer Faun Under Tree. Photo by Parker Peterson.

As the state affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation, Virginia Conservation Network signed on to a letter urging congressional leaders to balance fiscal responsibility with essential funding and personnel needed to address the challenges faced by wildlife, habitat, and people alike. The National Wildlife Federation and 40 of its state and territorial affiliate organizations, which represent more than 7 million members and supporters, highlighted the immense value that numerous agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and others play in wildlife and people’s everyday lives.

On behalf of the National Wildlife Federation and the 40 affiliates signed below, we urge you to preserve the federal funding and staffing dedicated to recovering wildlife, safeguarding clean air and water, protecting communities from threats to public health, conserving and restoring public lands, promoting our outdoor heritage, researching and deploying wildlife-responsible clean energy technologies, and enhancing the resilience of communities facing intense drought, wildfires, floods, and hurricanes.

The National Wildlife Federation and its state and territorial affiliates represent more than 7 million members and supporters and work to unite all people to help wildlife thrive in the rapidly changing world. From the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina to the Willamette National Forest in Oregon; and from the Everglades National Park in Florida to the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Michigan, we work across the country and in partnership with federal, state, local, and Tribal agencies, as well as with communities, private landowners, farmers, ranchers, and foresters, to improve wildlife habitat and ensure a better future for our children and grandchildren.   

In the face of recent natural disasters, it is more important than ever to support the scientists, disaster responders, park rangers, wildlife refuge, fisheries and marine sanctuary employees, conservation technical assistance staff at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and other federal workers who live and work across the country, to the benefit of rural and urban communities in every state.

We recognize that public servants have a responsibility to not only be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and government programs, but also to eliminate financial waste, fraud, and abuse. We also recognize that the value of federal services extends beyond the spending and revenue reflected on agency ledgers. Federal agencies and their employees perform and support essential services that American communities rely on to make business decisions, to craft sound public policy, and to feel confident in our basic public safety.

The dedicated staff at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service work with states, Tribes, and private landowners to conserve much of our nation’s fish and wildlife and the habitats they rely on, which connects communities with the outdoors and boosts the outdoor recreation economy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture supports producers and rural communities by helping 3 million farmers and ranchers adopt conservation systems that benefit their bottom line and our natural resources. The U.S. Department of Energy leads the world in cutting-edge research on carbon management and non-emitting sources of energy. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency helps keep our communities and drinking water free of harmful pollutants. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers works with state and local partners to restore ecosystems in places like the Everglades and Great Lakes and mitigate flood risks across the country. And the Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S. Forest Service provide lifesaving information, assistance, and boots on the ground when communities are threatened by natural disasters, mitigating their worst impacts and helping to rebuild in their wake. This list is only a snapshot of the many ways in which Americans work with and depend upon public servants: the true scope of their contributions stretches much longer.

The expertise and experience of the civil servants doing this critical work have been hard-earned and will not be easily replaced. The returns to communities in the form of ecological services, natural amenities, public safety, functioning infrastructure, new business and job opportunities, and shared access to recreation resources outweigh any short-term savings from cuts to agency functions. In particular, agencies like the Bureau of Land Management, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service already operate with fewer resources than are needed to carry out their missions. Congress should preserve their funding levels and the programs and people that support foundational science and clean energy and manufacturing technology, which boost America’s economy and national security, as well as other programs that are key to addressing the interconnected crises facing people and wildlife in the 21st Century. 

As you negotiate decisions on changes to the federal workforce, as well as funding legislation for Fiscal Year 2026 and beyond, we strongly urge due consideration for the true costs of staffing and funding cuts to people, wildlife, scientific leadership, and future generations, the impacts of which will be felt in every community across the country.

Signatories Supporting the Value of Federal Agencies’ Staff and Services: