Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism program
MONTPELIER – Rosalind Renfrew works at the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department as the Wildlife Diversity Program manager. In this role, she helps oversee the conservation and management of Vermont’s full range of native biodiversity, from Vermont’s state mushroom, the bear head tooth to the hermit thrush, the state bird. The good news: Vermont residents can help by checking a donation box on their state tax forms to support conservation through Vermont’s Nongame Wildlife Fund. In this conversation, Renfrew talks about why public contributions matter and why protecting species before they become endangered is more important than ever.
Q. What is the Nongame Wildlife Fund?
A. The nongame fund is an initiative to generate private donations, mostly through the state income tax form checkoff option but also through license plate funds. The private fundraising we do helps support our wildlife diversity program. It deals with all the plants, herbaceous plants in the state, and also all the animal species that are not hunted or fished, so that’s the vast majority of species.
Q. Where is the money from the fund and the tax checkoff going?
Most of the non-game check-off funds go towards the work that this wildlife diversity program does and a lot of our funding also comes from federal dollars. The non-game fund dollars match those federal dollars. We literally can’t spend the federal funds without that match. The other piece that I think is equally important is just the engagement of people in our care for wildlife and plants. And so you know, that’s a way that people can contribute. We have an annual newsletter that we send out. You don’t have to contribute to receive it. So that helps keep people in touch with what we have been up to for the past year and what your funds have gone towards.
Q. Since the Trump administration’s defunding of certain programs, is this program more vital to Vermont biodiversity than in previous years?
A. Federal funding for this program began in 2002. We started developing wildlife action plans in 2005. Those are required to receive this federal funding. It’s this particular funding source called the State Wildlife Grants, and this funding was one of the many, many funds that were put on the chopping block and zero-funded by the administration. Fortunately, both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees did not go along with the recommendation from the administration, and they have maintained funding so far for the program. So we’re really pleased about that. It’s always had bipartisan support and even in this time when that’s rare, it still received that bipartisan support. So yay! It’s like a little shining light and we hope that will continue.
Q. Why should Vermonters care about this fund?
A. This program is really dealing with the leading edge of biodiversity loss. And I know that in Vermont, a lot of people are here because of what the state offers in terms of ecosystems and outdoor experiences. So it seems to me it’s consistent with the values here and the priorities of the state. I think people here really value having that experience to pass along to future generations, and I think they value species just for their innate value and inherent value.
Q. What does this fund mean for preventing biodiversity loss?
A. We’re dealing with the species that are in trouble, usually. A lot of our efforts deal with all the listed species, the endangered and threatened species. But we’re also really focused on preventing species from ever becoming so rare that they have to be listed. And it’s been shown in a lot of research that it’s much less expensive to save wildlife before it’s on the brink. So we’re always trying to do all of it and it’s all connected.
Vermont residents can contribute to the Nongame Wildlife Fund via https://vt.accessgov.com/nongame/Forms/Page/nongame/3024641d-48fe-4fb7-afda-3b1833d4555f/27ecc47f-a9e9-43c9-9366-6be66197f804/1
Or sign up for the Vermont Fish & Wildlife newsletter at https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001AYBE7UAKClmYCXGJpCVt6B2_N3z2oLY_NCfBdrWXXlglve8YgDS3fnVGpDcAzC6NkgShwKrFIx87sm8zAVbIWJQKWXE8XFcj01_e2kFlOpw%3D