Bipartisan legislation offered by U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) to establish National Wildlife Corridors, which are areas of land that connect one or more existing wildlife habitats to allow the native species to safely move between established protected areas, this week garnered endorsement from the Audubon Society’s Florida chapter.
“Audubon Florida supports H.R. 2795, the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act of 2019,” said Julie Wraithmell, executive director of the chapter. “Everything from Florida panthers to ruby-throated hummingbirds need connections as they travel across Florida’s landscapes. These corridors will also prove essential for wildlife and habitat migrating upslope ahead of sea-level rise.”
Rep. Buchanan in May introduced H.R. 2795 with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) to authorize the U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary to establish National Wildlife Corridors on federal lands and to designate a $50 million grant program for states, localities and private landowners to increase connectivity for native species, according to a bill summary provided by his office.
Beth Alvi, the Audubon Society’s Florida policy director, also praised H.R. 2795 during a meeting on Wednesday with Rep. Buchanan in his Washington, D.C. office, noting that the bill would help address the loss of bird habitat across virtually every bird species.
“Birds play a vital role in our ecosystem, contributing to the pollination of plants needed for food and for pest control,” Rep. Buchanan said. “Establishing wildlife corridors is one of the most effective ways to help threatened wildlife. We don’t get a second chance once a species becomes extinct.”
Rep. Buchanan’s office cited a United Nations report on biodiversity released earlier this year that showed one million species of wildlife and plants are now threatened with extinction across the globe.