It’s no secret that the number one threat to birds in America is habitat loss. That's why it is so important to set aside important bird habitats for permanent protection so these vital lands cannot be lost to development and sprawl. And when it comes to publicly owned lands, it’s up to the U.S. Congress to protect these vital and critical habitats.

Land acquisition funding for federal lands is a critical component of preserving valuable bird and wildlife areas and protecting threatened and fragile ecosystems. That’s why in 1964 the U.S. Congress established the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF.) Its purpose was and remains to acquire federal lands in order to conserve important natural resources. So each and every year, the U.S. Congress sets aside LWCF funding for key sites for these purposes. And every year, Audubon is there to help ensure funding goes to the right places for bird conservation.

Using input from more than 500 local chapters and 27 state offices, Audubon's Public Policy Division develops a list of national priority sites and, with the help of our supporters throughout the country, advocates for the funding necessary to protect them through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

With the help of people like you, in the past four years Audubon has secured more than $73 million for 58 vitally important bird habitats across America through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. But our challenges are escalating. For the past several years, the U.S. House of Representatives has failed to secure LWCF funding for any specific site, leaving it to the U.S. Senate and then members of a House-Senate Conference Committee to decide. And each year, they are funding fewer and fewer sites.

This can change, but only with your help and that of concerned constituents across the country. Listed below are those Audubon priority LWCF sites for FY06 – sites the U.S. Congress will be determining this year. If a site is listed in one of your states, please click on the link to learn more about the site and what’s needed to protect it. Then, be sure to contact your two U.S. Senators and your U.S. Representative and urge them to take action to protect these vital areas!

And don't forget to tell a friend about us, so they too can join our team and help protect America's birds and wildlife for future generations. For more information, or for the contact phone number or e-mail for you lawmakers, please contact Audubon Public Policy at: mailto:audubonaction@audubon.org

NATIONAL PRIORITY SITES

California: San Diego National Wildlife Refuge
Colorado: Colorado Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
Connecticut: Silvio Conte National Wildlife Refuge
Connecticut: Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge
Illinois: Upper Mississippi National Fish and Wildlife Refuge
Indiana: Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge
Kansas: Marais Des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge
Louisiana: Jean LaFitte National Forest
Louisiana: Southeast Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Nebraska: Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge
South Carolina: Congaree National Park
Texas: Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
Texas: Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
Texas: Lower Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge
Washington: Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Washington: Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
Wyoming: Cokeville National Wildlife Refuge