Buck, Susan J. (1996) Walking Like a Duck: The Wildlife Diversity Funding Initiative

Conference: Presented at "Voices from the Commons," the Sixth Annual Conference of the International Association for the Study of Common Property, Berkeley, CA, June 5-8, 1996.

Abstract: "The preservation of wildlife diversity is a policy issue at local, regional, national, and international levels. In the United States, responsibility for wildlife management rests primarily with state governments. While the details of the state administrative structures vary, state programs are usually implemented by a relatively autonomous agency funded in large part by license fees and redistribution of federal excise taxes on hunting supplies. Historically, the focus of state programs has been game animals, but demands to protect species diversity are increasing pressure to manage non-game species as well. Although the United States is unlikely to ratify the Biodiversity Convention, the absence of a national program for biodiversity does not preclude state programs. In fact, biodiversity programs at the state level might be preferable for several reasons. First states have unique technical and political knowledge about their own resources. Second, because the user pool is defined by state boundaries, it is more effective to have appropriation and funding decisions made at the state level. This paper analyzes the economic and legal factors which shape management institutions and policies for both game and non-game wildlife."