North American Wetlands Conservation Council

The North American Wetlands Conservation Council meets three times each year to review and select Standard Grant proposals that they will take before the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission for funding approval. In the case of Small Grants, the Commission has pre-approved an amount of funds to be used each year for this program and has delegated project selection and funding authority (within the approved amount) to the Council. The Council also develops policy affecting the grant application and administration processes.

Council Members

Ms. Martha Williams, Permanent Member, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Mr. Jeff Trandahl, Permanent Member, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Ms. Judith Camuso, Atlantic Flyway Council, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Mr. Mark W. Elsbree, The Conservation Fund
Mr. Ronald Leathers, Jr., Pheasants Forever
Dr. Karen Waldrop, Ducks Unlimited
Mr. Jeb Williams, Central Flyway Council, North Dakota Game and Fish Department
Ms. Wendy Jackson, Ex-officio member, Land Trust Alliance
Ms. Marie-Josée Couture, Ex-officio member, Environment and Climate Change Canada
Mr. Marshall Johnson, Alternate member, National Audubon Society
Ms. Kari Duncan, Council Coordinator, Division Chief, Migratory Bird Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Mr. Austin Booth, Mississippi Flyway Council, Arkansas Game & Fish Commission
Mr. Justin J. Shirley, Pacific Flyway Council, Utah Department of Natural Resources

Council Staff

Ms. Bethany Atkins, Atlantic Flyway Council, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife
Mr. Gregory Fleming, Migratory Bird Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Mr. Scott Hall, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Ms. Bethany Kraft, National Audubon Society
Mr. Craig LeSchack, Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
Mr. David Nomsen, Pheasants Forever
Ms. Julie Shackelford, The Conservation Fund
Mr. Dean Smith, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Mr. Rick Warhurst, Central Flyway Council, North Dakota Natural Resources Trust
Mr. Jason Jones, Pacific Flyway Council, Utah Department of Natural Resources
Mr. Brett Leach, Mississippi Flyway Council, Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

National FWS Programs They Work With

Aerial view of shallow wetlands surrounded by green prairie.

North American Wetlands Conservation

Protecting, restoring and enhancing wetland habitat for birds across the continent.

Program

For Ernesto Gomez, birds are a lifelong passion and a muse behind his lens. As the Bird Conservation Program Coordinator at Pronatura PY in Yucatan, he inspires people to live in harmony with nature, collaborating with local communities on projects that benefit migratory birds and their habitats....

Story

Nov 22, 2023

Our Partners

Conserving at Flyway Scales

Migratory birds face threats as wetlands vanish due to climate change and human actions. An innovative new tool represents a transformative leap in better understanding these crucial ecosystems and their avian inhabitants.

Story

Oct 12, 2023

Science and Technology

North American Wetlands Conservation Grant Program Announces BIG Changes!

The North American Wetlands Conservation Council is excited to announce several significant and profound changes to the U.S. North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant programs that will go into effect with the 2024 proposal cycles.

Story

Dec 14, 2022

Migratory Species

Partner Category

Federal Agencies

We work with other federal agencies to help them meet their legal responsibilities as well as their mission.

Local Governments (city, county)

As a Federal agency we partner with local government agencies and share in the responsibility of stewarding management and recovery of species.

Non-Governmental Organizations

Here we partner with a wider variety of other organizations on projects to meet shared conservation goals.

State and Provincial Agencies

Our hands-on stewardship and public engagement is often done in conjunction with state and provincial agencies.

North American Wetlands Conservation Council

Other Partners

Here are just a few of our National Partners. You can view the full list of FWS partners, along with the regions and areas of focus our work together entails.