Fiscal year summary conserving Georgia's wildlife, 2020

2020
FISCAL YEAR SUMMARY
CONSERVING G E O R G I A' S
WILDLIFE

ENGAGING GEORGIANS

CONSERVING WILDLIFE RESTORING HABITAT MAKING A DIFFERENCE

WHO
We are the Wildlife Conservation Section, part of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
WHAT
Our mission is to conserve, restore and protect native Georgia wildlife that are not fished for or hunted, plus rare plants and natural habitats.
HOW
The State Wildlife Action Plan guides our work. Following this strategy to conserve wildlife and wild places, we join with landowners and other partners to restore and manage habitats, study and recover rare species, and engage and inform Georgians.
WHY
Georgia's amazing wildlife and habitats enrich our lives, our economy and our culture. Preserving this natural heritage for future generations is not only vital, it is our responsibility.

Bald eagle (Tom Wilson/Georgia Nature Photographers Association)

THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SECTION'S WORK THIS YEAR INCLUDED:

North Atlantic right whales (Clearwater Marine Aquarium/NOAA permit 20556-0079)

Bat survey crew

Managing prescribed fire on Sandhills WMA

MONITORING North Atlantic right whales to help keep these imperiled giants that calve off our coast from going extinct.
DOCUMENTING a third successful nesting season for southeastern American kestrels, a comeback keyed by nest boxes on transmission towers.
PROVIDING informative videos and safe in-person programs to thousands of youth and adults through education centers and staff outreach.

EXPLORING the spread of whitenose syndrome in caves and culverts to combat this disease fatal to bats.
TRACKING rare plants such as dwarf sumac, Radford's mint and smooth coneflower to shepherd restoration of these species and their habitats.
SEARCHING out Suwannee alligator snapping turtles to determine the status of these big but seldom-seen reptiles.

COORDINATING with Interagency Burn Team partners to treat 44,000 acres with prescribed fire, restoring habitat while navigating a wet winter and smoke concerns.
CONDUCTING fieldwork to help expand five wildlife management areas and conserve another 19,200 acres, including Ceylon, one of the largest undeveloped tracts on the Eastern Seaboard.
TEAMING with landowners including through a revamped Forestry for Wildlife Partnership program to conserve gopher tortoises and other species.

UPGRADING DNR's Birding and Wildlife Trails (georgiabirdingtrails.com) and providing grants to promote wildlife viewing.
SURVEYING for fish and freshwater mussels, from finelined pocketbooks in the Tallapoosa River to blackbanded sunfish in the Okefenokee Swamp, to preserve Georgia's rich aquatic life.

Full report at georgiawildlife.com/conservation/AnnualReport.

Learning about fish at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center

THANK YOU

"COVID-19 turned everyone's world upside down in 2020. But the pandemic did not diminish the need for wildlife conservation, or our agency's mission to provide it. Our work continues. And your support, whether it's renewing an eagle license plate or donating online, is as critical as ever."
Dr. Jon Ambrose Chief, DNR Wildlife Conservation Section

DID YOU KNOW
State funding makes up less than 5% of the Wildlife Conservation Section's research and conservation budget. That means we depend largely on fundraisers, grants and donations.

HOW TO HELP

BUY OR RENEW an eagle, hummingbird or monarch license plate. Each is only $25 more than a standard tag and up to 80% goes directly to wildlife.
DONATE to the Georgia Wildlife Conservation Fund at gooutdoorsgeorgia.com. If you don't have a customer account, just click "Licenses and Permits" to create one.
CONTRIBUTE through the Wildlife Conservation Fund state income-tax checkoff. Details at georgiawildlife.com/donations.

BUY a one-day $5 hunting/fishing license. Each sale returns to Georgia wildlife the license fee and up to $45 in federal excise taxes paid by hunters and anglers.
VOLUNTEER with DNR and join conservation organizations such as TERN, our friends group. Learn more at gooutdoorsgeorgia.com and tern.homestead.com.

Outplanting endangered dwarf sumac (Donna Campbell/Minnow Media) Gopher tortoise

FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

Income tax checkoff 7% ($294,917) Donations & other income 17% ($748,849)

Earned interest 3% ($124,373)

Professional services (contracts, fees) 5% ($160,543)

Personnel 78%
($2,327,956)

REVENUE
TOTAL: $4,406,627

EXPENDITURES
TOTAL: $2,990,134

License plates 32% ($1,424,012)

Weekend for Wildlife* 41% (1,814,476)

Operations 17%
($501,635)

Does not include federal and other grants, or $300,000 in state appropriations for the Wildlife Conservation Section.
*Includes 2019 and 2020 Weekend for Wildlife revenue from the Georgia Natural Resources Foundation. Revenue from both events was disbursed in fiscal 2020.

Expenditures paid through the Nongame Fund.

NONGAME WILDLIFE CONSERVATION FUND
Listed in millions per year
INCOME EXPENSES BALANCE

10 M 9 M 8 M 7 M 6 M 5 M 4 M 3 M 2 M 1 M

FY '11 FY '12 FY '13 FY '14 FY '15 FY '16 FY '17 FY '18 FY '19 FY '20

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GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES | WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SECTION | WILDLIFE RESOURCES DIVISION

PHOTO CREDITS

COVER: American kestrel (Tom Wilson/Georgia Nature Photographers Association) INSIDE COVER: Suwannee alligator snapping turtle (Dirk J. Stevenson) | Longleaf pine stand at Silver Lake WMA Explaining fish sampling on the Middle Oconee River | Ceylon (Mac Stone) All photos are from DNR unless noted.