Government agencies and commissions make the rules and regulations for wildlife and natural resources laws and administer them. While states such as Mississippi typically have wildlife, forestry, and other natural resource agencies and commissions, only an overview of the major federal ones will be described herein. U.S. Department of the Interior – Today, the Department of the Interior (DOI) promotes its mission statement: “The Department of the Interior protects and manages the nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; and honors its trust responsibilities or special commitments to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities.” This mission is supported and enhanced by their bureaus and offices. Bureau of Land Management – Formed to manage our public lands, their mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of federal public lands, primarily in the western U.S., for the use and employment of present and future generations. This agency manages more federal lands than any other agency and is responsible for any projects that move forward to produce renewable or non-renewable energy on any of these lands.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – This agency was initially charged with studying and recommending solutions to the decline in fish populations. The crisis of the decline in fish populations and the near eradication of migratory birds at the hands of men were the driving forces behind the development of this nation’s most prominent fish and wildlife conservation agency.
National Park Service – On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act creating what we now know as the National Park Service, responsible for protecting the parks and monuments then managed by the DOI and those yet to be established. The National Park Service still upholds its mission to “preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park Service for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations…”
U.S. Geological Survey – Created March 3, 1879, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is the sole science agency for the DOI. Although their original vision has evolved as the science has revealed more, their mission has remained to “serve the Nation by providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.”
The biologists at the USGS have been credited with revolutionizing thinking about the best management practices for some wildlife resources. When discussing the conservation of our wildlife and natural resources, it is easy to see why the USGS could help to play a vital role. As earthquakes, volcanoes, flooding, and landslides occur, it is important to be able to quantify how these things either enhance or destroy the world around us.
James L. Cummins is executive director of Wildlife Mississippi, a nonprofit conservation organization founded to conserve, restore, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plant resources throughout Mississippi. Their web site is www.wildlifemiss.org.
