To support its focused conservation goals, Wildlife Mississippi is concentrating its staff and fiscal resources on seven major initiatives.

Fisheries Management and Water Quality
There are almost 1 million anglers in the Magnolia State. To maintain quality recreational fishing opportunities, we work on conserving, restoring and enhancing fisheries habitat, fish populations and water quality.

Migratory Bird and Wetland Habitat
Since seventy-five percent of America's remaining wetlands are on private lands, it is clear that both coastal and freshwater wetlands conservation cannot be limited to public holdings. Realizing that most migratory birds use wetlands, we work on habitat conservation, restoration and enhancement activities. We will also develop quality nesting, migration and wintering habitat for migratory birds, such as waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, swallows, orioles, hummingbirds, warblers.

Wildlife Habitat
This is the Foundation's broadest initiative. Because the majority of Mississippi's wildlife habitat are on private lands, we will focus on developing innovative approaches to helping the private landowner in conserving, restoring, and enhancing habitat, including backyard wildlife habitat, and the fish, wildlife and plants that depend on those habitats.

Rare and Declining Species
We work to improve the threatened and endangered fish, wildlife and plant resources of Mississippi before they reach a status of endangered or threatened, thus making it unnecessary to list a species. Working with private landowners and enabling them to conserve endangered species habitat of their property is the kind of
proactive strategy that heads off regulatory crises, while providing opportunities for both recreation and economic development.

Conservation Education
We focus on educating citizens about the conservation of fish, wildlife and plants through comprehensive programs targeted at our urban population as well as the thousands of landowners who are interested in implementing more conservation practices on their land.

Outdoor Recreation and Parks
Safe, family-oriented outdoor recreational opportunities are important in enriching the lives of Mississippians, as well as promoting tourism. To ensure that quality outdoor recreation exists, we work to provide access to Mississippi's fish, wildlife and other outdoor resources. Examples of this activity are new boat ramps, or wildlife management areas and improving our parks.

Conservation Policy
Wildlife Mississippi works with major conservation agencies to pinpoint and target strategies. We provide decision makers with policy recommendations that address the most pressing issues while working with agency personnel to affect internal policy and budgetary reforms. We highlight innovative programs and new ideas that will make conservation more effective, efficient and responsive to its constituencies. Wildlife Mississippi helps shape public policy that promotes on-the-ground action to conserve not only Mississippi's, but our nation's valuable natural resources.

Photos by Michael Kelly