CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department recently announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to expand its Migratory Big Game Initiative into Utah, continuing a regional growth strategy that began with a 2022 agreement in Wyoming.
The program, which also operates in Montana, Idaho and Colorado, focuses on voluntary conservation efforts to protect wildlife habitats on private working lands.
According to Game and Fish, the initiative has completed conservation and habitat enhancement projects on more than 500,000 acres since the partnership was established.
It works to coordinate with landowners to restore native habitats and install wildlife-friendly fencing, Game and Fish reports. The efforts are intended to mitigate the fragmentation of migration corridors and ensure that private land management aligns with state wildlife objectives.
In Wyoming, the program is supported by significant financial resources for the current fiscal year, including $8 million dedicated to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program for big game projects and $8 million for the Conservation Stewardship Program. These allocations are part of a broader $42 million budget managed by the state office for all EQIP practices and initiatives, the department stated in a release.
“Wyoming’s private landowners are essential partners in conserving the health and resilience of our state’s big game habitat,” Wyoming National Resources Conservation Service state conservationist Jackie Byam said. “Through voluntary, locally led approaches, the Migratory Big Game Initiative allows us to work directly with producers to restore landscapes, support migration connectivity, and strengthen working lands for future generations.
“We’re proud to continue building on this successful partnership as it expands across the West.”
