---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 3771"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "3771"
heading: "Findings and purpose"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/3771"
units:
  - "Chapter 57B — Partners for Fish and Wildlife"
---

# §3771. Findings and purpose

- (a) **Findings—** Congress finds that—
  - (1) approximately 60 percent of fish and wildlife in the United States are on [private land](/usc/16/3772.md?p=6-A);
  - (2) it is imperative to facilitate private landowner-centered and results-oriented efforts that promote efficient and innovative ways to protect and enhance natural [resources](/usc/16/410hhh–1.md?p=8);
  - (3) there is no readily available source of technical biological information that the public can access to assist with the application of [state](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2)-of-the-art techniques to restore, enhance, and manage fish and wildlife habitats;
  - (4) a voluntary cost-effective [program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1) that leverages public and private [funds](/usc/16/1421h.md?p=2) to assist private landowners in the conduct of [state](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2)-of-the-art fish and wildlife [habitat restoration](/usc/16/3772.md?p=5-A), enhancement, and management [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) is needed;
  - (5) durable [partnerships](/usc/16/8202.md?p=7) working collaboratively with willing private landowners to implement on-the-ground [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) has lead to the reduction of endangered species listings;
  - (6) Executive Order No. 13352 (69 Fed. Reg. 52989) directs the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, and Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency to pursue new cooperative [conservation](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2) [programs](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1) involving the collaboration of Federal, [State](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2), local, and tribal governments, private for-profit and non-profit institutions, non-governmental entities, and individuals;
  - (7) since 1987, the Partners for Fish and Wildlife [Program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1) has exemplified cooperative [conservation](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2) as an innovative, voluntary [partnership](/usc/16/8202.md?p=7) [program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1) that helps private landowners restore wetland and other important fish and wildlife habitat; and
  - (8) through 33,103 agreements with private landowners, the Partners for Fish and Wildlife [Program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1) has accomplished the [restoration](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2) of 677,000 acres of wetland, 1,253,700 acres of prairie and native grasslands, and 5,560 miles of riparian and in-stream habitat since 1987, demonstrating much of that success since only 2001.
- (b) **Purpose—** The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the [restoration](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2), enhancement, and management of fish and wildlife habitats on [private land](/usc/16/3772.md?p=6-A) through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife [Program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1), a [program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1) that works with private landowners to conduct cost-effective habitat [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) for the benefit of fish and wildlife [resources](/usc/16/410hhh–1.md?p=8) in the United States.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–294, § 2, Oct. 3, 2006, 120 Stat. 1351.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Executive Order No. 13352, referred to in subsec. (a)(6), is Ex. Ord. No. 13352, Aug. 26, 2004, 69 F.R. 52989, which is set out as a note under section 4332 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title of 2024 Amendment

Pub. L. 118–159, div. E, title LIII, § 5301, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2445, provided that: “This subtitle [subtitle A (§§ 5301–5308) of title LIII of div. E of Pub. L. 118–159, amending sections 3774, 4211, 4245, 4264, 4266, 5304, 5306, 6303, 6305, 6603, and 6606 of this title and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 4201 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Wildlife Innovation and Longevity Driver reauthorization Act’ or the ‘WILD Act’.”

### Short Title

Pub. L. 109–294, § 1, Oct. 3, 2006, 120 Stat. 1351, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act’.”