Project purpose to increase public s understanding of opportunities for fishing, hunting, and outdoor recreation throughout vermont

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service awarded the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife a Formula Grant of $133,333.00 under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety program (CFDA 15.611) for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. This award funds a comprehensive public outreach initiative designed to increase Vermont residents' understanding of fishing, hunting, and outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the state, while educating the public about wildlife conservation accomplishments achieved through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program.

Deliverables include outreach project administration, Dead Creek Visitor Center outreach programming, owned and paid media campaigns, development of a creative asset library, and earned media and public relations activities. The project is designed to address Vermont's demographic shifts in hunting and angling participation by educating all state residents about wildlife management programs and the user-pay, user-benefit funding mechanism that supports fish and wildlife restoration. The intended outcomes include expanding public knowledge of state wildlife conservation management practices and fostering greater appreciation for how the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program has benefited Vermont's fish and wildlife resources.

Activities performed include outreach project administration, dead creek visitor center outreach, owned and paid media, creative asset library and generation, and earned media and public relationsexpected outcomes include expansion of the publics knowledge of the conservation management of the state s wildlife resources that has been accomplished through the wildlife and sport fish restoration program. Also, an expected outcome is to further the publics appreciation of how this user-pay user-benefit funding mechanism has led to the restoration and management of fish and wildlife for their benefit.intended beneficiaries are all vermonters. Vermont is undergoing a demographic shift that is reflected in the states hunting and angling trends, and the states growing population is poised to benefit from relevant fish and wildlife outreach. Currently, a large majority of vermonts population supports wildlife conservation, yet most are unaware of the programs we have implemented to conserve these wildlife species. Further, they do not comprehend the complexities involved with addressing many wildlife management issues. This grant intends to reach all vermonters to increase their knowledge of conservation management through the wildlife and sport fish restoration program.