CONTACT:
Michael Marchand: (603) 271-2461
Brendan Clifford: (603) 271-2461
December 7, 2023

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program, which was established in 1988, is the steward of the state’s nongame wildlife. The program works in cooperation with other state agencies and organizations to develop and implement effective conservation strategies to protect and enhance this diverse group of wildlife species. The Nongame Program, which relies on private donations, is once again seeking tax-deductible donations by December 31, 2023. To donate visit https://www.wildlife.nh.gov/wildlife-and-habitat/nongame-and-endangered-species/donate-nongame-program.

The Nongame Program also uses donations from the public to help as match in order to receive state and federal grants to support its mission. Nongame staff work to protect over 400 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians as well as thousands of insects and invertebrates. Each year the program must raise $100,000 through private contributions to receive a matching grant from the state.

“We could not do this important work of protecting the diversity of species in New Hampshire without public support,” said Nongame Program Supervisor Michael Marchand. “Our wildlife and its habitat is one of the reasons that people visit and live in our beautiful state and it is becoming ever more critical that we preserve this rich legacy for all to enjoy.”

One example of progress is the piping plover, which nests on sandy coastal beaches. This small, sparrow-sized shorebird’s numbers fell dramatically after World War II as development altered its habitat. More people meant more pressures as beaches became popular destinations for recreation. In fact, this species disappeared entirely from New Hampshire and was not discovered nesting again until 1996. Thanks to the work of Nongame Program staff, partner agencies, and hundreds of volunteers, their numbers are back on the rise in the state. In 2023, Nongame Program biologists monitored a record 15 pairs of plovers that fledged 38 chicks (mature enough to fly) on Hampton and Seabrook Beaches.

For more information about the NHFG Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program, its projects, and funding mechanisms, visit www.wildnh.com/nongame.