Fall flights PROGRAM                 

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GIVING WINGS TO CROSS-BORDER WATERFOWL CONSERVATION​​​​​​​Fall Flights call out box.png


Fall Flights is AFWA's powerful partnership program for state fish and wildlife agencies. It helps drive state economies by supporting outdoor recreation, tourism, and hunting opportunities. It advances important local and international conservation goals by making a long-term investment in critical waterfowl habitat conservation work in Canada.

UNITING STATES FOR FALL FLIGHTS CAMPAIGN
A promotional campaign to encourage greater investments by state fish and wildlife agencies will help achieve the 2026 objectives. This campaign will set the stage for celebrating Fall Flights during the Canada Night event at the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in March 2026. (This also corresponds with the 40th Anniversary of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan – NAWMP).
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WHAT IS FALL FLIGHTS?

Carrying the torch lit by the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

The backbone of Fall Flights is the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, or NAWMP. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, waterfowl populations were at historic lows. Conservationists recognized the link between breeding habitat conditions in Canada and fall flight numbers in the United States. The NAWMP was formed in 1986. Today, it’s one of the most successful conservation initiatives in the world.

Making the most of your state agency’s dollars: Fall Flights leverages funding up to four times.

State funding through Fall Flights is matched by partners and leveraged with Canadian contributions and federal funding through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA).

Fall Flights begins with your state agency investments.

State agency investments are the critical first step to creating the multiplier effect that leads to significant conservation of wetlands and associated upland habitats in Canada. NAWCA requires non-federal match at a ratio of at least 1:1, and a minimum of fifty percent of the matching funds used for projects in Canada must originate from sources in the United States.

Why support waterfowl habitat conservation in Canada?

Safeguarding North America’s waterfowl populations begins in the breeding grounds where wetlands and grasslands in Canada are critical for millions of migratory birds. In fact, up to 70 percent of North America’s waterfowl breed in Canada.


What is the Fall Flights goal for my state?

AFWA sets a goal for every state to invest in Canadian conservation projects. The table below identifies these goals for investing in continental waterfowl conservation efforts.

FALL FLIGHTS ANNUAL STATE GOALS

Fall Flights Newsline

Check out the Fall Flights monthly newsletter that highlights state funding strategies, demonstrate the return on investment, celebrate state successes, and more.

Click HERE to Subscribe to the Fall Flights Newsline

CLICK below to view additional fall flights resources           

Fall Flights Video Playlist

Advisory Committee Chair:
Ryan Brown, Director
Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

Manager of Development and State Relations
Andrew Raedeke, PH.D.
(573) 289-1226
andrew.raedeke@fallflights.com

AFWA Staff Contact
Dean Smith
dsmith@fishwildlife.org
202-838-3469