Nationwide, some 25 million visitors annually hunt, fish, observe, and photograph wildlife or participate in interpretive activities on refuges. In return, the landowners manage their lands in a manner that will best protect wildlife. This program has been tremendously popular with private landowners. Since 1987, the FWS has developed partnerships with over 14,000 landowners and has restored over 230,000 acres of wetlands. Annually, an estimated 200,000 jobs are supported by birdwatching.
All indications are the birdwatching and -feeding hobby is growing fast.
The number of specialty stores selling wild birdseed, feeders, and equipment has exploded in recent years, along with subscriptions to birdwatching magazines. National wildlife refuges attract ecotourist dollars for local businesses. The Service leads the federal effort to protect and restore animals and plants that are in danger of extinction both in the United States and worldwide. The Service works with other Federal and state agencies, university scientists, and others to identify vulnerable species and take proactive measures to keep them from declining to the point where they need listing as endangered. For those species that require listing, the Service helps identify and carry out recovery actions to rebuild their populations.