Office of Conservation Investment

06/10/2026

Join us this Saturday at 1 p.m. at Springfield Armory National Historic Site in Springfield, MA for the first talk in our America 250 Speaker Series. Steve Sanetti will explore the lasting impact of the National Armory on firearm manufacturing across New England’s historic Gun Valley. Drawing on decades of industry expertise, Sanetti will trace how innovation, craftsmanship, and infrastructure from the Armory shaped a regional hub that became central to American firearm production. In addition to this historical perspective, the session will highlight the modern-day importance of the Pittman-Robertson Act, through which firearm manufacturer federal excise taxes support wildlife conservation and access to outdoor pursuits.

06/02/2026

Vermont’s wild turkey restoration is one of the state’s greatest conservation success stories. After turkeys disappeared for nearly a century, biologists, partners, landowners, and local communities worked together to rebuild the species through strategic translocations, habitat recovery, and science‑based stewardship. This project highlights how effective Pittman-Robertson funding is to restoring lost species back to the landscape. Explore how this once‑vanished bird became a thriving part of Vermont’s landscape in our new StoryMap:

Vermont’s Wild Turkey Comeback Supported by Wildlife Restoration Funding

05/20/2026

History, industry, and conservation come together this summer at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site!

Join us for a FREE speaker series exploring the lasting impact of firearm manufacturing in Gun Valley, the Pittman-Robertson Act, and the American System of Conservation Funding in the United States.

🎤 Part One begins June 13 with “Fi****ms, History, and Conservation: The Lasting Impact of Gun Valley” featuring guest speaker Steve Sanetti. Learn how the Springfield Armory helped shape New England’s historic Gun Valley and how today’s firearm industry supports wildlife conservation and outdoor access through the Pittman-Robertson Act.

📍 The three-part series is hosted at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site
📅 June 13, July 18, and August 15 at 1pm
🎟️ Free and open to the public

Come discover how America’s outdoor heritage has been shaped by innovation, conservation funding, and the industry-state-federal partnerships that continue to restore and conserve wildlife across the nation.

05/20/2026

On the week of May 11th, Partner with a Payer participated in a field tour of the Pharsalia Wildlife Management Area with NY DEC Wildlife Staff. We also were hosted by CZ Fi****ms and Dan Wesson Fi****ms on a factory tour in New York. These events highlighted the wildlife conservation benefits of the American System of Conservation Funding, funds generated from hunter license fees, and a manufacturer federal excise tax on fi****ms, ammunition and archery equipment.

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
CZ-USA
NSSF—The Firearm Industry Trade Association

04/29/2026

This month we attended another successful Partner with a Payer event—just in time of spring turkey season. This Vermont event brought together our staff, NSSF—The Firearm Industry Trade Association, Vermont Fish & Wildlife, The National Wild Turkey Federation, and others to highlight historic turkey restoration efforts. Today, there are over 50,000 wild turkeys in Vermont thanks in large part to landowners and the industry-state-federal partnership created through the Pittman-Roberston Act.

04/16/2026

When a Tennessee stream was found to have suitable habitat but no brook trout, biologists partnered with neighboring North Carolina to restore the population using local trout species. After careful testing, trout were transported and released into their new home, helping rebuild a native fishery through Sport Fish Restoration funding. Brook trout don’t recognize state boundaries… and effective conservation doesn’t either.

Learn more about this effort in our most recent article on our Partner with a Payer™ website:

There’s a quality in the quantity of brook trout populations on the rise, thanks to Sport Fish Restoration.

03/16/2026

Last week, we joined state biologists and industry partners in the Northeast Region for Partner with a Payer™ events focused on black bear health checks. Participants saw firsthand conservation science in action. Federal excise taxes on fi****ms, ammunition, and select archery equipment have funded wildlife conservation nationwide, helping state fish and wildlife agencies study and manage more than 800 species, including black bears. During the den visit, biologists checked the health of the cubs and fitted the adult female with a radio collar, which provides crucial data on den selection and cub survival. To learn more, visit https://partnerwithapayer.org/

02/19/2026

Drones help restore wildlife! At Kerr Wildlife Management Area in Texas, biologist Deanna Pfeffer used thermal imaging cameras on drones to count white-tailed deer—a safer, cost-effective method for monitoring wildlife. Click the link below to learn more about how this cutting-edge research, funded by Wildlife Restoration dollars, supports habitat management and restoration efforts:

The leading-edge conservation work was an intersection science, technology, know-how, and reliable Pittman-Robertson funding—the federal excise taxes paid by th

02/17/2026

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is providing over $1.2 billion in funding to support conservation and outdoor access nationwide.

These Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration apportionments support state, territory, and commonwealth fish and wildlife agency work to protect habitats, manage wildlife populations, provide opportunities for outdoors pursuits, and support hunter, trapper, and angler education. It’s all made possible through an industry-state-federal partnership.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced over $1.2 billion in Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration apportionments to support states, commonwealths and territories in their efforts to fund conservation and outdoor opportunities. This program aligns with President Donald J. Trump’s strong s...

01/30/2026

Last week at SHOT Show, the Partner with a Payer™ initiative delivered a new video on the American System of Conservation Funding, and the crucial importance of the federal excise tax on fi****ms, ammunition, and select archery equipment. These funds include wildlife health research, hunter safety programs, and large-scale habitat conservation. To learn more...

Explore the industry-state-federal partnership fueling conservation. In this Partner with a Payer™ video, hear about the crucial importance of the federal ex...