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a rare visit. With further habitat enhancement, these species 

 may eventually be seen in greater numbers in California. The 

 number of human visitors also continues to increase. Last year's 

 record number of waterbirds helped this area become even better 

 known among conservationists and the general pxiblic. 



These are just two of the dozens of partnerships our members 

 have undertaken with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. 

 We hope that there will be many more. 



I would like to turn to the issue of improvements that may 

 benefit the operation of the Foundation and its abilities to get 

 more good work done. Steady and necessary funding is a 

 continuing challenge that faces the Foundation. DU has worked 

 with the Foundation to help identify and institute support from 

 the private sector for Foundation projects and to let Congress 

 know of the important activities undertaken by the Foundation and 

 the need for support. The possibility of reauthorizing the 

 ceiling at $25 million is a good idea that hopefully can be 

 translated into action by appropriators. 



Another aspect of the operation that may benefit from your 

 review and perhaps some modest revision has to do with clarifying 

 the matching ratio required for non-governmental entities to 

 receive grants through the Foundation. In our discussions with 

 other potential partners for Foundation projects, questions have 

 arisen on whether the matching requirements are the same for 

 grants that have federal money as the source, versus grant funds 

 that originate as non-federal donations. Since much of the 

 grants do come from federal funds we feel it important that match 

 requirements are consistent and that all potential partners are 

 competing for these partnerships on a level playing field. 



Since the Foundation is a relatively new member of the 

 conservation community, and acts as a bit of a "hybrid", some 



