The Benefits 



The efforts of APHIS' WS program 

 often result in higher economic 

 returns to those producing livestock 

 or other products. For example, 



• Beaver damage management 

 activities conducted in North 

 Carolina throughout 1997 averted 

 the impending loss of an estimated 

 $3.9 million worth of damage to 

 forest and agricultural resources, 

 waterways, and highway infrastruc- 

 tures. The benefit-cost ratio of WS' 

 intervention was 5.8 to 1 , or $5.80 

 saved for every $1 .00 spent. 



• Beaver management in Kentucky 

 and Tennessee costing $55,000 

 over an 18-month period saved 

 timber resources valued at $1 .5 

 million. 



Resources protected from wildlife 

 damage benefit the public in the 

 form of lower consumer costs and 

 the continued availability of a range 

 of commodities. An effective wildlife 

 damage-management program 

 makes it possible to use fewer 

 acres to produce sufficient food 

 resources for the Nation. This also 



allows for reduced use of fossil 

 fuels, fertilizers, and pesticides. 



An environmental impact statement 

 (EIS), written in accordance with 

 the procedures established by the 

 National Environmental Policy Act, 

 indicated that the WS program has 

 no nationally significant adverse 

 impact on wildlife species diversity 

 or abundance. Furthermore, the 

 EIS indicated that the program 

 provides substantial benefits to 

 certain threatened and endangered 

 species, has a positive impact on 

 protecting selected natural resour- 

 ces, and promotes the mainten- 

 ance of human health and safety. 



Additional Information: For further 

 information about WS, contact your 

 State's office of USDA, APHIS, WS, 

 or write to, USDA, APHIS, WS, 

 4700 River Road, Unit 87, 

 Riverdale, MD 20737-1234. 

 Wildlife Services also maintains an 

 informational Website at 

 http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws 



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