American law and tradition place primary responsibility for fish and wildlife management with state governments. State fish and wildlife agencies manage wildlife populations, regulate hunting and fishing, restore and manage habitat, and work with other agencies to conserve fish and wildlife resources across state lines. Some state fish and wildlife agencies operate underneath larger state natural resources agencies, while others are independent. State agencies are overseen by boards or commissions which are typically appointed by the governor. The activities of state fish and wildlife agencies have historically been funded primarily by revenue from hunting and angling licenses and other user fees. The federal government provides funding for state-level fish and wildlife conservation through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration (“Pittman-Robertson”) and Sportfish Restoration (“Dingell-Johnson”) programs, which are funded through federal excise tax dollars on hunting and angling equipment. Several states have developed additional mechanisms for funding fish and wildlife conservation, such as trust funds that receive dedicated funding from tax revenues, license plate sales, or lottery dollars. Federal legislation has also been proposed to provide additional dedicated funding for state-level wildlife conservation.

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The 1973 Endangered Species Act is the nation's chief federal wildlife protection statute. It provides for conservation and protection of species determined to be endangered or threatened under the act. The law also directs federal agencies to ensure that their actions, such as building dams or granting construction permits to private companies, do not jeopardize endangered or threatened species, or harm their critical habitat. The act also implements the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), an international treaty to regulate trade in endangered wildlife.

An endangered species is a plant or animal determined by the US F&WS to be in eminent danger of extinction. Species designated, or 'listed,' as endangered are accorded special federal protection under the 1973 Act. Similar protections are provided for species listed under the act as 'threatened,' those found to be in danger of extinction in the foreseeable future.

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Most of the public land owned by the federal government is managed by four agencies: the Interior Department's Fish & Wildlife Service (F&WS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the National Park Service (NPS) and the Agriculture Department's U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service).

The NPS and F&WS are responsible for the nation's natural and historical resources -- the parks, monuments and wildlife refuges, where commercial activities, such as mining and energy development, are generally prohibited.

The lands held by BLM and the Forest Service are the country's natural resource storehouses, such as timber, coal, and onshore oil and gas reserves. Wilderness designations, where development and commercial activities are strictly prohibited in order to maintain the natural characteristics of the area, are throughout the land holdings of all four land management agencies.

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Urban Sprawl is the growth of scattered, poorly planned development in communities across the nation, often negatively impacting public health and the environment. Communities and governments are looking to manage urban and suburban growth with smart, growth solutions.

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