A Message from Our President and CEO

Dear International Crane Foundation Family:

For more than 50 years, the International Crane Foundation has been a committed conservation leader and beacon of hope for cranes and the lands they share with people and other wildlife. Together with government agencies, universities, non-profit organizations, businesses, and other strong partners, we have made great progress. However, our work, and the work of many other conservation organizations is currently under threat, with millions of dollars in conservation support eliminated or frozen.

Signing nearly 100 executive orders in just one month, the pace at which the Trump Administration is implementing change has caused a great deal of concern, confusion, and uncertainty throughout the conservation community. Like us, you are likely trying to figure out what is happening. Although we don’t have all the answers, here is what we know so far:

Improving the lives of the communities who share their lands with cranes is vital to our mission and the health of our planet. We are devastated to see the rapid elimination of foreign aid programs such as USAID that support low-income countries, especially without a backup system in place to support impoverished communities. These cuts will have detrimental impacts for people, cranes, and healthy landscapes where we work in Africa and Asia.

In the United States, federal lands have long provided the critical breeding, nesting, and stopover habitats for North America’s two crane species, Endangered Whooping Cranes and Sandhill Cranes. Cuts to federal funding and staffing for these wild places will affect cranes and the rich biodiversity that these ecosystems support, especially at our treasured national wildlife refuges.

Many of you may be wondering what you can do to help. We encourage you to consider contacting your local, state, and federal legislators to ask them to renew their support of these vital conservation agencies and foreign aid programs. You can contact them via:

• Email or Letter: A well-written message can be effective.
• Phone Call: Directly speaking with their office can make an impact.
• In-Person Meeting: Attending a town hall or scheduling a visit can be powerful.
• Social Media: Tagging them in posts can bring public attention.
• Find your elected officials and their contact information here.

Though the current times are filled with uncertainty, you can be sure our dedicated staff around the world will continue moving forward with our mission to secure cranes and the healthy wetlands, grasslands, and agricultural lands that we all need. Whether you favor smaller or bigger government spending, we honor the important work these agencies and programs are doing and the people who have dedicated their lives to making the world a better place.

The majority of the funding for our global work comes from supporters like you, and now, more than ever, we are grateful for your steadfast commitment to saving cranes and the communities who share their lands.