By Global Environmental Desk
Published: October 2023
Main Facts
The modern history of American conservation is frequently marked by political polarization, shifting federal priorities, and land-use conflicts. However, a landmark environmental directive issued nearly a decade ago has proven that bipartisan consensus and multi-agency collaboration can deliver monumental victories for the nation’s wildlife.
Signed on February 9, 2018, by then-Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, Secretarial Order 3362 (SO 3362) established a robust framework designed to improve the quality of big-game winter habitats and migration corridors across the American West. The directive targeted three iconic species—mule deer, elk, and pronghorn—whose seasonal migrations often span hundreds of miles across a patchwork of federal, state, and private lands.
At its core, SO 3362 was built to bridge data gaps. By directing federal funds directly to state wildlife agencies, the order catalyzed comprehensive scientific research to map out elusive migration paths and seasonal ranges. Crucially, the policy transcended typical partisan friction. It has since survived and thrived across consecutive administrations, gaining financial and institutional backing from both Republican and Democratic leadership.
Today, the framework’s influence extends far beyond the Department of the Interior. It informs the decision-making processes of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state departments of transportation, energy sector stakeholders, and private landowners. With annual federal investments running in the tens of millions of dollars—amplified significantly by matching funds from private and non-profit sectors—SO 3362 stands as a gold standard for collaborative ecosystem management in the 21st century.
Chronology: The Evolution of a Conservation Milestone
To understand the profound impact of Secretarial Order 3362, one must examine its trajectory from an administrative directive into a deeply rooted cultural and political commitment to wildlife stewardship.
2018: The Genesis of the Order
On February 9, 2018, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke signed Secretarial Order 3362, titled “Improving Habitat Quality in Western Big-Game Winter Range and Migration Corridors.” The order instructed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management to work in close synchronization with state fish and wildlife agencies across 11 Western states. The initial mandate was straightforward: identify critical bottlenecks, map out seasonal pathways, and deploy federal resources where they were most urgently needed.
2019–2020: Data Gathering and Institutional Integration
During its first two years, the focus was heavily empirical. Agencies utilized telemetry data, GPS tracking, and historical mapping to understand how herds navigate human-dominated landscapes. State agencies received crucial injections of federal funding to upgrade their tracking infrastructure. Concurrently, the principles of SO 3362 began bleeding into standard operating procedures for BLM land-use planning and state highway department infrastructure projects.
2021–2022: Bipartisan Reaffirmation and Financial Scaling
Despite shifts in the White House, support for SO 3362 remained ironclad. The Biden administration recognized the program’s efficacy, continuing financial flows and expanding collaborative networks. During this period, state legislatures began taking legislative action, crafting their own executive orders and allocating localized funds to match federal investments.
2023–Present: Infrastructure, Technology, and Regional Expansion
Today, the directive has matured into a multi-tiered ecosystem initiative. Recent funding infusions—such as a $15 million allocation distributed through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in early 2023—have allowed conservationists to tackle physical barriers to migration, including fencing modifications, highway overpasses, and the restoration of degraded shrublands. Furthermore, modern digital technologies, advanced GIS mapping, and real-time tracking are now routinely deployed to optimize habitat restoration across millions of acres.
Supporting Data and Financial Impact
The success of Secretarial Order 3362 is not merely measured in political goodwill; it is underscored by striking financial commitments and measurable ecological improvements.
According to data compiled by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA), the Bureau of Land Management alone contributes $30 million annually directly to habitat improvement projects across the Western states. In addition, the BLM has funneled $10 million into the West-Wide Big Game Seasonal Habitat and Migration Corridor Fund, managed by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
This federal seed money has triggered an unprecedented multiplier effect:
- Over $70 million in matching funds has been successfully raised from state governments, non-governmental conservation organizations (NGOs), and private landowners.
- 11 Western states have developed tailored, state-specific action plans to address local migration barriers.
- Millions of acres of crucial winter ranges have been cleared of invasive plant species, protected from destructive resource extraction practices, and re-seeded with native vegetation vital for ungulate survival.
These numbers reflect a paradigm shift in how conservation is financed in the United States. Rather than relying solely on top-down federal edicts or isolated state budgets, SO 3362 created a unified financial ecosystem where public dollars leverage private philanthropy and state initiatives to maximize ecological returns.
Official Responses and Stakeholder Perspectives
The enduring legacy of Secretarial Order 3362 lies in its unprecedented coalition of unlikely allies. During recent WAFWA assemblies, veteran conservationists and agency leaders repeatedly emphasized that the greatest victories in wildlife management stem from sustained interinstitutional alignment.
Federal and State Agencies
Federal land managers point to SO 3362 as a masterclass in removing bureaucratic silos. By creating a unified framework, the BLM and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been able to align their leasing, grazing, and conservation policies with state-level biological data. This coordination ensures that a mule deer herd crossing federal grazing allotments and private ranches encounters consistent, supportive habitat management practices throughout its journey.
Hunters, Anglers, and Conservation Groups
Sporting organizations and conservation NGOs have been among the most vocal champions of the order. Groups dedicated to hunting and wildlife preservation recognize that healthy, migratory big-game populations are foundational to outdoor recreation economies in the West. By safeguarding migration corridors, these organizations ensure sustainable herds for future generations of hunters and wildlife watchers alike.
Private Landowners and Industry Partners
Perhaps the most delicate aspect of Western conservation involves private property rights and energy development. SO 3362 successfully engaged ranchers, agricultural producers, and energy corporations by fostering a culture of voluntary cooperation rather than punitive regulation. Landowners who historically viewed federal environmental mandates with skepticism became enthusiastic partners, participating in cooperative agreements to lower fences, protect water sources, and maintain open spaces on private working lands that intersect with wildlife highways.
Implications for the Future of Western Ecosystems
As Secretarial Order 3362 moves past its fifth anniversary and looks toward the future, its implications for American environmental policy are profound. It serves as a living blueprint for how the nation can address complex ecological challenges—such as habitat fragmentation and climate change—through cooperation rather than conflict.
The Rise of Wildlife Infrastructure
One of the most tangible long-term legacies of the order is the mainstreaming of wildlife overpasses and underpasses. Multi-state efforts to restore the Pilot Wildlife Crossings Program demonstrate a growing bipartisan commitment to funding structural engineering solutions that reduce animal-vehicle collisions while maintaining genetic connectivity between isolated herds.
Technological Integration
Looking ahead, the next frontier of SO 3362 implementation relies heavily on innovation. Modern conservationists are no longer dependent solely on traditional radio-collar tracking. The integration of advanced digital technologies—including satellite telemetry, artificial intelligence-driven predictive mapping, and high-resolution drone monitoring—allows land managers to monitor herd movements in real-time. This technological leap enables proactive, dynamic responses to environmental stressors such as wildfires, extreme winter weather, and expanding human infrastructure.
A Resilient Bipartisan Model
Ultimately, the greatest takeaway from Secretarial Order 3362 is its political resilience. In an era marked by intense ideological division, the preservation of America’s majestic big-game populations has offered common ground. By aligning the economic interests of landowners, the recreational passions of hunters, the regulatory responsibilities of state and federal agencies, and the philanthropic goals of conservationists, the order has proven that environmental stewardship and economic vitality can march forward together.
As new generations of wildlife managers inherit these landscapes, the frameworks established by SO 3362 will ensure that the ancient, seasonal rhythms of the American West—the generational journeys of elk, deer, and pronghorn across sweeping valleys and rugged mountain ranges—will endure for decades to come.
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