least some species that use prairie wetland/parkland for breeding (puddle ducks like mallards, pintails, wigeons, teal, redheads) as their populations have steadily climbed over the last 60 years or so (still a mere shadow of what the population looked like 150 years ago, mind you) because of laws that protect them and their breeding grounds (BTW, I still know of people who go to Mexico and other central American countries so they can shoot as many as they want in the winter).  Other species like eiders, scaup, scoters, long-tailed duck etc, the story is not so good...

But the point remains - it requires active particpation and resources from government and the general public to make success stories happen, and the harsh reality is that many (1000's)  of our plant and animal species(many less obvious and connected to our hunting heritage) are in rapid and possibly irreversible decline.  That is a fact. This is something I know about.  That is why it is important to stay vigilant and watch very closely what trump and his administration do wrt our environment, b/c I'm telling you, we have plants/birds/fish/mammals that are literally on the edge of taking that last step towards the extinction path, and 4 or even 8 years of trump could literally be then end.  

BBG

The majority of our loss of species is due to habitat loss, not bubba with a shotgun. It's like we have to constantly sell it to all these #badword#ing stupidly myopic politicians that wetlands and coastal marshes are very valuable resources and when you constantly fill them in to build another #badword#ty strip mall or condo you lose all the associated habitat value, mitigation of water pollution, flooding, etc. I don't see this improving anytime soon.