The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission's Division of Rural Services are making more than $690,000 available to Arkansas schools this year to support conservation education.
The funding comes from grants financed entirely by fines collected for hunting and fishing violations over the past year, AGFC Chief of Education Mary Beth Hatch said. These grants are distributed to schools in each county based on the fine revenue generated locally, along with unclaimed or unallocated grant funds from previous years.
The program highlights Arkansas's commitment to conservation by reinvesting penalty funds into education, ensuring that resources are directed toward fostering awareness and understanding of wildlife and natural resource preservation among students across the state.