BRD Co-ops

Perhaps no other program at the U.S. Department of the Interior has the unique history of collaboration between States and the Federal government than that of the Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units. Established in 1935, Coop Units were created to fill the shortage of trained wildlife biologists. In 1960, the Unit Program was formally sanctioned with the enactment of the Cooperative Units Act (PL 86-686).

Today, there are 44 BRD Cooperative Research Units in 40 States, from pre-existing research programs of the Fish and Wildlife Service. The units provide research opportunities on virtually every type of North American ecological community. These units contain more than 160 Ph.D. scientists who oversee as many as 600 graduate students per year.

Each unit is a partnership among the BRD, the State fish and game agency, a host university, and the Wildlife Management Institute. Staffed with Federal personnel, units conduct research on renewable natural resource questions; participate in the education of graduate students destined to become natural resource scientists; provide technical assistance and consultation to parties who have legitimate interests in natural resource issues; and provide various forms of continuing education for natural resource professionals.

Interactive Coop Units Map

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