Photo Credit: Dusan Smetana
Access means nothing without healthy habitat and clean water to support the wildlife and fish we love to pursue. We are fighting for meaningful policy change that benefits these critters, our waters, and the American landscapes that are unique in all the world.
Hunters and anglers have been the primary champions of wildlife habitat and healthy waterways since the days of Theodore Roosevelt. But with more competing demands on our natural resources than ever before, we can’t afford to take for granted what we have: A public lands network that is unparalleled in all the world, the best-managed fish and wildlife populations of any nation, and the ability for all Americans to hunt and fish, regardless of class or economic status. It is a system that benefits everyone, from sportsmen to hikers to those who simply want to drink clean water or experience wide open spaces.
Since 2001, a series of Supreme Court decisions and administrative actions have blocked some implementation of the Clean Water Act, leaving half of the nation’s stream miles at risk of pollution and destruction. Wetlands have also been lost at an alarming rate.
The future of 71 million acres of BLM public lands is being decided as the agency develops local land use plans across the West. This is the last great opportunity for sportsmen to conserve our best hunting and fishing areas.
The sagebrush sea is home to many species that sportsmen love to pursue, including pronghorns, mule deer, elk, and sage grouse. In fact, conservation efforts to benefit the greater sage grouse are also good for more than 350 species across 11 Western states.
Because recreational fisheries have unique conservation needs, recreational fishermen want alternatives to traditional federal policies designed to manage commercial fishing.
The Sportsmen’s Values Mapping Project captures input from local hunters and anglers on the areas they value most for hunting and fishing. The resulting maps could help land managers make important decisions about conservation.
The USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) helps restore wildlife habitat and improve water quality downstream. But demand for the program far outpaces enrollment caps written into the current Farm Bill.
Congress is currently in discussions about the 2018 Farm Bill, and the TRCP’s 20-member Agriculture and Wildlife Working Group is also hard at work making sure this legislation incentivizes productive lands and healthy wildlife, while helping American producers to feed, fuel, and clothe the world.
Make sure your lawmakers hear from you about the habitat and clean water issues that matter. Take action below—it only takes a few clicks to send your legislator an email or tweet. And be prepared to hold them accountable for their votes. Sign up for TRCP email alerts to be the first to know about upcoming challenges and what you can do to help. Then get outside and take advantage of the best-managed fish and wildlife populations in the world. Take plenty of photos and share them with us @theTRCP.
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