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July 2, 2012

Sportsmen to Congress: ‘Our Jobs Count, Too’

US Capitol
Photo courtesy NPS.gov.

When “jobs, jobs, jobs” seems to be the refrain coming from the halls of Congress, you’d think these elected officials would embrace the economic importance of our nation’s conservation programs. Unfortunately, the House of Representatives proved last week that it is not ready to give these programs the respect they deserve.

Funding levels and policy riders approved by the House Appropriations Committee in its fiscal year 2013 Interior appropriations bill would slash operating budgets for agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Numerous programs critically important to the sportsmen’s community, such as the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the Land and Water Conservation Fund, face deep cuts and damaging impacts from policy riders in the bill. State and tribal wildlife grants, which support cooperative projects with states and private landowners to keep species from being listed under the Endangered Species Act, would be cut by 50 percent.

If the proposed cuts – including a $50 million reduction for the National Wildlife Refuge System – advance, look for major layoffs of biologists and law enforcement personnel, closures of visitor centers and reductions in such activities as managed hunts.

Ironically, the committee’s action comes on the heels of a report by the Outdoor Industry Association that documents the substantial economic contributions of hunting, fishing and other forms of outdoor recreation. The report shows that outdoor recreation in the United States is big business, to the tune of $646 billion in direct consumer spending, $39.9 billion in federal tax revenue and $39.7 billion in state/local tax revenue each year.

Our recreation economy creates 6.1 million American jobs that cannot be exported overseas. Unfortunately, these facts were lost on members of the House Appropriations Committee, as it cut the very programs upon which the recreation economy depends.

While sportsmen are willing to help shoulder our share of the nation’s economic burdens, the fact remains that conservation programs did not create the budget deficit, and slashing conservation funding cannot solve the problem. As a percentage of federal spending, conservation has decreased from about 2.5 percent in the 1970s to about 1.25 percent today.

Congress could eliminate every conservation program and barely make a dent in the deficit. Moreover, as all of us who work on conservation projects in our communities know, every dollar of federal funds is leveraged several times over by state and private funds as well as volunteer labor.

The House can and must do better. All sportsmen need to make their voices heard: Conservation is a fundamental part of what makes America great, and it is central to our economy. Congress ignores this at its own peril.

Sign up to receive action alerts on these important issues and consider supporting our work on behalf of your sporting heritage.

3 Responses to “Sportsmen to Congress: ‘Our Jobs Count, Too’”

  1. Jan E. Dizard

    Is there any way that sportsmen and women in the districts of the House Republicans can be alerted to the fact that their representative is voting to cripple the agencies and programs that are essential to sustaining habitat and game vital to sustaining both hunting and fishing? So many of the reactionary Republicans portray themselves as pro-sportsmen/women but they are anything but. We have to begin naming names and calling them out or we will be sunk.

  2. Ken Thacker

    Public lands and the laws that protect both them and many private lands for recreation activities such as hunting and fishing did not create the budget deficit. Relative to Defense and entitlement programs, total expenditures on public land management, clean water and air, and species preservation laws are a drop in the bucket. In addition, these programs benefit the middle and lower incomes classes disproportionately and trying to balance the budget on cutting them is futile. Balancing the budget should follow the Simpson Bowles Commission recommendations of spreading the pain of the cuts and include tax increases on those who can most afford them.

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A Win for Wild Sheep

Common sense and the best interests of Western wildlife prevailed last week when Representative Mike Simpson withdrew his policy rider to the House appropriations bill for interior, environment and related agencies. The amendment would have prevented the implementation of a management plan in the Payette National Forest in Idaho that would separate bighorn sheep from domestic sheep grazing on public lands.

Keeping the two species apart is critical in the effort to prevent the transmission of a fatal respiratory disease from domestic sheep and goats to bighorn sheep. The respiratory disease has devastated populations of bighorn sheep throughout the West.

Not only was the removal of the rider a victory for wild sheep, it was a win for science-based policy and the consensus on grazing that’s been forged between wildlife professionals, range managers and the hunting community.

The TRCP,  Wild Sheep Foundation, Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies and others look forward to working with Representative Simpson and others to conserve wild sheep in Idaho and other western states.

Learn more about the issue on WAFWA’s website.

Steven Rinella, host of “MeatEater” addressed issues with exotic and invasive species in a recent episode of “TRCP’s Conservation Field Notes.

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July 1, 2012

A New Twist on the Timeless

Bully BuggerThe red, white and blue Bully Bugger is a new twist on the timeless Woolly Bugger pattern. It not only shares Roosevelt’s unique American spirit. It also shares his prescription – the Bully Bugger is bedecked in Roosevelt’s trademark spectacles.

The TRCP and world-renowned fly-tier Craig Mathews teamed up to create this limited edition fly to raise money on for our work guaranteeing all Americans a quality place to hunt and fish. Each will come custom-mounted in a hand-made shadowbox.

For a limited time, the TRCP is giving these hand-crafted flies away to anyone who donates $25 or more. Make a donation July 3- 8 and we’ll send you a Bully Bugger. Thanks for your support!

 

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June 29, 2012

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June 25, 2012

Welcome to the TRCP Blog

Whit FosburghWe live in a world where we can obtain breaking news by simply looking at a smartphone or firing up a computer. Most of us want to spend our free time afield or on the water – enjoying the outdoors with our families and friends – and not reading headlines.

As president and CEO of the TRCP, I understand the sheer volume of information competing for attention in your mailboxes, inboxes and online. In an effort to respect your time while ensuring you remain up to date on issues affecting hunting and angling, fish and wildlife, and national conservation policy, the TRCP is launching a brand-new email newsletter.

I am pleased to introduce “The Roosevelt Report.” In the spirit of T.R. himself, our new offering pulls no punches and delivers you the most current, most compelling news central to our outdoor traditions. The new layout is streamlined and concise, serving up the latest in policy news of interest to the sportsman-conservation community and complemented by an engaging mix of old and new features – “T.R.ivia,” Featured Conservationist interviews and more.

We look forward to bringing you an in-depth look at conservation and natural resources policy with this weekly newsletter.  These “insider reports” not only will be delivered to your inbox on a weekly basis but will be a headline component of the new, stand-alone TRCP blog which will include engaging stories, entertaining highlights, giveaways and more.

As always, we are proud to feature the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt in both our online efforts and our efforts in the public policy arena. I invite you to explore the “TRCP Blog” and “The Roosevelt Report” and drop us a line with your ideas or input.

Thanks for reading, for your commitment to our outdoors legacy and for your dedication to our goal of “guaranteeing you a place to hunt and fish.” As always, we appreciate your support!

HOW YOU CAN HELP

CHEERS TO CONSERVATION

Theodore Roosevelt’s experiences hunting and fishing certainly fueled his passion for conservation, but it seems that a passion for coffee may have powered his mornings. In fact, Roosevelt’s son once said that his father’s coffee cup was “more in the nature of a bathtub.” TRCP has partnered with Afuera Coffee Co. to bring together his two loves: a strong morning brew and a dedication to conservation. With your purchase, you’ll not only enjoy waking up to the rich aroma of this bolder roast—you’ll be supporting the important work of preserving hunting and fishing opportunities for all.

$4 from each bag is donated to the TRCP, to help continue their efforts of safeguarding critical habitats, productive hunting grounds, and favorite fishing holes for future generations.

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