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Why Conservation Funding is Important to Sportsmen and the Economy
Steven discusses the economic benefits of public lands conservation programs and the importance of adequately funding these programs in light of the many financial challenges facing our country.
- Federal spending on natural resources makes up only 1.62 percent of our total budget, but that’s some of the hardest working money we spend.
- Every dollar we put into land acquisition contributes about $2 to the U.S. economy.
- Hunting and fishing generate more than $6.3 billion in annual tax revenues and create more than 900,000 sustainable American jobs.
- Federal investment in public lands (parks, refuges, trails, rivers, recreation areas and national forests) drives a conservation, recreation and historic preservation sector of the economy that supports 9.4 million U.S. jobs. Whether manufacturing, retail or service related, most of these jobs are resource or tourism based and cannot be exported.
- The combination of conservation, outdoor recreation and historic preservation is responsible for more than $1 trillion in economic activity and more than $107 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues.
- Congress has an opportunity not only to continue the strong tradition of conservation in our country but also to grow our way back to fiscal health through the economic benefits provided by outdoor sports and recreation.
Setting Priorities and Taking Names
Leadership, tenacity and foresight are three traits of Theodore Roosevelt’s that I most admire. T.R. embodied a certain largeness of character that is, of course, not unusual for many in the political arena. But while the man certainly could talk the talk, here is what set him apart: He got things done.
Bully pulpit or no, exceptional leaders know what it takes to make a tangible and positive impact on the nation and its people. A lot has changed since the days of Roosevelt, but I still believe great things can be accomplished in Washington, D.C., and sportsmen must play a leading role.
This is why we’ve outlined our priority issues for 2013 in our annual Conservation Policy Agenda. Please read them.
I share these priorities with you in the hopes that you’ll be willing to step into the arena when the time comes. And the time will come soon.
What’s more, I hope that you will have the tenacity to carry the discussion about conservation policy into your community. I hope you will take leadership and talk about these issues at your local hunt club or shooting range. Consider hosting a roundtable with friends – those you agree with and those you disagree with – to discuss issues of importance for hunters and anglers. True change requires the foresight to work together and map out the areas in which sportsmen hope to progress in 2013.
It all starts with accurate information. Be sure to read the TRCP Conservation Policy Agenda to learn more, sign up to receive updates from the front lines of conservation via the TRCP’s weekly Roosevelt Report, check out our partner list and find out how you can get more involved.
Join the conversation and let us know areas in which you would like to make a difference in 2013.
Wednesday Win: T.R.ivia
Archie Roosevelt was not feeling well, so his brother Quentin decided to take his pony up to Archie’s room, via the White House elevator, to make him feel better. What was the name of the pony?
Leave us a comment on the TRCP Blog, or email your answers to info@trcp.org by Friday for your chance to win a copy of the first season of the Sportsmen Channel’s “MeatEater” featuring Steven Rinella.
Sportsmen Take the High Road on Climate Change
A couple moments from the inauguration festivities stuck in my mind. The president’s daughters snapping photos with their phones was one. Vice President Joe Biden’s moving tribute to America’s armed forces was another. But among all the pomp and circumstance, special guests and the Washington, D.C., traditions, the most exciting moment for me was President Obama’s vow to address the impacts of climate change.
“We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations,” Obama said. “Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it.”
Never before has a president taken such a public stand on climate change. I speak in front of rod and gun clubs across the West and know how tough it can be to talk to people about climate change. It is a point of contention for many, and I commend the president for taking a stance on this hot-button issue in front of the entire nation.
Contentious or not, climate change is real, and it already is affecting our natural resources, fish and wildlife and outdoor opportunities. At the TRCP, we aim to educate sportsmen about the effects of climate change and ensure sportsmen involvement in mitigation efforts.
Rather than debating specific points of air temperature or carbon dioxide data, the TRCP focuses on the cascading effects of a changing climate in the biological world, including impacts to species of fish and game most important to sportsmen. We highlight on-the-ground projects that help fish and wildlife adapt to a changing environment.
We stand ready to work with the administration and members of the sportsman-conservation community to plan for the effects of climate change and rethink the habits that got us here in the first place.
Want to know what the TRCP is doing now? Read the 2013 policy agenda.
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.
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