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House Committee on Natural Resources Hears Testimony on Conserving Wildlife Migration Corridors
Hearing highlighted bipartisan legislation aimed at formalizing migration conservation programs that provide financial and technical assistance to states, Tribes, and private landowners
This week, the House Committee on Natural Resources conducted a hearing that included the bipartisan, bicameral Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act led by Senator Padilla (D-Calif.), Senator Hoeven (R-N.D.), Congressman Zinke (R-Mont.) and Congressman Beyer (D-Va.).
“Successful migration conservation requires collaboration between local, state, Tribal and federal governments, private landowners, and the NGO community,” said Joel Pedersen, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “This legislation would authorize existing federal programs that support locally driven, collaborative conservation projects that restore and conserve the most important areas wildlife need to migrate and move to fulfill their lifecycle needs. TRCP thanks Senator Padilla, Senator Hoeven, Representative Zinke, and Representative Beyer for their leadership on this critically important, bipartisan legislation.”
The Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act would formally authorize existing federal programs initiated by the Department of the Interior during the Trump Administration through Secretarial Order 18-3362, to conserve big game migration corridors. These crucial programs have been supported and expanded by the Biden Administration but remain discretionary. Congressional action to formalize these discretionary programs would guarantee that the work will persist regardless of future administration changes. This is important because state and Tribal wildlife agency annual budgets are unable to meet the full demand for resource management. The financial and technical assistance from these federal programs would help to bridge that gap.
The bill seeks to expand the scope of existing work to support corridor conservation efforts nationwide for a wider range of species and provides Congress the opportunity to support collaborative partnerships, policies, and funding to advance the research and conservation of migration corridors and seasonal habitat.
The legislation would:
– Establish the Wildlife Movement and Migration Corridor Program at the Department of the Interior, to be administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, to fund projects that improve or conserve habitat quality in movement areas including habitat treatment projects, fence modification, and wildlife crossings.
– Establish a State and Tribal Migration Research Program at the Department of the Interior to provide funds directly to state fish and wildlife agencies and Tribes for research that improves understanding of wildlife movement and migration routes.
– Allow for funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program to provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners undertaking voluntary conservation projects that support wildlife movement and migration routes on their land.
– Support the U.S. Geological Survey’s Corridor Mapping Team to provide technical assistance to states and Tribes to map priority routes.
During the hearing, witnesses demonstrated broad support for the bill:
“CSF is proud to support this vital legislation, and we are excited to see a thoughtful and locally driven approach to the ecologically critical topic of wildlife migration and movement and overall landscape connectivity,” said Taylor Schmitz, Federal Relations Director with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. “Advancing this legislation will not only support wildlife, but also, sportsmen and women, state and federal agencies, tribes, and interested private landowners.”
“The Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act extends the benefits of successful existing federal programs to more wildlife, and more states,” said Mike Leahy, Senior Director of Wildlife, Hunting and Fishing Policy with the National Wildlife Federation. “Important terrestrial wildlife migrations and movements for a wide range of species are at risk throughout the country, so this bill provides an opportunity for states and tribes and communities throughout the US. to receive grants, research funds, or technical support.”
Learn more about migration corridors HERE
Photo Credit: USFWS
In The Arena: Joel Pedersen
TRCP’s “In the Arena” series highlights the individual voices of hunters and anglers who, as Theodore Roosevelt so famously said, strive valiantly in the worthy cause of conservation
Joel Pedersen
Hometown: A Nebraskan at heart.
Occupation: President and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
Conservation credentials: Joel Pedersen is a life-long hunter, angler and conservationist. His professional background includes biological administration, hunting access program management, conservation planning, and federal and state legislative strategy. He has served in leadership positions at the Mule Deer Foundation, National Wild Turkey Federation and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and holds degrees in biology and wildlife and fisheries science. He is also a fellow of the National Conservation Leadership Institute.
Inspired from a young age and through a life of hunting, fishing, and conservation leadership, Joel is driven by a personal responsibility to protect America’s legacy of conservation, habitat, and access to ensure quality places to hunt and fish for future generations.
Here is his story.
I grew up in rural Nebraska. Both sets of my grandparents were farmers, and I spent a lot of time as a youngster playing in the pastures and streams that wove through their farms. My earliest memories of spending time outdoors were forged there.
As I grew, my father took me fishing for bass and panfish on the Missouri River and in the small reservoirs and farm ponds of northeast Nebraska. Soon, I began eagerly looking forward to our annual trips to see extended family in Minnesota, because with it came the opportunity to fish for walleye. Before I was able to carry a shotgun, I was introduced to Nebraska’s pheasants (and the occasional bobwhite or hun) – these were the only real hunting opportunities we had in the 1970’s and 80’s – and that is where I got my start as a hunter. I bagged my first pheasant at age 10 and I was hooked. Since then, my fondest memories have involved the outdoors in some way – from taking my kids hunting or fishing for the first time to exploring new areas and the uniqueness of America’s public lands, each holds a special place for me. Even today, autumn Saturdays in the field, listening to Cornhusker football between hunts, still bring me back to those special, formative days.
“I’m honored that I get to bring my lifelong passions to an organization named after Theodore Roosevelt, the person that brought conservation to the forefront as an American value in the early 20th century.”
Joel Pedersen, TRCP president and CEO
I became active in Boy Scouts as I got older, and, fortunately, my troop went camping every month, year-round. Once, while on a trip to Philmont in New Mexico, we had a black bear raid our camp during breakfast. This was a big deal for a kid from Nebraska! I had never seen a wild animal bigger than a coyote and I immediately had to know more about this incredible species. At that moment, I made it my life’s goal to do just that, ultimately leading me to graduate school research on the black bears in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains. This experience ignited a fire for conservation in me and it was a defining moment that kickstarted my pursuit of an incredible profession.
As my career progressed, I was fortunate to learn from many great mentors and experience many exciting places. During my tenure at the National Wild Turkey Federation, I became a passionate turkey hunter. I’ll never forget, after many failed attempts, finally calling in and harvesting a turkey on my own – to top it off, it was a Sumter National Forest, South Carolina turkey. Although many places claim to have the most challenging turkey hunting, I will put a South Carolina public lands bird up against any for that title!
“I want to ensure that future generations can have the same opportunities and experiences that I have had. It’s important to me that more of the public understand the impact that conservation has on them and how hunters and anglers have always been at its heart. ”
Joel Pedersen, TRCP president and CEO
Nowadays, when I think about places to hunt and fish, I reflect upon my roots. I appreciate the nostalgia and the memories that my time outdoors has provided. I’m a Nebraskan at heart and I still have a passion for pheasant hunting in the open fields of the Midwest - unfortunately, there is only one hunting spot from my youth that has not been tilled under in the last 40 years – and I hold many great memories of family fishing trips in Minnesota and Canada close. As I look ahead, I’m intrigued by the challenge, environment, and natural beauty of a high mountain sheep or goat hunt. I have never done it, but it is an adventure that I’d like to experience.
However, for me, it is not the species or the location alone that is important anymore. It is the chance to spend time alone in the field, recharging and reflecting on why I am so passionate about conservation. It is time in the field with good people, creating memories, and hopefully inspiring others to be part of our conservation movement that drives me.
I don’t know a life without conservation. It is at the center of my career, and at the center of my down time. I can’t imagine what time in the field, forests, or waters would be like without it. Could we have the same experiences without the national forests that were originally set aside by Theodore Roosevelt? Without the restoration of game species that were pioneered and funded by hunters? Without public lands that were purchased by duck stamps, wildlife stamps, and Pittman–Robertson Act / Dingell-Johnson Act funds? I want to ensure that future generations can have the same opportunities and experiences that I have had. It’s important to me that more of the public understand the impact that conservation has on them and how hunters and anglers have always been at its heart.
“We must persevere by investing and collectively striving to ensure quality places to hunt and fish for our future generations…Conservation impacts everyone.”
Joel Pedersen, TRCP president and CEO
Look at the arc of history in our landscapes and the wildlife that live in them. So many game species were once on the brink of extinction, and the efforts of hunters, anglers, and conservationists brought them back– in some cases to record numbers! But the challenges to wildlife, fish, and habitat are more numerous than ever before. It is up to us to lead in this moment so we can protect what those before us provided. We must continue to educate, and more importantly, thoughtfully engage so that hunting, fishing, and conservation will continue to have a bright future.
We can’t take our natural landscapes and wildlife species for granted – I am often concerned that too many people (including hunters and anglers) don’t understand how the dedication of previous generations has gotten us here. We must persevere by investing and collectively striving to ensure quality places to hunt and fish for our future generations. Beyond that, we need to raise awareness with the greater public about how conservation affects them – whether they enjoy the land and water directly, or they just appreciate clean air and clean water. Conservation impacts everyone.
Beyond the fact that I have made this my career, and it has allowed me to raise a family and make innumerable like-minded friends, conservation has always been my passion. It’s cliche, but when you show up every day to a job you are passionate about, it never seems like work. While that’s been the case for me, being involved in conservation goes far beyond that. Giving back to the wildlife and the landscapes that have provided so many great memories are of paramount importance to me. I’m honored (and it’s pretty cool!) that I get to bring my lifelong passions to an organization named after Theodore Roosevelt, the person that brought conservation to the forefront as an American value in the early 20th century. It is extremely humbling, and I look forward to working alongside the talented team at TRCP to further our collective vision.
The TRCP is your resource for all things conservation. In our weekly Roosevelt Report, you’ll receive the latest news on emerging habitat threats, legislation and proposals on the move, public land access solutions we’re spearheading, and opportunities for hunters and anglers to take action. Sign up now.
New BLM Solar Plans Seek to Balance Conservation and Renewable Energy Goals
Hunting, fishing organizations welcome a responsible approach to solar energy development on public lands
Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published the Final Programmatic EIS and Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendments that would support an updated siting and permitting framework across 11 western states for management of utility-scale solar energy development on public lands. The plans would allow development near existing and planned transmission lines and on previously disturbed lands, all while avoiding important fish and wildlife habitat, cultural and Tribal resources, and recreational opportunities.
“Trout populations throughout the West face many challenges, not the least of which is climate change and land uses that place additional stress on shrinking native and wild trout habitat. While the plan does not include specific criteria for important fish habitat, we are encouraged that the exclusions would preclude development in areas subject to conservation agreements, such as habitat for many native trout species,” said Tasha Sorensen, Western Energy Lead with Trout Unlimited. “We look forward to working with the BLM to implement this important safeguard appropriately and ensure renewable energy development balanced with the protection and restoration of wild and native trout.”
“As the country grapples with the need to meet energy demands, it’s crucial to approach the development of solar energy with the perspective that wildlife and solar can coexist on the landscape,” said Joel Webster, interim Chief Conservation Officer for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “TRCP appreciates refinements made by the BLM to the Western Solar Plan that will help maintain seasonal habitats that are crucially important for the West’s big game herds.”
“Our nation’s public lands are at the center of our outdoor traditions, providing countless opportunities for sportsmen and women. We thank the BLM for taking into consideration the importance of intact wildlife habitat, including migration corridors, in their final Western Solar Plan,” said Kaden McArthur, Government Relations Manager for Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. “Doing so will ensure that as our country continues to develop energy, we avoid detriments to treasured public resources like our wildlife.”
“Renewable energy buildout on public lands must be thoughtful, cautious and informed, ensuring that we conserve important wildlife habitat, protect hunting and fishing opportunities, and avoid impacts to cultural and Indigenous resources, as we strive for cleaner energy.” said Bailey Brennan, Public Lands Counsel with the National Wildlife Federation. “The BLM’s improved approach to siting and permitting solar development will help achieve these goals, balancing public lands’ many uses.”
Publication of the proposed final resource management plan amendments initiates a 30-day protest period running through September 30. The BLM anticipates finalizing the plan before the end of the year.
Read the Big Game Guidelines for Utility-Scale Photovoltaic Solar Development by clicking HERE
The TRCP is your resource for all things conservation. In our weekly Roosevelt Report, you’ll receive the latest news on emerging habitat threats, legislation and proposals on the move, public land access solutions we’re spearheading, and opportunities for hunters and anglers to take action. Sign up now.
Recent Colorado National Forest Plan the New Standard for Conserving Big Game Habitat
USFS management in the revised Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests Plan limits disturbance within the most sensitive big game habitats and migratory routes, other forest plan revisions should do the same.
In July, the U.S. Forest Service finalized a revised Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests Plan after nearly a decade of analysis and public engagement. Management direction in the plan establishes guidelines that Forest Service staff must follow when authorizing uses in the forests for the next several decades, which is why we applauded the forests’ inclusion of the most up to date science for how agency decisions will affect wildlife populations.
The Forest Service was able to use modern data to limit direct and indirect disturbances to big game caused by habitat fragmentation in sensitive habitats such as summer range and migration corridors. The most influential inclusion in the plan was the establishment of 823,000 acres of Wildlife Management Areas, within which total route density limits have been set to prevent road and trail construction through the most sensitive areas, ensuring that habitat connectivity and function remains at the forefront of management considerations.
The TRCP worked closely with agency staff and our partners during the planning process to ensure these management actions were included, and we encourage other forests to model their future revisions on the GMUG’s efforts to value wildlife needs along with other uses, including increased recreation.
Our contemporary understanding of wildlife movement across the landscape and between seasonal habitats has developed quickly and relatively recently in the last two decades. The advancement of technology from radio collars and radio telemetry to GPS has resulted in efficient and effective means to map animal movement. Modern GPS technology delivers a dozen data points a day, allowing wildlife and land managers to determine precisely where big game herds summer and winter, how they move from one place to another, and where they stop to rest and feed along the way. The TRCP released a report in 2021 highlighting the opportunity to apply cutting-edge science and research concerning wildlife movement to influence public land management across the West.
As new information becomes available, the USFS should include this invaluable data in biennial monitoring reports to inform adaptive management within existing forest plans. And when initiating new forest plans, the agency should design migration-related plan components that are demonstrated to reduce wildlife disturbance. This will allow managers to adapt to new information as it becomes available. Thankfully, tools exist in the forest planning process to utilize this vital wildlife data.
The 2012 National Forest Planning Rule directs the Forest Service to look at the entire ecological and social sustainability of the forest. Intact, healthy wildlife corridors and connectivity are critical to long-term ecological sustainability, and robust big game populations support social values of hunting and wildlife watching that drive many rural Western economies.
More recent investments from the Department of the Interior have supported continued science and learning, which means each year more corridors are identified. Many Western states and tribes are developing this work with the support of the U.S. Geological Survey, who has provided technical assistance to state and Tribal agencies since 2018. This information demonstrates specifically where special management on National Forests, and other lands, is needed.
In the GMUG, the USFS utilized the best available science and modern tools for land use management that resulted in a positive outcome for the future of big game in the forests. A primary challenge to big game conservation in the GMUG is the extensive network of recreational trails in the planning area. The need for public land managers to navigate increased recreational trail opportunities with wildlife, as well as other uses of the forest, is not limited to the GMUG. Between 2014 and 2019, recreational trail use in Colorado grew by 44%, while the number of days spent viewing wildlife increased by 105%i. Increasing recreation opportunity was a desire for the GMUG, yet that opportunity needed to be pared with actions to avoid, minimize, and mitigate for the unintended consequences of trail-based recreation directly and indirectly impacting big game populations.
Elk can survive in some of the harshest environments, but research shows that additional disturbance from humans during their toughest times of the year can prove fatal. In a study of the elk herd in Vail, Colorado, researchers found that if cow elk had to move in response to hikers an average of seven times during calving, about 30 percent of calves died. Resulting data models suggest that if cow elk were disturbed 10 times during calving, all calves would die. When researchers stopped sending hikers through calving areas, the calf survival rate recovered. This suggests that limiting disturbance in production areas and summer concentration areas during calving season could dramatically increase elk calf survival rates.
An analysis and story map developed by the TRCP shows that around 40 percent of the most important elk habitat in Colorado is already impacted by non-motorized and motorized trail users. In this analysis we looked at the overlap between existing recreational trails and high-priority elk habitat, and our results highlight how important management strategies, like development density limits established in the GMUG, are to provide long term benefits for wildlife and recreationists.
The GMUG’s final plan, and the WMAs specifically, set a valuable precedent for other relevant forests within Colorado and the West on how to plan responsible, multiple-use management that conserves the most sensitive big game habitats. Other forests grappling with similar challenges such as increased recreation are the Lolo National Forest (Montana), the Bridger-Teton National Forest (Wyoming) and the White River National Forest (Colorado), which is scheduled to begin a revision in 2025. The GMUG’s model will be extremely relevant in setting future management for these forests, and others, with significant recreation and wildlife values.
The TRCP is your resource for all things conservation. In our weekly Roosevelt Report, you’ll receive the latest news on emerging habitat threats, legislation and proposals on the move, public land access solutions we’re spearheading, and opportunities for hunters and anglers to take action. Sign up now.
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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