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Support the Best Rocky Mountain Elk Habitat in Oregon and Washington
Hunters and anglers can now comment on the Blue Mountains National Forest Plan Revision
The U.S. Forest Service is revising the forest plan that guides management across the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests. This plan will shape wildlife habitat management, public access, grazing leases, timber harvest, and some of Oregon and Washington’s most valuable hunting and fishing opportunities on more than 5 million acres of public lands for the next 20 years or more. As the Oregon field representative for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, I am no stranger to days spent chasing elk across the ridges and valleys of the Blue Mountains. I’ve shared these forests with the unforgettable smiles of first-time hunters harvesting wild turkeys, and I watched my young pup lock up on his very first blue grouse in a late summer meadow in the Blues.
These memories and experiences are why hunters and anglers should weigh in and ask the USFS to revise the forest plan in a manner that balances quality fish and wildlife habitat, hunting and fishing opportunities, and local economies that depend on these public lands.
The Forest Service is accepting public comments until October 6 on their proposal to revise the Blue Mountains Nation Forest Plan. Hunters and anglers can make a difference by supporting intact habitats, strong local economies, and lasting outdoor traditions. We have provided a sample comment for your convenience below.
Comment Now
Sample Comment:
The Blue Mountains are nationally recognized for their importance to hunters and anglers, and many rural communities are economically tied to the resources they provide. I ask the U.S. Forest Service to include in the Draft Plan a balanced management approach to sustain quality fish and wildlife habitat, hunting and fishing opportunities, and local economies that depend on these public lands.
To achieve this, please consider analyzing and including a management alternative that includes the following:
- Elk habitat and security goals for each watershed to ensure elk remain on public lands during the hunting season and beyond.
- Active management projects to improve fish and wildlife habitat. These projects can include timber harvest, thinning, prescribed fire, invasive weed management, and riparian restoration so long as they provide ecological benefits.
- Desired conditions and guidelines that provide for improved elk habitat security while ensuring continued adequate road access for hunters, anglers, landowners, private companies, and agency staff. This balance will ensure active management and needed access for firefighting activities while improving elk security based on the best available science to maintain quality hiding cover that is at least ½ mile from open roads during key periods of the year.
A draft plan that analyzes and incorporates elk security, increases active management, and thoughtfully manages the needs of access will sustain hunting opportunities, reduce private-land conflicts, and help this landscape continue to deliver for Oregon’s sportsmen, Tribes, and rural communities. The need is clear to revise this forest plan that is over 30 years old to better address changes in economic, social, and ecological conditions. Thank you for taking steps forward to revise the plan.
Access Matters. So Does Habitat Management for Big Game
Roads are essential for recreation, active management, firefighting, and ranching and logging operations. That’s why land management plans like this are so important to ensure local economies can continue to thrive and crucial active management can occur while providing times and places where big game can rest and feed with less disturbance, particularly during hunting seasons.
When security is missing from public lands, elk move to private lands. This simple act reduces hunting opportunities on public lands and increases conflicts between big game and landowners. The Blue Mountains support one of the largest elk herds in the West, and hunters and anglers should work with the Forest Service to help shape a new forest plan that manages habitat to ensure quality elk habitat, including elk security. Hunters, anglers, public land managers, and landowners all benefit when elk remain distributed on public lands.
The Blue Mountains are also home to the Starkey Experimental Forest and Range, the only research station in the country dedicated to studying how forest management affects big game use and their habitat. For over three decades, the nation’s leading wildlife biologists have been studying elk habitat and behavior at Starkey. Two core findings are (1) forests need active management in many areas to provide adequate forage, and (2) those investments pay the greatest dividends when access management is carefully considered to ensure elk use this improved habitat and remain on public lands.
Starkey research shows that elk seek hiding cover that is at least ½ mile from open roads, especially during hunting season. If roads are too dense, elk will avoid quality habitat altogether.
Let the USFS know you think they should update management of the Blue Mountains for intact habitat, strong local economies, and lasting outdoor traditions.
How Wetland Reserve Easements Benefit Farmers, Ranchers, and Outdoor Enthusiasts
Two new films highlight the value of wetlands and the Wetland Reserve Easement program
Acre for acre, wetlands are among the most important ecosystems in America. They filter water, mitigate flooding, recharge groundwater, and provide essential habitat for fish and wildlife. For generations of hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts, wetlands are synonymous with abundant ducks, thriving fisheries, and vibrant landscapes. For farmers and ranchers, wetlands conservation programs offer practical tools to manage land, improve water quality, and increase profitability.
That’s why the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) program is so important. This voluntary, incentive-based conservation program works to restore and safeguard wetlands on private lands. Recently, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission partnered with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to produce two short films highlighting WREs and the broader value of wetlands. Through personal stories and testimonials, the films show how wetlands conservation benefits the landscape, strengthens local communities and agriculture, and sustains America’s sporting traditions.
The Films
Wetlands Legacies | WRE Program Overview
This short film explains how the Wetland Reserve Easement program works, highlighting its role in conserving wetlands while supporting agricultural production.
“When you look at that list of things that wetlands do and why they’re so important, the wildlife that they support, the fact that they provide a place for groundwater to recharge into the aquafer and for water quality to be improved. A really important thing is that wetlands help absorb flood flows.
Ritch Nelson
And you think about the ability to go to a wetland, hear the frogs singing, see the birds there, just the intrinsic or the aesthetic value that many people have associated with wetlands. And so, it really provides a lot of service to our entire culture and our society. They’re pretty valuable.”
Wetlands Legacies | Nebraska Landowner Stories
In this companion film, Nebraska farmers and ranchers share their personal experiences with the WRE program. Their stories highlight how wetlands conservation has improved their land, bolstered their agricultural operations, and enriched their communities. These landowners make clear that conservation and production can go hand in hand – and that when we invest in wetlands, we create lasting legacies for both people and wildlife.
“I just think it’s a great program to go in both financially and for the environment. It’s been a family affair and it’s really meaningful when you can be with your son and harvest that first deer. Just last year, my granddaughter caught her first fish right behind me here. Bringing that next generation in to experience the beauty of the agriculture and the wildlife and the environment is one of life’s greatest blessings for me.”
Jeff Eisenmenger
Why Wetlands Matter
Conservation solutions should work for everyone – producers, communities, and the sportsmen and women who depend on healthy habitat for their outdoor pursuits. As the films demonstrate, the Wetland Reserve Easement program benefits producers, hunters, anglers, and communities alike, building healthier landscapes for generations to come by:
- Giving farmers and ranchers conservation options that work for them.
- Creating and enhancing habitat for waterfowl, fish, and countless other species.
- Supporting clean water for individuals and communities while mitigating flood risk.
Learn more about the Wetlands of Nebraska by visiting www.NebraskaWetlands.com
Top photo: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Hunters and Anglers Cheer House Introduction of MAP Roads Act
Bill would direct Department of Transportation to establish grant program to fund the digitization of county public roads
The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership joins hunters, anglers, and all who drive rural, county roads in cheering House introduction of the Modernizing Access to Public Roads Act.
The bipartisan legislation is sponsored by Representative Blake Moore (R-Utah) and cosponsored by Representative Val Hoyle (D-Ore.), Representative Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.), and Representative Susie Lee (D-Nev.).
“The lack of publicly accessible and accurate county road map information is a key barrier for hunters and anglers trying to access public lands,” said Joel Pedersen, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “The bipartisan MAP Roads Act will provide funding to address these mapping shortfalls and improve public access, resulting in reduced confusion for hunters and anglers trying to navigate rural road systems across America.”
The MAP Roads Act builds on the success of the MAPLand Act, MAPWaters Act, and MAPOceans Act by establishing a $20 million, 5-year pilot grant program through the U.S. Department of Transportation to:
⦁ Fund county road digitization by converting paper or outdated formats into standardized geospatial datasets.
⦁ Create publicly accessible statewide road data repositories that distinguish public and private roads, are compatible with third-party mapping platforms, and are updated annually.
⦁ Provide funds to support local capacity toward county subgrants, personnel training, or hiring contractors for data conversion.
The clarity and accessibility to this information for both the public and local municipalities would improve rural commerce, public safety, navigation, and access to public lands so more Americans can confidently access and enjoy their public roadways and the adventures beyond. The MAP Roads Act would not create any new road authority, or alter any legal status, ownership, or jurisdiction of roads.
“We appreciate Congressman Moore’s introduction of the Modernizing Access to Public Roads Act,” said Judy Camuso, commissioner of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and president of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. “This legislation affords the opportunity for states and local governments to utilize technology to improve road access data that will ultimately help improve public access for our hunters, anglers, and outdoor recreationalists.”
“Too often, outdoor recreationists are left guessing whether a rural road is public or private because county road records have not kept pace with modern navigation technology,” said Laura Orvidas, CEO of onX. “This uncertainty can restrict recreational access to public places and can cause conflicts between private landowners and the public. The MAP Roads Act will accelerate the modernization of these records, giving people the confidence to know where they can travel to reach public land. Not only will it expand recreational access, but it will also streamline county operations, all while preserving local authority over road networks.”
“In an era where mobile apps and GPS are essential for navigating vast public lands to reach remote hunting grounds, accurate and up-to-date county road data is critical,” said Kurt Dyroff, Co-CEO of the National Wild Turkey Federation. “The MAP Roads Act will reduce inadvertent trespass risks, enhance safety during hunts, and open safer, more reliable access to our nation’s public hunting opportunities.”
“Accurate and readily available maps are essential for ensuring access to our nation’s public lands and waters,” said Kaden McArthur, Congressional Affairs Director for Trout Unlimited. “We thank Representative Blake Moore for his leadership on the MAP Roads Act which would make it easier to find reliable routes to rivers and streams by bringing outdated road maps into the digital age. This legislation would allow anglers to spend more time on the water and less time worrying about how to get there.”
Learn more about TRCP’s commitment to public access HERE.
TRCP Joins Agriculture and Conservation Leaders in Calling for a 2025 Farm Bill
It’s time for Congress to make the Farm Bill a priority.
The Farm Bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation that Congress considers, supporting agriculture producers and helping to ensure families have food on the table. Within this bill are also vital conservation programs that strengthen habitat, improve water quality, and promote more sustainable landscapes – providing a lifeline for fish and wildlife. Encompassing food, fiber, and fuel production, nutrition assistance, agricultural research and trade promotion, conservation, and forestry, this bill is a must-pass. Despite that, we are now nearly two years past the initial expiration of the 2018 Farm Bill. Congress has managed to limp these programs along by extending them for one year (twice), but we are once again nearing a September 30th expiration of key Farm Bill programs, including the Conservation Reserve Program.
In recent years, Congress has used a process known as budget reconciliation to advance policy that would typically be part of a broader bipartisan Farm Bill. Although this has led to major investments in programs hunters and anglers care about, the budget reconciliation process has strict restrictions on policy changes, and its partisan nature tends to make accomplishments less durable.
That’s why the TRCP and hundreds of agricultural and conservation organizations from across the country sent a letter last week calling on Congressional leaders to prioritize the development, debate, and passage of a full, five-year, bipartisan Farm Bill.
“Good conservation work on agricultural and forest land in this country leads directly to improved fish and wildlife habitat and increased fish and wildlife populations,” said Aaron Field, TRCP’s director of private lands conservation. “Without a full, five-year Farm Bill, we miss our chance to improve how these programs operate, and we risk losing key conservation tools like the Conservation Reserve Program. It’s time for Congress to make the Farm Bill a priority.”
Want to learn more about how the Farm Bill impacts fish and wildlife? CLICK HERE.
We know it can be challenging to break through the alphabet soup of program acronyms to understand why the reauthorization and improvement of Farm Bill conservation programs is a top priority. In this short video series, we demystify the Farm Bill and the crucial conservations programs that sportsmen and women should care about.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
TRCP has partnered with Afuera Coffee Co. to further our commitment to conservation. $4 from each bag is donated to the TRCP, to help continue our efforts of safeguarding critical habitats, productive hunting grounds, and favorite fishing holes for future generations.
Learn More
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