Friday, July 24, 2009

North American Model of Wildife Conservation

From The Wildlife Society Journal

GUEST EDITORIAL
Promoting the North American Model
by Jeff Crane

The United States and its neighbors in North America have an abundance of fish and wildlife
for all citizens to enjoy. Our system of conserving that wildlife is the most successful in history,
envied throughout much of the world. Known as the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, this system provides conservation funding for wildlife and fisheries to ensure a diversity and abundance of species. Hunters and anglers contribute the majority of funds through their purchase of licenses and equipment related to hunting and fishing. Their contri-
butions lie at the core of the North American Model’s system of conservation funding, and allow state fish and wildlife agencies to hire professional managers who make scientifically sound decisions that benefit wildlife and habitats.
...to promote the Model and develop new strategies to reach the millions of citizens who also have a stake in its survival. We also need to ensure that the American public shares more of the cost of natural resource conservation so that the burden doesn’t continue to rest largely on the traditional hunting and fishing communities. This can perhaps be accomplished by encouraging new funding from broad-ranging energy and climate legislation.
One challenge we face is that most Americans do not claim a direct interest in hunting, fishing, or similar outdoor activities. Urbanization is partly to blame: Approximately 85 percent of our citizens now re- side in metropolitan areas, where there is often little... read more in the summer edition of The Wildlife Society Journal - online for members only


Jeff Crane is
President of the
Congressional
Sportsmen’s
Foundation.
Courtesy of Jeff Crane

2 comments:

  1. Two organizations I volunteer for, Orion-The Hunter's Institute, the Vermont Wildlife Partnership and the American Wildlife Conservation Partnership, are all working hard to improve the North American Model and get the word out on it's success.
    The big issue is funding for conservation and wildlife management. It can't be just on the users anymore. The VT Wildlife Partnership is pushing the legislature to adapt a redirect of 1/8th of 1 cent of the sales tax to the FWD. This would produce about $6 million dollars per year for conservation. This money would allow the
    Dept to claim the millions of dollars in Federal matching money that is currently unavailable due to lack of state matching funds and would fully fund the strategic plan.

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  2. I've been accused of being in the pocket or as a promoter of High fence operations. But what I consistently have said, is that until Outdoor Sportsmen band together and demand more public land acquisitions, private property will continue to be an attractive alternative to the hard working, time limited citizen!

    Great post and yet another that I will have to link to!

    Best regards,
    Albert
    Trophy Merriam’s Turkey
    Outfitter Chronicles Interview: J Scott Croner Part I

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