The Middle River Group, LLC

fly fishing, conservation and politics.

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

Stewardship and Mentoring

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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S BLOG

With Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources Molly Ward. Photo by Marie Majarov

One of the exciting things about being OWAA’s executive director is the chance to visit with other outdoor communicators.Recently I had the chance to attend the Virginia Outdoor Writers Association’s annual meeting. Here are a couple of highlights.

Virginia’s new Secretary of Natural Resources Molly Ward gave the keynote at the conference. We had a chance to visit and talk about the stewardship of our natural resources and the importance of outdoor recreation to Virginia’s economy. Encouraging the public enjoyment and conservation of natural resources is part of OWAA’s mission and having the chance to tell Secretary Ward about how important OWAA members and supporters are that effort was time well spent.

The Virginia Outdoor Writers Association, like OWAA, has an excellence in craft contest. Matt Reilly, an OWAA student member, was one of the winners. The cool thing about Matt was he was also a winner of Sportsmen For Responsible Energy Development essay contest and went to Washington D.C. to meet the Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell. According to SFRED, “Jewell has said that engaging young people in conservation and nurturing their connection to the outdoors are critical to the health, economic and social benefits of conserving our public lands.” (http://sfred.org/media-center/news/youths-interior-secretary-talk-public-lands)

Sitting on the couches, from left, are Haley Powell, Rebecca Brown, Sally Jewell, Matthew Reilly and Jarred Kay. Photo by Tami A. Heilemann/DOI

Sportsmen For Responsible Energy Development is a coalition dedicated to conserving irreplaceable habitats so future generations can hunt and fish on America’s public lands. The coalition is led by the National Wildlife Federation, Trout Unlimited and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, all OWAA supporting groups.

Part of the OWAA mission is being mentors for the next generation of professional outdoor communicators. That part of our mission is critical to our future. I think you will agree the Virginia Outdoor Writers Association, Sportsmen For Responsible Energy Development, and Secretary Jewell are doing a great job with that one.

 

The Consequence of Inaction

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Function 300 in all its glory

Conservation writer Beau Beasley recently continued the drum beat of the importance of letting our elected officials know that outdoor recreation is an important economic driver. His article in MidCurrent, Hunting and Fishing in America: “All Dollars, No Sense” is an in depth look at the consequences of from the government shutdown last Fall.

Approximately 1 percent of the total federal budget is spent on natural resources. In fact, spending on natural resources now is nearly half of what it was in the late 1970s. Politicians talk tough about sound economic policy and job creation while simultaneously reducing funding for conservation efforts and denying hunters and anglers access to public land—or in other words, they attempt to balance the budget by digging for loose change in the national couch.

Beasley shows in real terms, with numbers to back it up, what this means to those of us who love the great outdoors and have an economic stake in its future.

More importantly if reinforces the message that to sit idly by and “hope” our elected officials will do right by us is a fools errand. Ain’t gonna happen.

When the federal government is many trillions of dollars in debt, when the economy is weak and good-paying jobs are scarce, when technocrats assume that they know what’s best for us, when politicians lose any interest in compromise and see political opponents (and those who vote for them) merely as enemies to be defeated, when crony corporatism replaces the capitalism that made this country the greatest economic powerhouse the world has ever seen—then sportsmen and the small businesses that cater to them are truly on their own. The federal government isn’t coming to bail out Byron Begley or the small businesses owners in Cody, Wyoming, who are still hurting.

Beasley ends his article on a somewhat hopeful note, a sentiment I don’t share. I’m more in the pitchforks and torches camp these days.

Want a concrete call to action? Do this. Read Beasley’s article and send a message to your Representative and Senators. They have forms on their websites.

Paste the article or share the link and ask them just one question “What are you doing to support the outdoor recreation economy?”

Don’t know who your rep is, try Find Your Representative. For your Senators try U.S. Senate website.

For good measure you might do the same on their Facebook page and send the link in a tweet with that question.

Wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.  -Theodore Roosevelt

Our Public Lands (Part 2.1)

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In Our Public Lands (Part 2) I wrote “In coming posts I will write about what the agenda might include…”

Well between guiding, holidays and year end business commitments I haven’t had a chance to give it the attention I wanted. But I have been seeing some lists pop up that offers some great suggestions.

Land Tawney of Hellsgate Hunters and Anglers did outstanding job of getting the ball rolling in Sportsmen’s Priorities for 2013 on their Montana Bully Pulpit blog. Tawney writes in the intro:

“This past year hunters and anglers enjoyed the spotlight in congress; something we rarely realize.  The Sportsmen Act of 2012 became a political football and didn’t come to fruition.  While I enjoy the fact that our issues were front and center, ultimately we didn’t get it done.  It’s time to capitalize on the attention and double down on our efforts.  Together, we can protect our heritage for our children’s future.  Just think if we could get it all done….”

Here is Tawney’s list, be sure to read his post to learn more about the issues and why they are important to sportsmen.

  • Passage of the Sportsmen Act
  • Restoration of the Gulf of Mexico
  • Full Funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
  • National Sodsaver and Conservation Compliance
  • Passage of an Omnibus Public Lands Bill
  • National Flood Insurance Reform
  • Restoration of Free Roaming Bison
  • Protect Bristol Bay
  • Expand Conservation Funding Revenue
  • Climate Change

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership released their 2013 Conservation Policy Agenda recently. This is a comprehensive look at policy challenges. You should read the entire document as it provides a well-written justification for action. Download the 2013 Conservation Policy Agenda. In the press release they called out some priorities:

  • developing new incentives to safeguard precious natural resources and fish and wildlife habitat – and to sustain and expand public access for hunting and fishing – through strongly funded conservation programs in the federal budget;
  • defending disproportionate cuts to the funding of – and the elimination of existing funding to – key federal conservation;
  • facilitating passage of a full, five-year farm bill as swiftly as possible;
  • advancing the BLM’s work to administratively conserve high-value backcountry fish and wildlife habitat through land-use planning processes in consideration of input from Western sportsmen and other stakeholders;
  • securing the passage of climate change legislation that provides secure, long-term funding for state fish and wildlife agencies to address the impacts of climate change on fish and wildlife by protecting and improving habitats and maintaining healthy, connected and genetically diverse populations;
  • influencing development of policy guiding renewable energy development, particularly solar and wind energy, on public lands.

There is a lot more in the report so be sure to give it a read. Here are the topics and items they cover:

  • Access
  • Climate
    • Climate Change
  • Conservation Funding
    • America’s Voice for Conservation, Recreation and Preservation
  • Energy
    • Responsible Development Issues
  • Watersheds
    • Bristol Bay, Alaska
    • Chesapeake Bay
  • Marine Fisheries
    • Recreational Marine Fisheries Conservation
  • Private Lands 
    • Agriculture
    • Tax Incentives for Conservation Easements
    • Wetlands and Clean Water Protections
  • Public Lands
    • Backcountry Lands Conservation
    • Forest Service Planning Regulations
  • Water (new policy area for 2013)

Clearly there are some important issues in these two lists and there are other issues that should be included as well.I will be on the look out for more lists and post them when I come across them.

What do you think is missing from these lists?

Let me know what they are and why it is important. I wille on the look out for more lists and post them when I come across them.

Of course we are early in the policy process and the issues on the field and the ability to make progress with policy will no doubt change, so stay tuned.

Report Validates Conservation Economics

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contributing to the economy

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Field and Stream and Angling Trade are all talking about a recently released report with important information about the positive impact conservation, outdoor recreation, and historic preservation has on the national economy. Take a look at these stories and download the report here.

From TRCP’s Sportsmen-conservationists help provide $1 trillion boost to economy:

“A new study finds that growing the U.S. economy is as easy as fishing your favorite stream or heading out for a hunt. According to the economic study, the great outdoors and historic preservation generate a conservative estimate of more than $1 trillion in total economic activity and support 9.4 million jobs each year.”

From The Conservation blog on Field & Stream, The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership And The $1 Trillion Question:

“I hope people will take the time to actually read and ponder what is revealed here. So much of it, if we think about it, is common sense– we all know (or are) someone who owns or works in an outdoor store, or as a guide or outfitter, or who has recently bought a boat or upgraded fishing tackle or guns. The money is there, it’s moving through the economy, and it is dependent on having healthy and protected lands and waters to use that tackle or shoot those guns (imagine the miniscule percentage of the economy in France, or China that is generated from hunting and fishing- then look at the US figures in the linked study).”

From Angling Trade, New Study Underscores the Economic Value of Outdoor Resources and Recreation:

“But the truth is that the outdoors is an important economic driver– a uniquely American economic driver that cannot be outsourced to China or India.  In a time when the debate revolves around “jobs, jobs, jobs” it’s important to understand that millions of American jobs revolve around wild places, the equipment that people use in the outdoors, the travel they do to experience the outdoors, and the things they read to help them get the most out of that experience.  In other words, jobs like yours and mine hang in the balance.”