Vote for Conservation Nov. 2

Tuesday, October 5th, 2010

(Illustration by Sara Holle, PF Graphic Designer)

A favorite saying around Pheasants Forever is that the U.S. President can, with one stroke of his mighty pen, put millions of acres of habitat on the landscape, more than all the conservation groups can do in a lifetime.

That said, it is important that all hunter-conservationists participate in the November 2 election. Here’s some thoughts to keep in mind as you consider the candidates and enter that voting booth to cast your all-important ballot:

Agriculture/Farm Bill

The 2012 Farm Bill will be debated in 2011. Shrinking budgets will require members of Congress to look hard at cost-cutting measures. Ask the candidates this:

• Will you object to funding cuts to Farm Bill conservation programs like the Conservation Reserve Program?
• Do you feel the Conservation Reserve Program should be expanded, maintained at current levels or reduced?
• What will you do to protect other valuable Farm Bill conservation programs, such as the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, the Wetlands Reserve Program and the Grasslands Reserve Program?
• What else will you do to secure these Farm Bill programs, which are invaluable to hunters and anglers across the country?

Access

Hunting and fishing opportunities are becoming more difficult for sportsmen to find and access as private lands are closed to the public. What is your position on programs that encourage private landowners to voluntarily provide public access for recreational opportunities?

• Will you support legislation that provides continuing or additional funds to help state and federal managers to improve hunting and fishing opportunities on private land and increase access to public land?
• What will you do to advance this legislation?

A new, voluntary sportsmen’s access program called Open Fields that encourages private landowners to allow hunting and fishing on their lands was included in the last Farm Bill.

• Will you support the continuation and expansion of this program in the next Farm Bill?

Wetlands

More than 80,000 acres of the nation’s wetlands that provide valuable habitat to fish and wildlife are lost to development every year. As a result of two recent Supreme Court decisions, many wetlands and small streams have lost legal protection from development.

• Will you support legislation that restores protections for small streams and wetlands to the same level as before the 2001 and 2006 court cases?
• What will you do to advance this legislation?

(Thanks to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, of which PF is a member, for this overview.)