Big Game Forever
Ryan Dinner ResizedDear Friends,
This week, a group of 20-30 environmental journalists from major newspapers around the country gathered in Salt Lake City to discuss a possible listing of Greater Sage-grouse. I was invited to speak to the group about the importance of state management efforts. I was not the only speaker at the event. Federal regulators from the Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service spoke to the group, as did one western Sage-grouse biologist and a full-time ESA and environmental attorney.
I have to admit. I was surprised by what I heard. A strong theme was that states can't be trusted to manage our wildlife and the answer was more heavy-handed regulation threatening access to and use of our public lands. They are also pushing for an unprecedented level of control over millions of acres of state and private land in your state.
These decisions are being made right now. This year, the Bureau of Land Management is considering more restrictions on millions of acres of public land. The Forest Service is doing the same. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is preparing to make a decision on whether to list the species for the 3rd time in 10 years. The bottom line is that state management plans are still not being given full consideration. Most of the focus is on more federal regulation, either through an Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing of the species or through more restrictions on millions of acres of public, state and private land in our states.
After the other presentations, I had an opportunity to address the group. My message was simple: Balanced conservation under state management authority is producing the real results that more federal mandates can't produce. The truth is, we don't need to choose between conservation of Sage-grouse and healthy western economies.
As you know, BigGame Forever has been engaged with our members and policy makers on a regular basis concerning the progress states have been making to conserve and grow sage-grouse populations. States have put an astounding amount of time, work, and public resources towards this effort. In the past few years, western state's have updated state management plans to address the concerns of federal regulators and to further increase certainty that state plans will conserve and improve sage-grouse and their habitat. These plans not only benefit Sage-grouse, they improve conditions for other important species that share in their habitat, such as mule deer.
BigGame Forever is advocating common sense solutions that responsibly protects our way of life, and will promote healthy sage-grouse populations and a healthy sagebrush steppe ecosystem. One key point I highlighted is that state expertise and local support matters. If we focus on implementing proven management practices instead of more regulation, we can achieve the goal of healthy populations of sagebrush dependent species like Sage-grouse and Mule Deer.
Unfortunately, it appears that federal regulators are not listening. They appear to be moving forward with a "one size fits all" approach, planned and executed from Washington, DC. This is not only questionable from a conservation standpoint, it could be downright counterproductive for long-term Sage-grouse conservation. These plans will also have major impacts to our local economies, education funding and our Western way of life. It could severely restrict activity on upwards of 165 million acres of some of the best mule deer, elk and upland game hunting in the country. It threatens to undermine the progress states have made to recover the species and restore the health of these landscapes.
The relentless attack on state wildlife management is growing. It appears that Congressional action is needed to protect state management of our wildlife and access to our public lands.
In the coming days we will need your help. Your support makes all the difference. Working together we can ensure a brighter future for wild game and our rights as hunters.
Ryan Benson
Founder and President
BigGame Forever
Ryan Dinner ResizedDear Friends,
This week, a group of 20-30 environmental journalists from major newspapers around the country gathered in Salt Lake City to discuss a possible listing of Greater Sage-grouse. I was invited to speak to the group about the importance of state management efforts. I was not the only speaker at the event. Federal regulators from the Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service spoke to the group, as did one western Sage-grouse biologist and a full-time ESA and environmental attorney.
I have to admit. I was surprised by what I heard. A strong theme was that states can't be trusted to manage our wildlife and the answer was more heavy-handed regulation threatening access to and use of our public lands. They are also pushing for an unprecedented level of control over millions of acres of state and private land in your state.
These decisions are being made right now. This year, the Bureau of Land Management is considering more restrictions on millions of acres of public land. The Forest Service is doing the same. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is preparing to make a decision on whether to list the species for the 3rd time in 10 years. The bottom line is that state management plans are still not being given full consideration. Most of the focus is on more federal regulation, either through an Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing of the species or through more restrictions on millions of acres of public, state and private land in our states.
After the other presentations, I had an opportunity to address the group. My message was simple: Balanced conservation under state management authority is producing the real results that more federal mandates can't produce. The truth is, we don't need to choose between conservation of Sage-grouse and healthy western economies.
As you know, BigGame Forever has been engaged with our members and policy makers on a regular basis concerning the progress states have been making to conserve and grow sage-grouse populations. States have put an astounding amount of time, work, and public resources towards this effort. In the past few years, western state's have updated state management plans to address the concerns of federal regulators and to further increase certainty that state plans will conserve and improve sage-grouse and their habitat. These plans not only benefit Sage-grouse, they improve conditions for other important species that share in their habitat, such as mule deer.
BigGame Forever is advocating common sense solutions that responsibly protects our way of life, and will promote healthy sage-grouse populations and a healthy sagebrush steppe ecosystem. One key point I highlighted is that state expertise and local support matters. If we focus on implementing proven management practices instead of more regulation, we can achieve the goal of healthy populations of sagebrush dependent species like Sage-grouse and Mule Deer.
Unfortunately, it appears that federal regulators are not listening. They appear to be moving forward with a "one size fits all" approach, planned and executed from Washington, DC. This is not only questionable from a conservation standpoint, it could be downright counterproductive for long-term Sage-grouse conservation. These plans will also have major impacts to our local economies, education funding and our Western way of life. It could severely restrict activity on upwards of 165 million acres of some of the best mule deer, elk and upland game hunting in the country. It threatens to undermine the progress states have made to recover the species and restore the health of these landscapes.
The relentless attack on state wildlife management is growing. It appears that Congressional action is needed to protect state management of our wildlife and access to our public lands.
In the coming days we will need your help. Your support makes all the difference. Working together we can ensure a brighter future for wild game and our rights as hunters.
Ryan Benson
Founder and President
BigGame Forever