May 19, 2021 (WASHINGTON, D.C.)— Earlier today, Andy Treharne, the Senior Director of External Affairs for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee during the hearing titled “Examining Biodiversity Loss: Drivers, Impacts, and Potential Solutions.”
As the sole representative from the sporting-conservation community, Treharne took the opportunity to draw the Committee’s attention to the historical contributions of America’s sportsmen and women, the true conservationists. Additionally, in his testimony, Treharne focused on 21st century conservation funding such as the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, addressing terrestrial and aquatic habitat fragmentation through programs such as wildlife crossings, wildlife corridors, and fish passage. Treharne also took advantage of this opportunity to focus on collaborative conservation programs such as the recently authorized National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnerships, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the “America the Beautiful” report.
CSF applauds the Committee, including Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus Members Chairman Carper (DE) and Ranking Member Capito (WV), for their work to hold a strongly bipartisan, collaborative hearing. CSF appreciates the commitment of the Committee to continue leading on issues of utmost importance to our time-honored traditions of hunting, fishing, trapping, and recreational shooting.
“As the America’s original conservationists, sportsmen and women are acutely aware of increasing biodiversity loss,” said Treharne. “On the flip side of that same coin, sportsmen and women have been finding innovative ways to conserve fish, wildlife, and their associated habitats for decades. Conservation is something we as sportsmen and women have been leading on for over 80 years, and we remain fully committed and focused on doing so.”
CSF appreciates the Committee for holding a hearing on this issue as well as the opportunity to testify as a leader in the sporting-conservation community.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
