This past week, South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard signed a proclamation and the California state legislature passed a resolution celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program – a key component of the “user pays-public benefits” American System of Conservation Funding. Throughout the year, CSF has been working on the celebration of the 75th Anniversary at both the state and federal level. In partnership with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), CSF developed model resolutions and proclamations in early 2012 to commemorate the anniversary and has been working with the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) member caucuses and the Governor Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC) member governors across the nation to have them passed or signed. To date, 17 resolutions have been passed in 15 states and Governors Beebe (Arkansas), Hickenlooper (Colorado), Otter (Idaho), Branstad (Iowa), Daugaard (South Dakota), Shumlin (Vermont), and McDonnell (Virginia) of the GSC, as well as Governor O’Malley (Maryland) have signed proclamations. Resolutions or proclamations celebrating the unique American System have now been passed or signed in 20 states, with other governors expected to sign a proclamation before the end of the year.
For more information on the resolutions/proclamations that have been passed or signed thus far click here. For a brief video interview with John Organ (Chief, Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration for the Northeast Region with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) click here.
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?
