Public lands and waters in the United States received a major boost by the Biden administration with its commitment to work toward conservation of a minimum of 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 in a process that prioritizes engagement by citizens, including hunters and anglers.
The administration’s executive order “commits to the goal of conserving at least 30 percent of our lands and oceans by 2030 and launches a process for stakeholder engagement from agricultural and forest landowners, fishermen, Tribes, States, Territories, local officials, and others to identify strategies that will result in broad participation.”
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers President and CEO Land Tawney emphasized the importance of strong stakeholder engagement as the administration proceeds.
“Backcountry Hunters & Anglers was founded to sustain our public land and water resources, and we commend the Biden administration for taking a bold step forward toward their long-term conservation,” said Tawney. “We share a commitment to securing important landscapes, maintaining biodiversity and advancing durable policy solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
“We look forward to working with the Biden administration to enact conservation policies that support hunting and fishing opportunities, enhance access and ensure that state, tribal and federal management agencies retain their authority to make management decisions that rely on the best available science,” Tawney continued.
“We move forward now with the expectation that hunters, anglers and other stakeholders, including private landowners, be included in the challenging work to come,” stated Tawney, “and that we integrate thoughtful policy language that enhances management of our natural resources by favoring specificity over ambiguity.”
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The Voice For Our Wild Public Lands, Waters & Wildlife.
