National Reserve Conservation Association : What Three Things Would You Wish For?
We started having this conversation about a National Reserve Conservation Association here, but ended up also discussing it in the comments under Tester’s bill here. So let’s start again, and here is my reply to Andy:
Andy- I wish I shared your optimism more generally (outside of public lands-world) about real live constituents. Perhaps the difficulty is in mobilizing them effectively.
For those of you unfamiliar with the origin of NFF, I found their charter. Check it out here.
Seems to me that if we (say, people on this blog as a sample of the larger community) agreed on say “three things to lobby for” we could form a platform to establish a lobbying organization (a simple, volunteer-led organization) Ideas are welcome from all. I will throw out “budget for recreation trails, campgrounds and administration of OHVs” as a starter.
For those of you unfamiliar with the origin of NFF, I found their charter. Check it out here. They were chartered by Congress, get federal funds, and therefore can’t lobby.
Idea Number 1: Have the Endangered Species Act mandate beneficial projects in at-risk habitats, while de-emphasizing economic issues. Establish a fund where any profits from merchantable restoration projects go, to enable non-commercial projects to be paid for, keeping the money local. Of course, full transparency and collaboration should lead to some sort of binding arbitration, if needed. Such projects MUST enhance existing habitat, with minimal mitigated impacts, as well as the presently-required “Limited Operating Periods”, during nesting season. Animals placed on the ESA list because of habitat cannot recover when their essential habitat burns to a crisp.