20/20 vision for wildlife habitat conservation 

A good forestry education teaches students the importance of the long game and the truth of the Greek proverb: “A society grows when it plants a tree on which the old man never sits in the shade.” A good engineering education teaches that science and mathematics are great tools in the toolbox, but that they must be used with logic and reason if they are to benefit humanity. Policies in Washington DC often ignore logic and reason, ignore the sophisticated tools and knowledge we have as a society, and appear more short-sighted than a rat in the fog. .

According to a BBC report in 2022. The world’s population is literally becoming more myopic. The rate of myopic vision has skyrocketed in recent decades, primarily due to increased time spent indoors. Myopia may not be as obvious or destructive as how we interact with our natural environment, but ironically, it appears both literally and figuratively.

America is blessed with an abundance of land, fish, and wildlife, but we have lost our long-term vision and take this abundance for granted. Because of decades of the federal government’s short-sighted and passive approach to conservation, America’s fish and wildlife are unnecessarily stressed as their habitats are under pressure. To date, more than 1,700 species have been listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). unfortunately, Only 3% of listed species are delisted as recovered species.

Fortunately, it turns out that it doesn’t have to be this way. Thanks to the work of private landowners, state wildlife and forestry departments, tribes, and dedicated conservation organizations, registered and unregistered plants, fish, and wildlife benefit from proper habitat management. I did.

But our The federal government owns nearly one-third of our nation’s land base. And not all private landowners have the understanding or resources to make the most of the wildlife habitat on their land and waters. Most answers to scientific questions about how to manage wildlife habitats are not only provided, but also proven by repeated large-scale examples. Logic and reason should lead us to use our knowledge and tools to develop long-term strategies to expand the application of healthy habitat protection. Active conservation practices benefit all plant and animal species (including humans), while significantly reducing catastrophic wildfires that destroy habitat and cost taxpayers billions of dollars. , all of which has the added benefit of improving Americans’ outdoor experience.

American Wildlife Habitat Protection Act (AWHCA) is a forward-looking, logical and rational policy for the broader use of proactive tools and knowledge to improve habitats. The Administration will make strategic investments in state- and tribal-led conservation on both federal and private lands, but notes that these conservation efforts can generate funds for reinvestment and further conservation. By strengthening our relationships with states, tribes, private landowners, and the federal government, we enable us to create aggressive conservation programs that are proven to work both on the ground and in the economy. Ultimately, large-scale conservation can be financed much more efficiently than the federal government, through the sale of timber from tree thinning activities and private investment in the value created by habitat conservation efforts, but Federal resources and policies are needed to get started.

AWHCA plans to invest $320 million in annual grants in state and tribal wildlife conservation programs. It also funds habitat restoration projects, forest management projects, and collaborations with private partners to protect habitat. Federal spending is fiscally responsible and fully offset by the elimination of underutilized or expired federal funds and programs. The law also requires reporting by states and tribes to provide transparency and accountability for how funds are used to implement wildlife control plans.

If Washington can implement a logical, rational, fiscally responsible, long-term approach to protecting wildlife habitat, perhaps there is hope for curing the widespread myopic vision plaguing our nation. may be born. Only time will tell.

Bruce Westerman is the Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, a licensed professional engineer, and a registered forester.