Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
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THEODORE ROOSEVELT CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP 2017 ANNUAL REPORT Theodore Roosevelt had the foresight to address conservation issues still important to hunting and fishing today. Now, his vision is our mission. TKTKTKTKKTKTKTK OURTO GUARANTEE ALL A MERICANSMISSION QUALITY PLACES TO HUNT AND FISH 3 / Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership ILLUSTRATION BY TKTKTKTKTK 2017 ANNUAL REPORT MAKE SOME NOISE FOR THE QUIET MOMENTS Celebrating our most recent eforts to create a crescendo of support for conservation of the places where silence unlocks the possibilities in the natural world around us than a powerful, diverse, and ment of some of our best fish and OUR ISSUES We can’t afford to be shortsighted unified crescendo of voices from game habitat (p. 4). Collabora- or stop speaking up. the hunting and fishing commu- tive and career-defining plans to Tere is a cost when a misplaced nity to ensure that wildlife habitat, conserve the sagebrush steppe step kicks up the buck you’d rather clean water, sportsmen’s access, and are being reworked (p. 6). We’re see from your stand, and there will conservation funding support our also facing a rollback of other be a cost if sportsmen and outdoor traditions for generations to come. conservation victories (p. 12) and brands abstain from engaging on Tis is why the Teodore Roos- the precedent-setting scaleback the issues that will define hunting evelt Conservation Partnership of national monuments, which HABITAT AND and fishing’s future. That’s why exists: To convene, engage, and provide important hunting and CLEAN WATER we’re here to welcome advocates mobilize national and regional fishing access (p. 7). from all across the outdoor recre- organizations, outdoor recreation There are also major opportu- ation community. SILENCE AND SOLITUDE ARE businesses, and individual hunters nities. For example, legislation Some things are worth making CZ CZ certainly part of the appeal of and anglers to effect federal policy is advancing that could shift noise about. Join us at trcp.org/ I EW spending time in the field or on the change around the conservation marine fisheries management to wakethewoods. I water. Away from our email inboxes, issues that matter. And, in an era better serve the needs of recre- Sincerely, ESZK R with cell phones dormant in our of extreme polarization, our work ational anglers and enhance E (p. 11) T T pockets, we’re able to slow down, to build consensus and recruit both habitat and access on private R E SPORTSMEN'S B breathe a little deeper, and think non-traditional allies is more lands (p. 8). U ACCESS H more clearly. Te focus it takes to critical than ever. Though we need to work with be successful—to stalk down a game There are many challenges— and react to the administration, the Icons by: Icons by: trail, perfectly present a fly, pole a some are new, but many we current state of American politics flat, or draw back a bow without have faced before or spotted on does not set our agenda. Our litmus getting busted—demands commit- the horizon, like a storm gath- test will always be what is best for ment and quiet. ering strength. The same people fish and wildlife—and, therefore, But we all know that when it who wanted to sell or transfer sportsmen and women. Like our DUSAN SMETANA; SMETANA; DUSAN comes to conservation, hunters and America’s public lands to the states organization’s namesake once did, Whit Fosburgh, PRESIDENT & CEO anglers can’t afford to be silent. are changing their tactics and we advocate for legacy-setting poli- OUTDOOR Hunters: In fact, it will take nothing less working to weaken the manage- cies and funding solutions. RECREATION ECONOMY Rod Nelson, BOARD CHAIRMAN PORTRAITS BY KYLE HILTON Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership / 3 PUBLIC LANDS Western lawmakers finally reckon with THE NEXT CHAPTER OF fierce opposition to public land transfer, but special interests THE PUBLIC LAND DEBATE won't stop there IN 2017, THE BATTLE TO KEEP lands to the states were defeated. Sportsmen were part of a ground- PUBLIC LAND public lands in public hands came to Most noteworthy was H.R. 621, swell of opposition, with more than a head, and sportsmen and women introduced by then-Rep. Jason Chaf- 10,000 TRCP members contacting TRANSFER IS were there to meet the charge—all fetz (R-Utah), which would have their lawmakers within a matter state and federal bills aimed at selling sold off 3.3 million acres of public of weeks. The bill was ultimately DEAD IN THE WEST or handing over ownership of public land to pay down the national debt. withdrawn and Chaffetz left office. More than 55,000 individual sportsmen have submitted 490,000 letters to lawmakers in opposition to 4 / Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership THE CAMPAIGN Complex Issues Made Clear And an unwavering response from sportsmen and women 4,500 signatures—almost half our goal GAME CHANGER IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP IT PUBLIC 217,000 WHILE SPORTSMEN HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN STOPPING OUTRIGHT views on our video with Steven attempts to sell or transfer public lands, special interests have brought this fight to Rinella—and more every day Washington, D.C., where they are working to take over our public lands in new and less obvious ways. Tey want what they’ve always wanted—control over how these lands are managed, so they can open them up to unfettered development. Twenty One hunting, fishing, and outdoor busi- Te TRCP has responded to this shifting strategy by partnering with businesses TRCP helped to nesses in the coalition—and counting organize rallies in and organizations to launch Sportsmen’s Country, a new online hub for action and support of public education on these threats. Here, we urge hunters and anglers to do more than just lands at state capitol buildings keep public lands public and hold lawmakers accountable for the responsible man- 438 MILLION in New Mexico agement of public lands. Sportsmen must remain as fired up about management as public acres of BLM and national and Idaho. they have been about the sale of public lands, because access means nothing without forest land at stake opportunity. Do more than keep it public at sportsmenscountry.org VE; VE; I The TRCP also led a success- WC OLLECT C ful effort to convince Nevada Representative Mark Amodei to ONOVAN/F WOODS WOODS D H T AGREE THAT CONSERVING M abandon a bill that would have R TI O N transferred large swaths of BLM entor: eer: PUBLIC LANDS FOR FUTURE D M land to the state of Nevada. 97% GENERATIONS IS IMPORTANT APPROVED SPORTSMEN public land transfer. Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership / 5 LAND MANAG EMENT The sagebrush ecosystem also supports 350 other species, including many important to sportsmen. KEEPING CONSERVATION PROMISES We may be on defense, but we're not on our heels Sagebrush: USDA; Grouse: BOB WICK/BLM BOB Grouse: Sagebrush: USDA; DEFENDING SAGE GROUSE CONSERVATION PLANS IN 2017, WE WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO SEE THE implementation of sage-grouse conservation plans to restore 67 million acres of critical sagebrush habitat on public lands across 11 Western states. Instead, we found ourselves once again defending these widely supported, science-based plans from being undermined or rewritten. In October 2017, the Department of the Interior issued a Secretarial Order calling for review and adjustment of the plans. Since then, the TRCP has advocated for keeping the plans intact and moving forward with habitat restoration projects to recover the bird. Here’s what we’ve accomplished: q Organized a letter from 105 natural resource profession- SUPPORT THE BLM AND U.S. als urging DOI to follow the science qWorked with MeatEater host Steven Rinella and Cornell FOREST SERVICE PLANS TO University on a social-media-friendly video that drove 82% more than 1,102 comments to DOI CONSERVE THE GREATER SAGE APPROVED Submitted a technical assessment of the Secretarial q SPORTSMEN GROUSE ON PUBLIC LANDS Order and recommendations to DOI 82 97 87 83 87 6 / Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership of sportsmen and women support keeping the existing number THE 'U' IN PUBLIC 77% and size of national monuments available for hunting and fishing STILL TRENDING A HARMFUL PRECEDENT FOR PUBLIC LANDS THE ANTIQUITIES ACT, SIGNED to undermine this important con- in December 2017 to reduce the into law in 1906 by Teodore Roos- servation tool. We also advocated size of Grand Staircase-Escalante evelt, was thrust into the spotlight locally in Western states to prevent and Bears Ears national monu- in 2017, when President Trump the alteration of monuments like ments in Utah. In a press state- Your Role, directed the Department of the Inte- Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks and ment, the TRCP announced that Revoked rior to review the status of 27 indi- the Upper Missouri River Breaks, these actions set a bad precedent Congress rescinds rule vidual national monuments—22 of which are of particular importance for public lands that hunters and to enhance transparency which allow hunting and fishing. to sportsmen. anglers care about, upending 111 and public input on public During the summer review process, Following a report from Sec- years of conservation in America lands management . the TRCP worked with 25 sporting retary Ryan Zinke recommend- and putting at risk the future sta- In March 2017, just INC businesses and 10 partners to dis- ing the potential reduction of six tus of all national monuments— , courage the administration from national monuments, President even those that were created with months after the BLM had finalized taking precedent-setting actions Trump signed proclamations sportsmen's input and support.