The Honorable Harry Reid The Honorable John Boehner US Senate US House of Representatives 522 Hart Senate Office Building 1011 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515

Dear Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Boehner:

We are organizations representing millions of members with diverse interests who are united behind a shared belief that our country’s natural, outdoor recreation and historic resources are an essential foundation for the American economy and for the health and well-being of the American people. We believe, as those who preceded us believed-- that the care and stewardship of these resources is not a luxury but our obligation to the next generations of Americans. The cuts and program eliminations in natural resource, conservation, and historic preservation programs proposed in recent appropriations legislation and the uncertainty over re-authorization of the Farm Bill and its Conservation Title jeopardize this generation’s ability to live up to that obligation.

Like you, we are concerned about our nation’s fiscal health. Conservation, recreation, and historic preservation programs should not be exempt from scrutiny. But all natural resource spending amounts to slightly more than 1% of the federal budget, and this proportion has steadily declined in recent years. Investments in natural resources, outdoor recreation and historic preservation did not cause the federal budget deficit, and even the most drastic cuts to these programs cannot fix the deficit. Thus, we believe that it is necessary to address the structural causes of the deficit in a comprehensive way rather than trying to balance the federal budget by simply cutting discretionary spending including spending for conservation and the environment.

Rather than compounding our deficit problems, America’s lands and waters produce exceptional economic value and jobs in communities across the country. Federal programs that enable conservation of public and private land and water, recreation, fish and wildlife, and historic preservation are essential investments that support a very large outdoor recreation industry, agriculture and forestry, safe and plentiful water resources, urban restoration, and protection of communities from storms and droughts all of which have large and quantifiable economic benefits. Federal conservation programs also provide opportunities for healthy activities in the outdoors including hunting and fishing and a sense of belonging to our historically rich and remarkably beautiful nation. As a broad community of taxpayers and voters who care about these benefits to America and its people, we stand ready to work with you to address our nation’s economic and fiscal challenges. We ask, however, that you find a balanced and sustainable path forward that recognizes the importance of investing in conservation, opportunities for outdoor recreation, and historic preservation as a means of ensuring a prosperous and healthy future for America.

Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to working with you.

National Organizations National Parks Conservation Association American Camp Association National Preservation Institute American Chestnut Foundation National Social Studies Supervisors Association American Fisheries Society National Trappers Association American Fly Fishing Trade Association National Trust for Historic Preservation American Forest Foundation National Wild Turkey Federation American Forests National Wildlife Federation American Hiking Society National Wildlife Refuge Association American Mountain Guides Association North American Grouse Partnership American Recreation Coalition Outdoor Industry Association American Rivers Pheasants Forever American Society of Landscape Architects Public Lands Foundation American Sportfishing Association Public Lands Service Coalition Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Quail Forever B.A.S.S. Quality Deer Management Association Bonefish and Tarpon Trust Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Boone and Crockett Club Ruffed Grouse Society Bull Moose Sportsmen The Conservation Fund Catch-A-Dream Foundation The Nature Conservancy Choose Outdoors The Wilderness Society Civil War Trust The Wildlife Society Coastal Conservation Association Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Tread Lightly!, Inc. Conservation Force Trout Unlimited Defenders of Wildlife Trust for Public Land Delta Waterfowl Union Sportsmen's Alliance Ducks Unlimited Whitetails Unlimited International Federation of Fly Fishers Wildlife Forever International Hunter Education Association Wildlife Management Institute International Mountain Bicycling Association World Wildlife Fund Invasive Species Action Network Izaak Walton League of America Land Trust Alliance State and Local Organizations and Companies Master of Foxhounds Association 1900 Lombard, LLC Mule Deer Foundation Adirondack Conservation Council National Association of Forest Service Retirees Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation Nat Assoc of State Outdoor Rec Liaison Officers Alabama Historical Commission National Association of State Parks Directors Alaska Historical Society National Committee for the New River Albany County Conservation Alliance Nat Conf of State Historic Preservation Officers Allegany County Historical Society National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Allison's Virtual Services ALTSCHA, Inc. Amanda D. Davis Photography Charles W. Wongus, Sr. Museum American Association for State and Local History Charleston Historic Preservation Commission American Society Landscape Architects, Nevada Charleston Ill Historic Preservation Commission Amigos de la Sevilleta Chattahoochee Nantahala Chapter of Trout Unlimited Androscoggin Land Trust Chautauqua County Conservation Alliance Angler Nation Chemung County Conservation Alliance Annapolis Heritage Commission Cherokee County Historical Society Annapolis Historic Preservation Commission Cherokee Forest Voices Annapolis Preservation Commission Church of the Crossroads Appalachian Conservation Biology City of Arvada, CO Appalachian Mountain Club City of Benicia, CA Arizona Preservation Foundation City of Dothan, AL Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation City of Englewood, CO Arizona Wildlife Federation City of Fayette Historical Preservation Commission Arthurdale Heritage, Inc. City of Fayette, LA Audubon Nebraska City of Foley Alabama Historical Commission Aurora Historic Preservation Commission City of Guntersville, AL Baltimore County historic Trust City of Huntsville, AL Baltimore Heritage Area Association, Inc. City of Manitou Springs, CO Barrow Preservation Society City of Opelika, AL Barton County Historical Society City of Steamboat Springs Historic Preservation Co B.A.S.S. Nation of Washington Clean Wisconsin Beaufort County Open Land Trust Cleveland County Audubon Society Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association Cleveland Restoration Society Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest Clinton County Conservation Alliance Bethel Carvings Coastal Conservation Assoc. Of New York Big Muddy Workshop, Inc. Cohutta Chapter of Trout Unlimited Big Oaks Conservation Society Colorado Preservation, Inc. Blue Ridge Conservancy Columbia County Conservation Alliance Blue Ridge Mountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited Columbia Gorge Refuge Stewards Broome County Conservation Alliance Comm for Historical and Architectural Preservation Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust Connecticut Forest and Park Association Byington Landscape Architects Connecticut Land Conservation Council Caladium Consulting Conservation Council for Hawai'i California B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Conservation Trust for North Carolina California Council of Land Trusts Coosa Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited Camp Fire Club of America Cortland County Conservation Alliance Canandaigua Lake Duck Hunters Assoc. Council for Northeast Historical Archaeology Capital Region Land Conservancy CSU Stanislaus Central CA IC Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy Cuartelejo HP Associates Inc. Carver Knoll Studio Dallas Safari Club Cattaraugus County Conservation Alliance Deer Search, Inc. Cayuga County Conservation Alliance Delaware County Conservation Alliance Delaware River Greenway Partnership Friends of Carr National Wildlife Refuge Denver Firefighters Museum Friends of Cherry Valley Design Story Architects Friends of Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Ding Darling Wildlife Society Friends of Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Dorchester County Historical Society Friends of Deer Flat Wildlife Refuge Dothan Historic Preservation Commission Friends of Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge Douglas County, CO Friends of Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge Downtown Mobile Alliance Friends of Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge DreamWeavers Intl LLC Friends of Haystack Rock Driftless Area Land Conservancy Friends of Historical Cherry Hill AUMP, Inc. Duchess County Conservation Alliance Friends of Horicon National Wildlife Refuge Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge El Dorado Chapter of Trout Unlimited Friends of Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge Elaine Fors-MacKellar, Esq. Friends of Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge Elmira Conservation Club, Inc. Friends of Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge Encore Sustainable Design, LLC Friends of Louisiana Wildlife Refuges Enhanced Historic Credit Partners Friends of Maine's Seabird Islands Erie County Conservation Alliance Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Eshelman & Associates Friends of Mid-Columbia River Wildlife Refuges Essex County Conservation Alliance Friends of Necedah National Wildlife Refuge Exarte Design Friends of Nevada Wilderness Federalsburg Historical Society Friends of Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Finger Lakes Conservation Council Friends of Outer Island National Wildlife Refuge Flint River Chapter of Trout Unlimited Friends of Patoka Nat'l. Wildlife Refuge Florida Trust for Historic Preservation Friends of Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge Ford 3 Architects LLC Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands Forestland Group Friends of Pool 9 Foundation for Historical Louisiana Friends of Poplar Hill Mansion Franklin County Conservation Alliance Friends of Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge Franklin Land Trust Friends of Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge Franklin Township PA Historical Commission Friends of Red River National Wildlife Refuge Friends of Alaska Wildlife Refuges Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Friends of Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge Friends of Salmon River Friends of ARM Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge Friends of San Diego Wildlife Refuges Friends of Back Bay Friends of Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge Friends of Balcones Canyonlands Wildlife Refuge Friends of Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Friends of Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge Friends of Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge Friends of Black Bayou Friends of Taunton Bay, Maine Friends of Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge Friends of Tennessee National Wildlife Refuges Friends of Bon Secour NWR Friends of the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge Friends of Brazoria NWRs Friends of the Bosque Del Apache Friends of Camas National Wildlife Refuge Friends of the Connecticut River Paddler's Trail Friends of Cape May National Wildlife Refuge Friends of the Duck Stamp Friends of the Nat Conservation Training Center Historic Landmarks Commission, Deschutes County, Oregon Friends of the Wildlife Refuges of Rhode Island Historic Preservation Alliance of Colorado Springs Friends of the Patoka River Wildlife Refuge Historic Preservation Commission SBSJC Friends of the Potomac River Refuges Historic Routt County Friends of the Refuge Headwaters Historic Savannah Foundation Friends of the San Luis Valley Wildlife Refuge Historic Seattle Friends of the Savannah Coastal Wildlife Refuges Historical Society of Talbot County Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges History Colorado Friends of the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuges Howard County Government Dept of Planning & Zoning Friends of the Upper Mississippi HPC Commission Phx. Az Friends of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge Hudson Highlands Land Trust Friends of Tolson's Chapel Idaho Outdoor Business Council Friends of Trinity River Refuge Idaho State Historical Society Friends of Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Illinois Council Trout Unlimited Friends of Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge Indian Nations Council of Trout Unlimited Friends of Upper Mississippi Wildlife Ironwood LLC Friends of Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge Island Heritage Trust Friends of West Virginia National Wildlife Refuges Jefferson County Conservation Alliance Front Range Research Kanawha Valley Historical & Preservation Society Garrett County Economic Development Kanooka Chapter of Trout Unlimited GENE-ALL-OF-US Family Heritage Research Karen M. Footner LLC General Information Services, Inc. Kestrel Land Trust Genesee County Conservation Alliance Land Trust for the Little Tennessee Georgia Council of Trout Unlimited Land Trust of Virginia Georgia Foothills Chapter of Trout Unlimited Landmarks Illinois Georgia River Network Leather stocking Assoc. Gibbons-Fitts Inc Lewis County Conservation Alliance Gold Rush Chapter of Trout Unlimited Little Pend Oreille NWR Grand Canyon Wildlands Council Living Landscape Observer Great Birding Products Livingston County Conservation Alliance Great Egg Harbor Watershed Association Los Alamos Historical Society Green Lake Conservancy, Inc. Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation Greene County Conservation Alliance Lower Columbia Preservation Society Half Moon Lake Conservancy, Inc. Mad River Club Association Harford Historic Preservation Com Madison County Conservation Alliance Harris Center for Conservation Education Maine Audubon Hawaiian Islands Land Trust Maine Coast Heritage Trust Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust Marsh Consulting LLC Hilltown Land Trust Maryland Commission on African American History Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History Maryland Historical Trust Historic Charleston Foundation Maryland Historical Trust Historic Denver Maryland Ornithological Society Historic Hawaii Foundation Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition McDoux Preservation LLC Niagara County Conservation Alliance Michigan Historic Preservation Network Niagara Frontier Chapter NWTF Middle Georgia Chapter of Trout Unlimited Norristown, PA HARB Midwest Environmental Advocates North Central Conservancy Trust Milwaukee Riverkeeper North Country Trail Association Minnesota Forestry Association Northern Virginia Conservation Trust Minnesota Historical Society NYS Chapter, National Wild Turkey Federation Mississippi Department of Archives and History Oconee River Chapter of Trout Unlimited Modern Phoenix OECH/SHPO Puerto Rico Modus21 Ogeechee Audubon Society, Inc. Monroe County Conservation Alliance Ohio Archaeological Council Montana Preservation Alliance Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative Montpelier Mansion Historic Site Ohio Historical Society Mt. Zion Historical & Cultural, Educational Co Oklahoma Trout Unlimited Mud-Hudson Valley for Harvesters Old Dominion Land Conservancy Muskego Lakes Land Conservancy Olympia Heritage Commission Nanticoke Historic Preservation Alliance Oneida County Conservation Alliance Narragansett TU Chapter #225 Oneida Lake Association Nassau County Conservation Alliance Onondaga County Conservation Alliance Natural Resources Club at Central Lakes College Ontario County conservation Alliance Natural Resources Council of Maine Orange County Conservation Alliance Naturaland Trust Oregon B.A.S.S. Nation Nature Abounds Oregon Natural Desert Association North Carolina B.A.S.S. Orleans County Conservation Alliance Nebraska Chapter of the Wildlife Society Oswego County Conservation Alliance Nebraska Land Trust Otsego County Conservation Alliance Nebraska Resources Council Pelican Island Preservation Society Nebraska Rural Living Peninsula Open Space Trust Nebraska Sportsmen's Foundation Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited Nebraska State Historical Society Pine Bluff Historic District Commission Nevada Humanities Potala Company LLC Nevada Preservation Foundation Prairie Learning Center New Houndsmen Conservation Association Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia New River Land Trust Preservation Alliance of West Virginia New York Bow Hunters Inc. Preservation Dallas New York Conservation Officers Association Preservation Detroit New York Deer & Elk Farmers Assoc. Preservation Durham New York Field Archers & Bow hunters Assoc. Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach New York State Outdoor Writers Assoc. Preservation Louisville New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame Preservation Pennsylvania New York State Whitetail Management Coalition Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans New York State Muzzleloaders Association Preserve Rhode Island New Hampshire B.A.S.S. NATION Providence Revolving Fund Putnam County Conservation Alliance Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Quakertown Alive! Southwest Conservation Corps Quality Deer Management Assoc., NYS Chapter Spain & Gillon LLC Quindaro Ruins / Underground Rail Exercise 20 St Marks Refuge Association R.A. Speir & Associates St. Lawrence County Conservation Alliance Rabun Chapter of Trout Unlimited St. Matthew United Methodist Church, Easton, MD Ralstar Enterprises, Inc. St. Michael's Episcopal Church ReCitizen, L3C Ste. Genevieve Downtown Renewal Project RedVine Consulting Stewben County Conservation Alliance Rensselaer County Conservation Alliance Suffolk County Conservation Alliance Restore Oregon Sullivan County Conservation Alliance Richland County Conservation Commission Sullivan County Long beards Chapter NWTF River Alliance of Wisconsin Sunapee View Bed and Breakfast LLC Riverside Historical Society Susquehanna Museum at the Lock House Rockland County Conservation Alliance Sustainable Retrofitting Rocky River Trout Unlimited Sycamore Land Trust, Inc. Ryden & Associates Tailwater Chapter of Trout Unlimited Salem Audubon Society Tapteal Greenway Sam Davis Memorial Association Tennessee Historical Commission San Antonio Conservation Society Tennessee Ornithological Society Sangre de Cristo Resource Conservation and Develop Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation Santa Clara County, CA Tennessee Preservation Trust Santa Monica Conservancy Texas Land Trust Council Sarah Marshall History Consultants The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts, Inc Saratoga County Conservation Alliance The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Savannah River Chapter of Trout Unlimited The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County Save Auburn Ravine Salmon and Steelhead The Land Conservancy of New Jersey Save the Dunes The Parks Companies Save the Manatee Club The Trumpeter Swan Society Scenic Rivers Land Trust The Trustees of Reservations Schenectady County Conservation Alliance The Wildlife Foundation of Virginia Schoharie County Conservation Alliance Thurmont Historical Society Scope Inc. Tompkins County Conservation Alliance Sebasticook Regional Land Trust Town and Country RC&D Seneca County Conservation Alliance Town of Berthoud, Colorado Sharon Leighty & Co. Town of Holliston, MA Shenandoah Valley Network Town of Princess Anne, MD Site Acquisition Resultants, Inc. Triangle Land Conservancy Soda Mountain Wilderness Council Tribes Hill Fish & Game Assoc. Somerset Woods Trustees Tri-Village Bow hunters Assoc. South Carolina Conservation Credit Exchange Trout Unlimited South Carolina History Advocates Trout Unlimited-Green Bay South Carolina Wildlife Federation Truppi Consulting LLC Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust Ulster County Conservation Alliance United Mine Workers of America Local 717 Upper Chattahoochee Chapter of Trout Unlimited Upstate Forever Valley Conservation Council Vermont Division for Historic Preservation Vermont Land Trust Virginia Chapter-American Society of Landscape Architects Virginia Conservation Network Virginia Eastern Shore Land Trust Ward Architecture Warren County Conservation Alliance Warrington Historic Commission Warrington Historical Society Washington County Conservation Alliance Washington Trust for Historic Preservation Wayne County Conservation Alliance West Wisconsin Land Trust Westchester County Conservation Alliance Western New York Mountain Bicycling Association Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Association Wild Bird Habitat Stores Winter Wildlands Alliance Winyah Rivers Foundation Wisconsin Environmental Education Foundation Wisconsin Historical Society Wisconsin Wetlands Association Wrentham, MA Conservation Commission Wyoming County Conservation Alliance Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures York Land Trust Ziger/Snead Architects