The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) has been a committed supporter of the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) for over 30 years. It was an original founder of the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE), played a leading role in enactment of the 1997 Refuge Improvement Act, and as USSA’s Washington representative, I had the honor to serve as Chairman of the Refuge Centennial Commission. My personal connection to the NWRS goes back further to my tenure as Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks under President Reagan. Helping establish refuge units such as Cape May in NJ and Ten Thousand Islands in FL were special moments. The USSA recognizes the incomparable value of this wonderful system of lands and waters and the benefits of having the fishing and hunting community rededicate itself to Teddy Roosevelt’s great conservation legacy.
An increasingly urbanized nation of over 300 million citizens puts new pressures on the NWRS. Our vision for the System includes commitments to effective and active management. A “hands off” approach no longer works for these islands of conserved habitat. It is also vital that FWS partner with Refuge neighbors so the “islands” aren’t isolated. The Service must be a good neighbor with states, adjacent landowners, sportsmen, and other NWRS users to ensure broader conservation of fish and wildlife. And public support for the System needs to be maintained. Among our community, hunting, fishing, and trapping on System lands created strong public ties to these lands. Because these ties breed committed conservationists, and a politically potent constituency dedicated to conserving fish and wildlife, the USSA will continue to defend these activities on NWRS lands per the 1997 Act.
The conservation model – fish and wildlife supported by hunters and anglers – has brought the NWRS through its first century and will serve it well in its second.
Bill Horn, Director of Federal Affairs, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance
