Vigilante Conservation    

AS TEXAS FISH & GAME evolved over our almost 40-year history, we cultivated strong working partnerships with a number of “Boots on the Ground” conservation organizations. These groups stand up for the welfare of wildlife and habitat, and for the rights of anglers and hunters. We are proud of our affiliations with them and have incorporated the spirit of their missions into our own.   

In a recent sit-down with leadership of one of these groups, the topic of the Biden Infrastructure bill came up. The bipartisan bill—a.k.a. the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (HR 3684)—signed by President Biden in November, contains several significant items aimed at improving fish and wildlife conservation programs and increasing access. The $1.2 trillion plan reauthorizes the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust fund, earmarks funds to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and to improve connectivity between species and habitat, and funds efforts to restore fish passage by modernizing culverts. It enables national forest restoration and the restoration of abandoned mine lands. And, it increases access to federal lands.

In all, some $40 billion has been earmarked for improving infrastructure, habitat, and access on the nation’s natural resources. Forty billion may seem like a drop in the one-point-two trillion dollar bucket, but forty billion is still a lot of zeros. You’ll need all your fingers to count them.

The bill, and the portions targeting outdoors interests have been met with generally positive, even enthusiastic, reviews. The problem is…

It’s all still just on paper. As our friend in the above-mentioned conservation group said when asked his opinion of the bill, “Overall there are a lot of good things in this bill, but whether they actually do anything for us in the end, we’ll have to wait and see.”

“We’ll have to see” is a critical component of this legislation. A lot can happen, or more accurately, NOT happen, between congressional action and the intended action at the point of need. Someone is going to have to play watchdog and hold Congress, the Biden administration, and future administrations accountable to see that this money is indeed put to its intended use.

Fortunately, there are plenty of watchdogs in the yard.

They are the numerous fishing, hunting and wildlife conservation associations, foundations, and clubs that exist to promote and protect outdoors interests. No matter what your outdoors sporting passion is, there is an organization you can join and support that will, in turn, support your sport. And since most of you embody the concept on which Texas Fish AND Game was founded, your outdoors passion is very likely plural.

Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) is the major player in saltwater fishing that most Texans recognize. International Game Fish Association (IGFA) represents the interest of both fresh and saltwater anglers. In hunting, a host of organizations exist to promote the interests of specific species, including Ducks Unlimited (DU), National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), Safari Club International (SCI), Houston Safari Club Foundation (HSCF), Dallas Safari Club (DSC), Delta Waterfowl (DW), Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), Quail Unlimited (QU), and the Texas Dove Hunter Association (TDHA). There are many others, including smaller, local support groups.

These organizations keep a firm grip on the pulse of the sporting world. If any agency responsible for the implementation of outdoors related portions of the Infrastructure bill fail to live up to expectations, we’ll know about it thanks to their vigilance. But they need the support of members and volunteers. If you’re not already an active member of one—or more—of these groups, we urge you to join. Become a vigilante for conservation.  

E-mail Roy at rneves@fishgame.com and Ardia at aneves@fishgame.com

 

Return to CONTENTS Page