Boozman appointed to bird commission

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Vice President Mike Pence recently appointed Arkansas Senator John Boozman to serve on the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission.

The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission is responsible for directing funds raised by the sale of the federal duck stamp to waterfowl habitat and hunting conservation. The commission is composed of members from the Trump administration and members of Congress.

“The MBCC is an important voice for our nation’s conservation efforts,” said George Dunklin of Stuttgart, a former president and chairman of the board of directors for Ducks Unlimited. “As a fellow Arkansan, I have seen first hand the impact Senator Boozman has made for our state’s natural resources. In his more than 15 years in Congress, he has been a champion for our nation’s wildlife, wetlands and sportsmen. Ducks Unlimited is pleased that Senator Boozman has been chosen to serve in this capacity and we look forward to working with the him and the entire MBCC, as we work to advance wetlands conservation in this country.”

Established in 1929, the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission considers and approves the purchase of wetlands and other areas recommended by the Secretary of the Interior for purchase or easement by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It also is involved in establishing new waterfowl refuges.

The commissio has helped conserve more than 5.6 million acres of critical habitat that were purchased, rented or leased with monies generated by the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund.

The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission is also approves projects funded through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. The NAWCA conserves North America’s waterfowl, fish and other wildlife resources while also producing a variety of environmental and economic benefits that sportsmen and women depend on nationwide. More than 2,600 NAWCA projects have contributed to the conservation of more than 33.4 million acres of habitat across North America.

Boozman will serve as one of the four bipartisan congressional members of the commission. Members also include Chairman Ryan Zinke, Secretary of the Interior, Sonny Perdue, Secretary of Agriculture, Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Rep. Robert J. Wittman (R-Va.), and Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.).