Conservation unites

As president of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation, I want to congratulate Sen. John Boozman on his appointment this week as vice chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC). The CSC is one of the largest bipartisan caucuses in Congress working to protect and advance hunting, angling, recreational shooting and trapping.

In a time of political divide, conservation seems to be one of the few things that bring us all back together. This week the Senate passed, by a vote of 92 to 8, the Natural Resources Management Act, and the CSC played a large part in making that happen. Many are calling this the largest public-lands bill in a generation. It combined more than 100 bills related to public lands, natural resources, water projects and infrastructure. One key part of this legislation included permanent authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has provided Arkansas with over $175 million to help protect wildlife habitat and ensure recreational access for outdoor activities. Passage of this bill in the Senate is a remarkable step forward for conservation, and now it is the House’s turn to follow suit.

Many other conservation-related bills continue to be debated in Congress right now, including the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act and Chronic Wasting Disease Management Act. I look forward to continuing our work with Senator Boozman in his new role to advance conservation priorities at the federal level that will protect Arkansas’ public lands, wildlife habitats and natural resources for future generations.

CHARLES “TREY” BUCKNER

White Hall