Support for Maintaining Public Lands and Their Proper Management

WHEREAS, while alleging that federal properties are mismanaged, some elected officials create self-fulfilling rationales of mismanagement by starving agencies of necessary funding, as federal resource management spending has declined from approximately 2.5 percent of the federal budget authority in 1977 to less than 1 percent today; and

WHEREAS, more closely aligning fees for consumption of Federal natural resource commodities with those of state and private entities could bolster funding for resource management; and

WHEREAS, land transfer proponents unjustifiably single out acknowledged challenges in land management procedures as additional rationale for massive federal land transfers to private or state hands; and

WHEREAS, acts of support and incendiary rhetoric by some elected officials attempt to legitimize actions that further inflame anti-government sentiments.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Louisiana Wildlife Federation opposes the transfer of federal lands to the states or private interests.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Wildlife Federation supports full funding of land and resource management agencies.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Louisiana Wildlife Federation supports collecting fair value for consumptive use of our Nation’s resources, and directing the revenues toward enhanced land and resource management.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that federal, state and local government officials and private stakeholders be encouraged to emulate successful examples of collaborative public lands management for the benefit of our public resources.

Adopted by the Louisiana Wildlife Federation in Convention Assembled, August 20, 2016 in Bossier City, Louisiana.