royinidaho
Well-Known Member
Being a cautious fella, it may be better to get permission rather than ask forgiveness later. Though New Mexico oriented it is a bit of an eye opener, at least for me regarding who is financing what.
From the New Mexico Wild! the newsletter of the NM wilderness alliance.
"time for the Environmental Community to Pay Up"
by Stephen Capra
It was the 1937 Pittman-Robertson Act that placed taxes on firearms and ammunition (11% for long rifles and ammunition and 10% on handguns) that began putting money into the restoration of big game species, after their close call with complete extirpatio in the late 19th century. That game over time has become the food source of het wolves that are now free in the Gila Country of New Mexico. Across the West, huntng licensds pay for wildlife biologists, habitat and winter range purchases that support herds in northern states. Waterfowl stamps of duck stamps (hunting permits, not letter stamps) have allowed the purchase of more 5.2 millionacres of land that are now part of the federal wildlive refuge system. TOgether, the taxes combined with the duck stamps contribute an estimated $4.7 million dollars to conservation everyday.
More than anythingsuch numbers equal power in the halls of Congress. So as we move to create more wilderness areas and to protect species like the Mexican wolf, the environmental community, the non-hunting segment of it, which I'm personally one of, gives little in the way of direct revenue to the federal government or state government for habitat or species.
It is thime that change, not only helping the environment, but for giving more clout to those who enjoy photographing wildlife, hiking, rather than shooting, trapping or putting arrows into wildlife. So despite the fact that groups like the Sierra Club, the Wilderness Society, Defenders of Wildlife, and the New Mexico WIlderness Alliance have memberships in the millions, to the feds and states that control wildlife, we contribute little direct funding.
Some have called for creation of a Carnivore stamp-- something that could be used to highlight species and contribue fundings. Frankly, I think the focus for now needs to be more direct. WIth the exception of Defenders of Wildlife, who over the past 22 years has given more than $1.2 million to compensate ranchers htat have lost livestock to wolves, no money has come from the environmental community to compensate ranchers or purchase critical habitat.
So the New Mexico WIlderness Alliance is moving forward with plans to creat a WOlf COnservation Stamp. This would be in th evein of a duck stamp and money generated on a yearly basis from the purchase wuld be used to compensate ranchers and to buy critical habitat for wolf recovery. The beauty of such a plan, wich will likely reqire state approval, is that it creates a funding source driven by the environmental community and its continues a process of legitimitizing teh full recovery of the wolf here in New Mexico. Let's be clear this would not be a stamp to mail letters with, rather it would be loarger and would be designed by local artists to reflect the beauty on importance of this great creature in its natural habitat.
Plans are in the very early stages and lots of conservation remains. It is clear that creating a revenue stream from our community will help in getting agencies and elected officials to pay more attention to our concerns and indirectly the importance of creating more wilderness for endangered species across the state.
From the New Mexico Wild! the newsletter of the NM wilderness alliance.
"time for the Environmental Community to Pay Up"
by Stephen Capra
It was the 1937 Pittman-Robertson Act that placed taxes on firearms and ammunition (11% for long rifles and ammunition and 10% on handguns) that began putting money into the restoration of big game species, after their close call with complete extirpatio in the late 19th century. That game over time has become the food source of het wolves that are now free in the Gila Country of New Mexico. Across the West, huntng licensds pay for wildlife biologists, habitat and winter range purchases that support herds in northern states. Waterfowl stamps of duck stamps (hunting permits, not letter stamps) have allowed the purchase of more 5.2 millionacres of land that are now part of the federal wildlive refuge system. TOgether, the taxes combined with the duck stamps contribute an estimated $4.7 million dollars to conservation everyday.
More than anythingsuch numbers equal power in the halls of Congress. So as we move to create more wilderness areas and to protect species like the Mexican wolf, the environmental community, the non-hunting segment of it, which I'm personally one of, gives little in the way of direct revenue to the federal government or state government for habitat or species.
It is thime that change, not only helping the environment, but for giving more clout to those who enjoy photographing wildlife, hiking, rather than shooting, trapping or putting arrows into wildlife. So despite the fact that groups like the Sierra Club, the Wilderness Society, Defenders of Wildlife, and the New Mexico WIlderness Alliance have memberships in the millions, to the feds and states that control wildlife, we contribute little direct funding.
Some have called for creation of a Carnivore stamp-- something that could be used to highlight species and contribue fundings. Frankly, I think the focus for now needs to be more direct. WIth the exception of Defenders of Wildlife, who over the past 22 years has given more than $1.2 million to compensate ranchers htat have lost livestock to wolves, no money has come from the environmental community to compensate ranchers or purchase critical habitat.
So the New Mexico WIlderness Alliance is moving forward with plans to creat a WOlf COnservation Stamp. This would be in th evein of a duck stamp and money generated on a yearly basis from the purchase wuld be used to compensate ranchers and to buy critical habitat for wolf recovery. The beauty of such a plan, wich will likely reqire state approval, is that it creates a funding source driven by the environmental community and its continues a process of legitimitizing teh full recovery of the wolf here in New Mexico. Let's be clear this would not be a stamp to mail letters with, rather it would be loarger and would be designed by local artists to reflect the beauty on importance of this great creature in its natural habitat.
Plans are in the very early stages and lots of conservation remains. It is clear that creating a revenue stream from our community will help in getting agencies and elected officials to pay more attention to our concerns and indirectly the importance of creating more wilderness for endangered species across the state.
