Action Alert: Cuts to the Governor’s recommended funding of $50 million for a Land Conservation Program

Sunday, September 05, 2010

Cuts to the Governor’s recommended funding of $50 million for a Land Conservation Program You can take action on this alert by reading the information below and following the directions at the bottom. General Assembly members need to hear from Camo Coalition members that we expect them to fully fund the Governor’s recommendation of $50 million for the Land Conservation Program. Last week the House Appropriations Subcommittee cut the funding recommended by the Governor for Land Conservation from $50 million to $25 million. This means that some Subcommittee members do not understand the need for more land for hunting, fishing and wildlife conservation and do not know the history of state owned WMA’s in Georgia. General Assembly members need to hear from Camo Coalition members that we expect them to fully fund the Governor’s recommendation of $50 million for the Land Conservation Program. Take action immediately. There is an enormous need and demand for conservation lands in Georgia. DNR manages over one million acres of public land in Georgia, which includes wildlife management areas, natural areas, public fishing areas, state parks and other properties. Many people believe that DNR owns all that land. In reality, many of these lands are under recreational leases, which do not ensure permanent protection. Indeed, some of the leases can be terminated with a mere 30-day notice. Georgia actually owns only about 400,000 acres (about one percent of Georgia’s land area) that are open to the public. Georgia is growing faster than all other southeastern states except Florida, both in total population and rate of population increase, yet our state lags behind all neighbors except Alabama in the percentage of permanently protected and state-owned conservation lands. Urban and suburban growth continues to consume lands that once provided critical wildlife habitat. Everyone is aware of the need to protect as much as possible of the remaining land for wildlife habitat, hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreational opportunities. In 2005, the legislature passed the Georgia Land Conservation Act that serves as Governor Sonny Perdue’s land conservation program but it came with very little funding. THE PROBLEM This January, the Governor included $50 million for the Land Conservation Program in his recommended budget. This program was designed to provide funding to protect important conservation lands like Oaky Woods Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Paulding Forest WMA and others. These lands are leased -- meaning they can be sold at any time. Many of you know what happened with Oaky Woods WMA. The owner of the land put it on the market. There were no state funds available so it was sold to a development group. If they develop those lands, critical wildlife habitat will be lost forever. Hunting, fishing, camping and other recreational opportunities also will be lost. In 1987, the hunters and anglers of Georgia supported a hunting and fishing license increase dedicated to purchasing land for WMA’s and Public Fishing Areas. That program purchased 62,000 acres of land. In 1992, Georgia sportsmen supported another hunting and fishing license increase that ultimately purchased over 100,000 acres of land. No state tax dollars were involved in these purchases. These conservation lands all were paid for by hunters and anglers. Sportsmen have done more than their fair share in paying for conservation lands in Georgia. These lands benefit every citizen in the state. ACTION NEEDED: Now it is time for the General Assembly to provide funding so that all Georgians participate in funding conservation lands instead of hunters and anglers alone bearing the burden. General Assembly members need to hear from Camo Coalition members that we expect them to fully fund the Governor’s recommendation of $50 million for the Land Conservation Program. Your message will be sent to each of the following targets: Lt. Governor Casey Cagle Representative Ann R. Purcell Representative Ben Harbin Representative Bill Hembree Representative Billy Maddox Representative Bob H. Smith Representative Bob Hanner Representative Bob Lane Representative Bobby C. Reese Representative Buddy Harden Representative Burke Day Jr. Representative Butch Parrish Representative Calvin Hill Representative Calvin Smyre Representative Carl Rogers Representative Carolyn Fleming Hugley Representative Charles E. Martin Jr. Representative Charles N. Sims Jr. Representative Daniel L. Stout Representative David E. Lucas Sr. Representative David Ralston Representative Don L. Parsons Representative Donna Sheldon Representative DuBose Porter Representative Earl Ehrhart Representative Ed Rynders Representative Ed Setzler Representative Ellis Black Representative Gerald E. Greene Representative Greg Morris Representative Howard R. Maxwell Representative James Mills Representative Jan Jones Representative Jay Neal Representative Jay Powell Representative Jay Roberts Representative Jay Shaw Representative Jeff May Representative Jerry L. Keen Representative Jill Chambers Representative John Lunsford Representative John P. Yates Representative Judy H. Manning Representative Keith G. Heard Representative Kip Smith Representative Larry O'Neal Representative Lee Anderson Representative Lee Thompson Representative Len Walker Representative Lynmore James Representative Lynn Ratigan Smith Representative Mark Butler Representative Matt Dollar Representative Mickey Channell Jr. Representative Mike Cheokas Representative Pat Gardner Representative Paul R. Battles Representative Penny Houston Representative Rahn Mayo Representative Ralph A. Long III Representative Rich Golick Representative Richard H. Smith Representative Roger Williams Representative Ron Stephens Representative Rusty Kidd Representative Sheila Jones Representative Terry L. England Representative Thomas P. Knox Representative Tom Weldon Jr. Representative Tommy Smith Representative Vacant Representative Vacant Representative Vacant Representative Wendell K. Willard Senator Bill Cowsert Senator Bill Heath Senator Buddy Carter Senator Cecil Staton Senator Chip Pearson Senator Dan Moody Senator Don Balfour Senator Don Thomas Senator Freddie Powell Sims Senator George Hooks Senator Greg Goggans Senator Horacena Tate Senator Jack Hill Senator Jack Murphy Senator Jeff E. Mullis Senator Jim Butterworth Senator John Bulloch Senator John J. Wiles Senator Johnny Grant Senator Lester Jackson Senator Mitch Seabaugh Senator Preston W. Smith Senator Renee S. Unterman Senator Ross Tolleson Senator Seth Harp Senator Steve Henson Senator Steve Thompson Senator Tim Golden Senator Tommie Williams Senator Valencia Seay Senator Vincent D. Fort Senator William Hamrick Your State Representative Your State Senator A sample message appears below, which you may edit before sending. Keep Programs to Benefit Sportsmen Dear Lt. Governor Cagle For some reason the House Appropriations Subcommittee seems determined to cut programs that benefit sportsmen. The funding recommended by the Governor for conservation lands is now in jeopardy. Everyone in the state knows that urban and suburban growth is consuming lands at an amazing rate. This is land that once provided critical wildlife habitat and wonderful hunting, fishing and outdoor recreational opportunities for Georgians. Most Georgians realize that we better protect land while we can because it is going fast. Over the last 20 years, sportsmen and women have funded the majority of lands purchased by the state of Georgia through hunting and fishing license increases. And these lands benefit all Georgians. Yet when, $50 million is recommended to fund the Georgia Land Conservation Act, it is cut to $25 million by this Subcommittee. We all know that $50 million will not go far in meeting the need for conservation lands. But it is a good start. That is why it is so disappointing to learn that these funds are now being cut. I respectfully request that you use your influence and do the right thing for Georgians by maintaining the full $50 million for the Georgian Land Conservation Program. We better buy it while we can because it is going fast. We need you to stand tough on this issue. Sincerely, Your name and address here This Action Alert Campaign is Closed.

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