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For Immediate Release
President Obama signals new forward-looking approach to wildlife conservation
Budget puts America on a path to tackle global warming causes and impacts
WASHINGTON – The following is a statement from Defenders of Wildlife president Rodger Schlickeisen:
“A new day has dawned for America’s wildlife and habitat. President Barack Obama’s first budget takes significant steps forward in reversing the damage done to our natural heritage over the past eight years. We applaud President Obama for recognizing that, especially in troubled economic times, our nation benefits by caring for these invaluable assets. A healthy economy depends on healthy natural resources.
“America’s wildlife and wild lands are already feeling the effects of climate change and those impacts are accelerating. With his 2009 operating budget, the President acknowledges this well-documented fact and provides an increase in funding to begin to help our nation’s fish, wildlife and ecosystems survive the devastating impacts of global warming.
“The President is to be also congratulated for his proposal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and for including revenues generated from a comprehensive plan to address the threat they pose. We look forward to working with the administration and Congress as this climate change proposal develops to ensure that some of the new revenues will be dedicated to helping fish, wildlife and their habitats survive global warming.
“Finally, we commend the President for his proposal to fully fund by 2014 the crucial Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which has seen full funding only once in it’s more than 40 year history. Significantly, the President’s proposal would focus on ‘ecosystems that do not yet have the protection they deserve.’ With 6,000 acres of open space lost each day, a robust LWCF is desperately needed to protect forests, lands, and wildlife habitat and it will become an increasingly important resource to help natural systems survive global warming.
“After eight years of neglect, we are heartened to see President Obama working to restore America’s time-honored commitment to protecting its air, land, water and wildlife for future generations.”
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Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1 million members, supporters and subscribers, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come.
