As true historically as it is today, sportsmen have been America’s foremost conservationists. Pumping billions of dollars into conservation projects through taxes and license fees; keeping game populations in balance; improving habitat for the benefit of all wildlife; when it comes to conservation of wildlife, America’s hunters and fishermen don’t just talk, they act.
But the future of conservation is in question, as fewer and fewer Americans take to the water and woods. Today, we face three aspects of a perfect storm of societal and demographic changes that could destroy modern conservation practices and our outdoor heritage as we know it.
-Because of the growing urbanization of America, fewer of our citizens spend time in the great outdoors.
-The loss of access to hunting areas occurring in many places due to development and loss of habitat.
-The onset of the Internet age, as today’s children spend too many hours playing Xbox, or on-line on their computer, often vulnerable to the lowest and most vile elements of our society.
And while it is difficult for one person to influence a changing world, that same person can make a world of difference, in the life of a child.
If each of us would commit to reaching out to just one child’s life this year; to take them camping, or fishing, or hunting; that child will have a new perspective on the world. The realization that there is value beyond the WII or Internet will ultimately make that child a better member of society, and possibly, a conservationist of tomorrow.
Spending time with a child in the outdoors isn’t much of a financial commitment, but ultimately, it will be the highest yielding investment you can make.