Add Wildlife To Your Holiday Wish List

Duck and Chicks
As the weather turns cold and you begin to ponder your Christmas wish list, don’t forget to add something to help out wildlife.

While Santa may have a few more weeks to pull together his list, the U.S. Congress has only a few more days to take bold action to help protect wildlife and wild places before they adjourn for the year.

One big opportunity is to pass the Public Lands, Water & Wildlife Package of bills currently under consideration, including important legislation to help the Chesapeake Bay and the communities that depend on it.

America’s public lands and major water bodies are essential for our livelihoods, recreation and to the countless animal species that depend upon them for survival. These places, from the Long Island Sound to the Chesapeake Bay are also a part of our shared cultural history.

And even if you think Congress should be focusing primarily on the economy, consider:

  • With nearly 40 million anglers in the United States, recreational angling alone generated over $45 billion in retail sales, $125 billion in overall economic output, $16.4 billion in state and federal taxes and supported over one million jobs in 2006.
  • Hunting and fishing combined accounts for $76 billion in economic output annually.
  • National parks are economic engines in their regions supporting $13.3 billion in local, private-sector economic activity and 267,000 private-sector jobs. Similarly, national wildlife refuges generate nearly $1.7 billion annually for local economies and support 27,000 private sector jobs.

Now with time growing short before adjournment, we hope Congress will help protect America’s wildlife with a Public Lands, Water & Wildlife Package to ensure that our nation’s vital natural resources are sustainable for generations to come.

So after you pen that note to Santa, consider adding one to your Congressman and Senator.  Let’s make sure wildlife doesn’t get left off the list!