April 26, 2010

Mel and Mo in D.C.
by Melanie Parker

Last week, we traveled to the nation’s capital for two big events. I attended the Whitehouse Conference on the Great Outdoors on Friday, April 16th. I think it is worth watching the president's speech to get a feel for the whole event. The memorandum signed that day calls for four things:

• Build upon State, local, private, and tribal priorities for the conservation of land, water, wildlife, historic, and cultural resources. Determine how the Federal Government can best advance those priorities through public private partnerships and locally supported conservation strategies
• Advance job and volunteer opportunities related to conservation and outdoor recreation
• Support existing programs and projects that educate and engage Americans in our history, culture, and natural bounty.

There will be several listening sessions around the country in the months to come to solicit feedback on how to implement this initiative. It was quite an honor to have our work here in the Crown of the Continent cited several times as an example of regional success.

Pictures from that event: Melanie in front of the whitehouse, the president speaking, Mel’s breakout session, and discussing the day's event with friends

Then our RVCC Western Week in Washington began on Sunday, April 18th. In the three days to follow 32 members of our Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition had 88 different meetings with members of congress, members of the administration, and key allies like the National Association of Counties.

You can check out the guest blog I wrote for RVCC last Tuesday to get more of a feel for our daily experience.

Here is a list of meetings Mo and/or I attended:

• Congressman Rehberg's office
• Senator Tester's office
• Senator Baucus' office
• National Association of Counties (NACO)
• Trust for Public Land (TPL)
• Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
• Robert Bonnie, senior policy advisor to Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack
• Joe Mead, Director of the Forest Service Partnerships Office
• Victor Vasquez, Deputy Undersecretary for the Department of Agriculture
• Senate Appropriations Committee, subcommittee on the Interior
• Senator Crapo's office (Idaho)
• Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry (Senate and House Committees)
• National Association of State Foresters
• USDA Office of Environmental Markets

We worked with 25 other members of RVCC, rural practitioners from Idaho, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, Montana, California, Vermont and Maryland to support issues of common interest. One of our top issues was to show support for the Forest Service's proposed Integrated Resource Restoration budget line item. We also worked hard to foster more support for community based conservation organizations, to increase funding for community forest acquisition programs, and to fund programs that help landowners hold onto their land. In addition, we worked on tax code changes that would reduce the inheritance tax burden on rural landowners wanting to keep lands in the family. Finally, we worked to help people think about rural communities and their role in addressing climate change and the need for rural job stimulation.

I can tell you that our coalition brings a unique voice to conservation and, as such, we were very well received. People see us as solution-oriented and uniquely concerned with the 'triple bottom line' of ecological resilience, community vitality and economic prosperity in the West.

Please feel free to ask Mo or myself for any additional information!

Learn more about the NwC's policy work.