Safari Club International (SCI) is celebrating Colorado’s recent expansion of nearly 200,000 acres of land for public hunting and fishing. This major designation will open public lands across the state and is a victory for wildlife management, hunting and fishing, and community access. SCI commends this decision as we diligently work to ensure a “no net loss” of hunting and fishing access across the country.
The Public Access Program has been developing sustainable use on State Trust Lands over the past three years. These previously restricted land areas are set aside to provide ongoing funds for public schools and are leased out for numerous income-generating purposes. Allocating them for hunting and fishing not only provides ample funds for public schools but also conserves beautiful outdoor spaces.
The project has doubled the amount of accessible land from just under half a million acres to close to one million acres with the recent expansion. The Parks and Wildlife Commission is set to open the new areas across Colorado in the fall of this year. All use requires a hunting or fishing license, regardless of use or harvesting practices, which will successfully fund habitat and wildlife conservation.
SCI applauds this decision. Generating funding through public use not only provides the monetary resources to conserve wildlife and wild places, but also connects communities to their land. Sustainable wildlife use inspires communities with a greater appreciation for the land and animals and their engagement aids regional government in successful wildlife management. Local participation is vital to our goals of retaining all hunting and fishing land across the country, maintaining decentralized management, and conserving America’s natural landscapes.
SCI is leading a campaign to maintain current levels of hunting and fishing access across the country, and to ensure “no net loss” of these opportunities for sportsmen and women throughout the current Administration. Text ACCESS to 73075 to sign the petition and demand that the Department of the Interior adopt a “no net loss” policy today!”
