In response to a series of court decisions known as “Cottonwood,” Safari Club International (SCI) submitted over 1,000 comment letters from our nationwide membership to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in support of their new rule that would combat the effects this harmful litigation has had on active forest management.
The Cottonwood decision, if left unchallenged, poses a serious threat to the advancement of forest management initiatives such as wildfire fuel reduction missions and forest habitat development projects crucial to the survival of big game, game birds, and other forms of wildlife.
Without management, our public lands will become highly susceptible to disastrous wildfires, insects, and infectious diseases. These lawsuits have also significantly undermined federal agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from cooperating with wildlife and sportsmen advocacy groups like Safari Club International (SCI).
SCI agrees with the FWS that the final rule must respect professionals at federal wildlife and land management agencies by not further imposing guidelines that are subject to the Endangered Species Act’s consultation requirements.
SCI CEO W. Laird Hamberlin responded to the success of the comment letter and the prospect of the FWS’ new rule taking effect, saying “SCI consistently demonstrates that the voice of America’s hunting community can be heard through our strategic actions that engage with regulators and lawmakers alike. While we wait and look forward to the FWS formally adopting the new rule, the outdoor community should know that SCI will relentlessly advocate for their interests when decisions are made regarding our public lands and the wildlife that depends on them.”
