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Working Together To Preserve Wisconsin's Wildlife

Katie Dobies/iStockPhoto.com

Through generations of bipartisan action, nearly 20 percent of the land in Wisconsin is protected as part of the state's heritage of natural resources.

Wisconsin also has a history of strong conservation efforts, with scores of groups dedicated to preserving natural habitat and wildlife in the Badger state.

Although the recent presidential election brought to the forefront deep divisions within the country, Collin O'Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, says preservation of this heritage can help bring together diverse segments of society. "These natural resources issues really aren't Republican or Democratic issues, they're simply American issues and we can play a small role in showing that government institutions can function and hopefully do a little bit of work on trying to heal some of the divide," he stresses. "Conservation could be a good place to start some of those conversations."

O'Mara says there are many areas where Republicans and Democrats can work together toward conservation, even though the issue of climate change continues to divide the parties. He says areas such as clean energy, technology to reduce emissions, even forestry and agriculture practices offer a chance for bipartisan action to protect the land and wildlife.

According to O'Mara, investments in proactive conservation done at the state level, done in collaborative ways through local partnerships, can help protect the more than 8,000 wildlife species that are in trouble across America. "The gains that we've made in this country because of things like the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act are the envy of the world," he points out. "

Americans have seen health outcomes go up at the same time we've seen the GDP go up. We've proven that we can have a strong environment and a healthy economy at the same time."

As in so many recent political campaigns, the issue of job creation has been in the forefront. O'Mara says conservation is part of the answer. "If we can show that investments in natural resources, investments in infrastructure will help put people to work, help strengthen the economy, help create outdoor opportunities, help save the wildlife and natural resources that we love, we can hopefully begin to instill a little confidence that we can do big things again in this country," he states.

Wisconsin News Connection ishere.

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