CONSERVATION CONNECTION

Cooperative Conservation listening session held in Northampton

Departments of Agriculture, Interior, Commerce, Defense and EPA seek public input

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (Sept. 29, 2006) — Some 60 citizens, state and local officials, and representatives of organizations involved in natural resources conservation in Massachusetts and neighboring states attended a public listening session on Cooperative Conservation and Environmental Partnerships hosted by Mark Rey, U.S. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment today at the Hotel Northampton, Northampton, Mass.

This listening session was one of 24 being conducted nationwide – one of two held in New England – to give citizens an opportunity to present ideas about incentives, partnership programs and regulations that could improve results and promote cooperative conservation and environmental partnerships. The meetings will help inform and guide senior federal officials in developing future policy proposals that build upon the success of cooperative conservation.

The meetings are the latest in a series of discussions the Administration has hosted since the President's Conference on Cooperative Conservation in August 2005. The conference identified three broad approaches to improving conservation results: promoting cooperation within the federal government, promoting cooperation between the federal government and others, and eliminating barriers to cooperation in existing policy.

Listening session discussion topics included:

• How can the federal government enhance wildlife habitat, species protection and other conservation outcomes through regulatory and voluntary conservation programs?
• How can the federal government enhance cooperation among federal agencies and with states, tribes and local communities in applying environmental protection and conservation laws?
• How can the federal government work with states, tribes, and other public and private sector partners to improve science used in environmental protection and conservation?
• How can the federal government work cooperatively with businesses and landowners to protect the environment and promote conservation?
• How can the federal government better respect the interests of people with ownership in land, water, and other natural resources?

Each person attending the listening session was given an opportunity to make comments, which will be recorded and taken to Washington, DC.

More information on cooperative conservation is available on-line at http://cooperativeconservation.gov.

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