National Wildlife Federation WDC Confab

Greetings fellow Extravaganzers!

 

Well, I am fresh back from five days in our nation’s capitol, having had the honor of attending the National Wildlife Federation’s 75^th annual confab as the delegate from our own Montana Wildlife Federation.  It had been over a decade since I had been in WDC and what a difference a decade makes:  the town has all the trappings of an armed city…electronic operated barricades cut into every major thoroughfare as you neared the Hill; more armed police per capita than any other place that I have ever been; electronic and metal surveillance to enter both the House and Senate office buildings; and a general feeling in the air that this is no longer a city to celebrate our nation’s heritage in but, rather, a city to feel the tangible terrorist fear than now permeates our national (and personal) psyches.

 

The National Wildlife Federation is a federation of 47 state organizations with a $15million annual budget to be proactive on a multitude of issues that face our nation’s flora and fauna; the Montana Wildlife Federation is the Montana NWF affiliate which, itself, is an affiliate of 22 sports-minded state organizations.  Not only was it an honor to represent our special Montana interests but it was also my privilege as co-chair to roll out the first-ever Conservation for Conservation program between NWF and MWF to restore the bison to the prairies of central Montana.  This campaign is the newest in our Montana Matters campaign (www.montanamatters.com) and, as part of the roll out, we had the pleasure to meet in person with Senator Jon Tester (who, the day we met, saw his much desired delisting of wolves bill become law) as well as staff for Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) and Congressman Dennis Rehberg (R-MT) and present them with posters highlighting the campaign’s recently commissioned Cynthie Fisher bison painting (copy above). 

 

More (much more!) on this campaign to follow!!

 

Never a dull Montana moment around here (even back in California!), gang!!

 

Best to all,

 

Rock Creek Ron

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