13 



zations asking us in charge of those programs to help them in turn 

 provide us assistance to be better stewards of their natural re- 

 sources. 



The "Teaming with Wildlife" Initiative also provides an impetus 

 for strong alliances on the part of conservation and recreation 

 groups. The coalition list with nearly 1,000 supporters underscores 

 the win-win outcomes for a wide variety and diversity of stakehold- 

 ers including not only public park and fish and wildlife agencies, 

 but many citizen groups as well. These groups are representative 

 of those who would be asked to pay the bill, and they should have 

 a voice in determining the destiny of this initiative. 



In summary, there is a growing urgency to come up with ways 

 and means to conserve fish and wildlife habitat, at the same time 

 the demand for outdoor recreation opportunities is sharply accel- 

 erating. In many situations, the same acreage and capital invest- 

 ments can accomplish both needs through appropriate integration 

 of conservation and recreation programs at the local level. 



On behalf of the National Association of State Park Directors, I 

 urge action on the part of Congress to implement the "Teaming 

 with Wildlife" concept. I would like to briefly refer to a letter that 

 the head of my agency, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Re- 

 sources, sent to the subcommittee Chair, George Meyer, and simply 

 to highlight a couple of examples on how we in Wisconsin would 

 utilize this kind of funding because I think that is representative 

 across the nation. 



Number 1, create an urban wildlife reserve program to acquire 

 small conservation parks in urban areas to view common wildlife 

 species; number 2, perhaps the most important one, and one that 

 we are going to be experimenting with in Wisconsin this summer, 

 teaching outdoor skills in a number of parks especially for young- 

 sters, many of whom do not have people to take them out and show 

 them how to fish, how to view and observe and appreciate and un- 

 derstand wildlife; number 3, giving grants to neighborhood associa- 

 tions or communities to encourage restoration of neighborhoods in 

 an urban setting as wildlife sanctuaries, a program to bring wild- 

 life into people's yards and lives — just a few examples of how badly 

 additional funding is needed to accomplish more partnering and en- 

 hance the resource not only for wildlife, but for access for recre- 

 ation opportunities. Thank you for your attention. 



[Statement of Mr. Weizenicker may be found at end of hearing.] 



Mr. Saxton. Thank you very much. Mr. Jenks. 



STATEMENT OF ROBERT JENKS, NATIONAL WILD TURKEY 



FEDERATION 



Mr. Jenks. Mr. Chairman, that was 



Mr. Saxton. Was that fighting gobblers? 



Mr. Jenks. Mr. Chairman, that was the call of the wild turkey 

 gobbler heard this spring by over 2 million turkey hunters in 49 

 states in pursuit of the bird we love, and love the bird we do. Many 

 of us hunt in multiple states. Each spring we spend over $750 mil- 

 lion just on travel, motels, restaurants, equipment, accessories, not 

 really the P-R kind of moneys for guns and ammunition, but just 

 in traveling to pursue the wild turkey. It is a magnificent obses- 

 sion, and I am hooked. 



