Newswise — American Society of Agronomy President, Francis J. Pierce of Washington State University is one of an exclusive list of 500 leaders at the White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors, being held today at the Department of Interior, Washington, DC.
At the conference, President Obama launched an initiative to reshape U.S. conservation policy to form coalitions with state and local governments as well as the private sector, encouraging outdoor recreation by Americans, while connecting wildlife migration corridors and encouraging the sustainable use of private land.
“By working with farmers and ranchers and landowners, the Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Program has protected over 30 million acres, and its Natural Resource Conservation Service -– a service that is 75 years old this year –- has protected almost 3 million more. So together, we are conserving our working lands in a way that preserves the environment and protects local communities,” said Obama in remarks to the group gathered at the Department of Interior this morning.
Leading the conference are Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality; Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior; Lisa Jackson, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator; and Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, which will "address the challenges, opportunities and innovations surrounding modern-day land conservation and the importance of reconnecting Americans to the outdoors," according to the White House.
The list of invited leaders include ASA’s Dr. Fran Pierce, along with ranchers and farmers, sportsmen and women, state and local government leaders, tribal leaders, public lands experts, conservationists, youth leaders, business representatives and others who view the outdoors as integral to their communities.
“The scientific research advances of the American Society of Agronomy members can help meet the challenges faced in protecting our natural resources,” says Pierce. “Farms and forests are a major part of the American outdoors, and ASA is proud to be part of the conversation on finding creative community efforts to conserve our outdoor spaces, and hear how we can support these efforts.”
Pierce and the other leadership will participate in policy breakout sessions to define conservation opportunities in communities, the challenges facing them, and the innovative solutions they are crafting from the bottom up. Solutions will be reviewed by the Department of Interior and the White House for implementation.
The conference offers a historic opportunity for ASA and other participants to engage with each other, learn from past and ongoing efforts, communicate how the federal government can support these efforts, and identify new opportunities to work together to modernize our approach to conservation, and reinvigorate the national conversation about our outdoors.
More information on the Conference on America’s Great Outdoors can be found at: www.doi.gov//americasgreatoutdoors.
The American Society of Agronomy (ASA) www.agronomy.org, is a scientific society helping its 8,000+ members advance the disciplines and practices of agronomy by supporting professional growth and science policy initiatives, and by providing quality, research-based publications and a variety of member services.
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