Number: 1990-27
WHEREAS, wildlife habitat located in and near urban areas is of pivotal importance because it offers sanctuary for numerous wildlife species and provides many persons who may not otherwise have an opportunity to discover wildlife an opportunity to observe, conserve and learn about America’s wildlife legacy; and
WHEREAS, much of the suitable wildlife habitat in and near urban areas has deteriorated and dwindled because of human development and pollution; and
WHEREAS, given the continued population growth and enduring pollution IN and near many metropolitan areas, urban wildlife is often extirpated and rarely enhanced; and
WHEREAS, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal–located next to Denver, Colorado–is a spectacular and unique example of wildlife habitat immediately adjacent to a major urban area; and
WHEREAS, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal is a distinctive example of urban wildlife habitat because of the amount of unused buffer land which surrounded its former chemical plants, the complete abandonment and decommissioning of those facilities, and the excellent habitat it provides for substantial wildlife populations, including endangered species; and
WHEREAS, many urban wildlife habitats, including the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, face continuing pressure for development, which would reduce or terminate their ability to support urban wildlife;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in annual meeting assembled March 15-18, 1990, in Denver, Colorado, calls for federal, state and local governments to increase their efforts to save and enhance urban areas that currently support or could be restored to accommodate wildlife, and that the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, as a leading example of spectacular urban wildlife habitat, be protected, improved (including the cleanup of contaminants so the Arsenal is safe for wildlife and its human neighbors) and managed for the benefit of its wildlife, so that citizens of Denver and the nation can more readily observe, nurture, study and enjoy nature, plants and wild creatures.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission and other appropriate federal and state agencies and universities conduct a thorough analysis and management program addressing the bio-accumulation of toxic compounds, and metals such as mercury, in the Everglades fish and wildlife; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the ultimate objective of special designation of the Everglades ecosystem in the Clean Water Act is the long-term management, protection and restoration of the Everglades ecosystem for its wetlands, fish and wildlife, and recreational values to the United States and the world.