Number: 2000-08
WHEREAS, the National Wildlife Federation has consistently supported the concept of “smart growth” and slowing urban sprawl, and has noted that unplanned development adversely impacts wildlife habitat, has disastrous impacts on the environment and often occurs as the result of infrastructure and financial incentives (1999-08 and 09, 1998-07, 1997-03); and
WHEREAS, indicators of important wildlife habitat are not often considered in conjunction with many development and open space concerns, and the links between game and non-game species conservation and development have not been rigorously explored; and
WHEREAS, wildlife management issues are not paramount in the eyes of many government officials and planners, and the understanding that urban sprawl is one of the leading causes of species endangerment, a threat to hunting, fishing and trapping opportunities and the cause of ecosystem decline in the country is not a consideration in many land management schemes; and
WHEREAS, locally and regionally based development decisions often focus on livability and recreational concerns without the inclusion of wildlife (game and non-game) issues and habitat requirements;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in its Annual Meeting assembled March 16-18, 2000, in Seattle, Washington, supports the creation of sustainable development criteria by federal, state and local wildlife and other agencies that ensure wildlife conservation and that take a long-term, ecosystem approach toward conserving game, non-game and imperiled wildlife and their habitats, and the integration of these criteria into land-use decisions; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation supports the design and promulgation of educational campaigns at the state, regional and national level to foster environmentally sound development that considers wildlife conservation and species restoration; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation supports the objective of saving imperiled wildlife species and habitats that urban sprawl puts at great risk, and calls upon state and national governments to strengthen the habitat conservation program of the Endangered Species Act and act in support of other smart growth activities.