2007 NACo Conference

Richmond VA

Some of the attendees of the Conservation Leaders Network’s working dinner with the Board of Directors and Advisory Committee.  L to R:  Advisory Committee member Robert Downing, Calhoun County AL; guest Tresi Houpt, Garfield County CO; Advisory Committee member Bob Rackleff, Leon County FL; Advisory Committee member Bob Jacobson, Hawaii County HI; Board Chair John Woolley, Humboldt County CA and guest Susan Adams, Marin County CA.

Opening day for our "Conservation Makes Sense" booth with Advisory Committee members Mike Murray of Lewis and Clark County MT and Brett Hulsey of Dane County MT.

Board Chair John Woolley of Humboldt County CA working the booth with Mike Murray of Lewis & Clark County MT and Bob Rackleff of Leon County FL.

The NACo Annual Conference in Richmond VA was a very successful event for the Conservation Leaders Network.  We didn’t see the Sunday rush we used to see but we actually gave away more literature this year than usual.

As you know, our “Conservation Makes $ense” booth focuses on the economic benefits of natural resource conservation.  Our “Money for Counties” handout was very popular.

You can also see the breadth of materials we distributed this year.  If you are interested in any, give me a call as we will send members our extra copies.  Click here for the list of material we distributed.

This year the Conservation Leaders Network purchased carbon credits for the flight through www.terrapass.com.  We recognize that carbon credits aren’t going to solve global warming, but it’s a baby step every flier should take.

Both at the booth and after hours, we discussed developing action plans and funding proposals for two new efforts: one is organizing counties on global warming and the other is working to get more conservation-minded commissioners to join NACo’s Public Lands committee.

The Public Lands Committee sets NACo policy on many significant environmental issues.  For example, NACo lobbies to create RS2477 rights-of-way across public lands, “reform” the Endangered Species Act,  oppose sensible mining regulations and support “aggressive” logging in federal forests.  NACo’s professional staff very effectively lobbies Congress in support of these harmful policies.

Until last year, that committee has consisted of 1 to 3 pro-environment members and 40+ rabidly anti-environment members.  But in the last year or two, membership has become more balanced.  The committee meeting at the  annual conference demonstrated for the first time that there is finally a sufficient pro-environment number of votes on the committee that a couple more could swing the committee as a whole.  Even if you don’t have public lands in your county, your constituents own America’s public lands and should have a voice in NACo’s policies.

Now is the time to consider joining the Public Lands Committee.  For more information, call us at 541 247-8079.

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Thank you to all the members who made special contributions to help bring our “Conservation Makes $ense” booth to this year’s conference.

This year’s booth co-sponsors were The Wilderness Society and American Forests; we couldn't do it without them.

Thank you to our many “Conservation Contacts,” statewide groups who recognize the value in working with county officials to protect America’s natural resources:

Alaska Conservation Alliance                                                                                                              Sierra Club--Grand Canyon Chapter                                                                                            California League of Conservation Voters                                                                                        Rocky Mountain Chapter Sierra Club                                                                                              Florida League of Conservation Voters/Sierra Club Florida Chapter                             Environment Georgia                                                                                                                       Hawaii’s Thousand Friends                                                                                                    Conservation Voters for Idaho                                                                                                           Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club                                                                                                         Iowa Environmental Council                                                                                                   Cumberland Chapter Sierra Club                                                                                                  Michigan Environmental Council                                                                                               Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy                                                                         Missouri Coalition for the Environment                                                                                       Northern Plains Resource Council                                                                                                  Nevada Conservation League                                                                                                               Ohio League of Conservation Voters                                                                                              Oregon Wild                                                                                                                              Conservation Voters of South Carolina                                                                                                Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club                                                                                                         Virginia Conservation Network                                                                                                              The Lands Council                                                                                                                          Wyoming Outdoor Council.

Thanks to the following county officials who worked our “Conservation Makes $ense” booth with Executive Director Peg Reagan:

Calhoun County AL Commissioner Robert Downing                                                                    Lewis and Clark County MT Commissioner Mike Murray                                                         Hawaii County HI Commissioner Bob Jacobson                                                                              Dane County WI Supervisor Brett Hulsey                                                                                Humboldt County CA Supervisor John Woolley                                                                              Leon County FL Supervisor Bob Rackleff.

You can view photos from previous conferences at Gallery of Past Events.

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