FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts: Keith Balfourd – 406/542-1888 ext. 208
PRESIDENT BUSH HOSTS
SPORTSMAN AND CONSERVATION GROUPS
MISSOULA, MT — President George W. Bush welcomed Boone and Crockett Club President Robert Model and the representatives of 15 other sportsmen-conservation groups to his Crawford, Texas, ranch to talk about issues affecting hunting, fishing, and conservation.
“It was a distinct honor to not only meet with the President again, but to actually see how much he cares about the land and its wildlife,” Model said. “It reminded me of a time when America was lead by another President (Theodore Roosevelt) who was a hunter, a fisherman, and a conservationist and set into motion the most successful conservation system in history.
This past December President Bush also invited key representatives of the sportsmen-conservation community to the White House to share their concerns with him. During the meeting the President expressed his strong support for habitat conservation.
The President lead a driving caravan giving guests a two-hour tour of his 1,600-acre ranch, pointing out the selective cutting, tree planting, and prescribed burning he has used to restore native grasses and trees and make his ranch a haven for quail, wild turkeys, whitetail deer, and 250 head of cattle. President Bush said he strongly supports conservation easements and other incentives for property owners to conserve wildlife habitat.
“Every day is Earth Day if you are a landowner,” Bush said. “There’s a big difference between conservationists and preservationists. Conservationists care. And we take action.”
“What the President has done to enhance his own property is a testament of his understanding of ecosystems and the inter-relationship between man, habitat, wildlife, and livestock,” Model said. “An understanding of America’s natural resources is paramount to achieving a balance between energy production and environmental health.”
This year marks the 117th Anniversary of the Boone and Crockett Club – the first hunter-conservationist organization in America founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887. There is little that has taken place in the areas of conservation and hunting advocacy that is not linked to the Club or its members.
For more information visit the Boone and Crockett Club website at www.booneandcrockettclub.com or call their Missoula, MT headquarters at 406-542-1888.
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