Robert “Bob” Stanton, former Director of the National Park Service (NPS) and former Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, has joined the board of directors of the Endangered Species Coalition, a well-regarded advocacy nonprofit working tirelessly to protect our nation’s natural heritage.
Four hundred and twenty-five national, state, and local conservation groups sent a letter to the Senate and House leadership Thursday demonstrating their overwhelming support for the Endangered Species Act. Referencing the “unprecedented threat” faced by the Act in Congress, the groups strongly opposed any weakening of the Act under the guise of efforts to “modernize” or “reform” the Act. The groups—at least one from each of the 50 states—indicated that any “efforts to rewrite this law would prove disastrous for imperiled wildlife and should be strongly opposed.”
“The Trump budget makes devastating cuts to fish and wildlife conservation, including to the Endangered Species programs that help conserve and recover imperiled wildlife. While President Trump and his allies in Congress make a lot of noise about wanting to give states more opportunity to recover threatened and endangered species, the President’s budget does the exact opposite, by cutting millions of dollars from wildlife conservation programs that prevent species from declining to the point where they need Endangered Species protection.”
UPDATE: The U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service called us this morning to inform us that their previous communication was a mistake. They will remain committed to Endangered Species Day. It is our hope that this will be the largest Endangered Species Day celebration ever with many Fish and Wildlife Service offices participating. Events can be found at EndangeredSpeciesDay.org.
University students across the country are calling on Michelle Obama to take action for pollinators for Endangered Species Day, which will be celebrated on May 15th 2015. Pollinator species, such as butterflies and bees, are facing serious declines across the country. These amazing species are not only natural treasures, but they are also vital for our agricultural systems. On Monday, a letter signed by 20 student organizations across the country and a petition signed by 165 individual students were delivered… Continue reading
Last week I was lucky enough to accompany conservationists, farmers and hunters from across the Great Lakes States as they converged on Washington DC. Continue reading
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie took a strong stand for elephants and rhinos this month by signing into law a ban on ivory and rhino horn trafficking in the state. New Jersey’s location and ports allow it to be a hub of ivory trading, making this decision even more important. This law is one of the first of its kind in the country, and sets penalties for importing, selling or purchasing any ivory or rhinoceros horn product. This law also… Continue reading
On May 20th, activists around the world called on major snack food companies to cut conflict palm oil from their supply chains. From Australia to Kuala Limpur to San Francisco, thousands participated in the Rainforest Action Network’s #inyourpalm campaign. Activists unfurled a 60-foot banner at the Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago. In Washington, DC, we distributed information and spoke with the public about the impact of palm oil. Palm oil touches each of our lives, as it is found… Continue reading
Pollinators WeekBy Jordann Garlock This week is National Pollinators Week. Though pollinators include birds, bats, and other animals, the most important pollinator species are bees. The problem with bees is that they are disappearing and a lot of people don’t realize that this is a big problem. Since the late 1990s bees and honeybee populations have disappeared and continue to decline. “Bees make more than honey – they are key to food production because they pollinate crops. Bumblebees, other wild… Continue reading
