ICC Co-Chairman
The Honorable Ander Crenshaw
Republican - Florida
ICC Co-Chairman
The Honorable Betty McCollum
Democrat - Minnesota
ICC Co-Chairman
The Honorable James P. Moran
Democrat - Virginia
ICC Co-Chairman
The Honorable Ed Royce
Republican - California
Mission Statement
The Members of the International Conservation Caucus share a conviction that the United States of America has the opportunity, the obligation and the interests to advance the conservation of natural resources for this and future generations. The mission of the Caucus is to act on this conviction by providing the strong U.S. leadership necessary to conserve the world's most biologically rich and diverse places.
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Importance of Conservation
Natural resources sustain all human activity. Responsible management of these resources can lead to poverty alleviation, improved public health, and national stability and security. America pioneered natural resource wealth management; now we have the opportunity to share our experience with nations around the world.
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Former ICC Co-Chairs
- • The Hon. Ben Chandler, M.C.
- • The Hon. Norm Dicks, M.C.
- • The Hon. Hal Rogers, M.C.
- • The Hon. Clay Shaw, M.C.
- • The Hon. John Tanner, M.C.
- • The Hon. Tom Udall, M.C.
"A Land for All People"
A naturalist and outdoorsman, President Theodore Roosevelt harbored a great appreciation for animal species and natural beauty. At a time when Americans were beginning to realize that natural resources are finite, he bullishly fought against previously unrestrained forces of natural exploitation. He advocated the scientific management of forests and water sources as a young politician, and avidly promoted the enjoyment, study, and preservation of the outdoors through the Boone and Crockett Club. Roosevelt engaged all media and political outlets in his decades-long efforts to place land under Federal protection, which by 1909 totalled 230,000,000 acres. His legacy includes over 150 National Forests, 51 Bird Preservations, 18 National Monuments, 21 Federal irrigation projects under the Newlands Reclamation Act of 1902, and 5 National Parks. His vigorous approach changed the way Americans use land and established a tradition of conservation for both nature's beauty and its necessary, practical benefits.
"To waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land
instead of using it so as to its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed."
-- Theodore Roosevelt, Message to Congress, December 3, 1907
What's at Stake
Short-sighted exploitation of natural resources is destabilizing entire regions, exacting immeasurable damage on our economies, health, and the natural beauty of our planet. Reckless mismanagement of resources around the world can cause conflict with international consequences, many of which directly oppose American interests and security.
Our Plan
•Educate fellow Members, constituents, the media, and others about the importance of, and benefits associated with, strong U.S. leadership in promoting and supporting conservation around the world.
•Lead efforts to increase the scale and effectiveness of U.S. Government support for international conservation programs. This includes exploring and pursuing opportunities to adopt new policies and create new incentives and funding vehicles, where appropriate.
•Heighten the profile of conservation issues in dialogue with representatives of other governments.
Goals
•Assist other nations in developing effective enforcement of their natural resource management to combat illicit exploitation.
•Collaborate with conservationists to preserve the species and ecosystems vital to our way of life and regional security.
•Install systems of good natural resource management worldwide in order to create a more stable, beautiful, and prosperous world for future generations.