EDGEFIELD, S.C. — The National Wild Turkey Federation's Chief Conservation Officer Becky Humphries testified today at the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on the discussion draft titled Wildfire Budgeting, Operations and Forest Management Act of 2016.

Humphries shared with committee members that the NWTF doesn't simply advocate for what it wants, through the efforts of more than 50 conservation professionals, it actually carries out serious forestry and conservation work on public lands.

"The NWTF sincerely appreciates the proposed fix to the fire-borrowing issue, providing a cap is a start," said Humphries. "We encourage a fixed cap based on 2015 costs, not a rolling cap. Catastrophic fires are increasing in number, and the cost of fire suppression now exceeds 50 percent of the forest service's budget."

The NWTF supports all of the draft's purposes which qualify a project developed by a collaborative for expedited National Environmental Policy Act review, as well as the provision that expedites forest health projects in plans developed by collaboratives to improve "wildlife habitat to meet management and conservation goals, including State population goals."

"Overall, the NWTF thinks that this discussion draft is a scientifically sound and realistically reasonable proposal and one that should pass and make it to conference with the House," Humphries said.

Click here to access the full testimony provided by Humphries.

Click here to access the discussion draft.

About The NWTF Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. Initiative

The NWTF Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative is a charge that mobilizes science, fundraising and devoted volunteers to give the NWTF more energy and purpose than ever. Through this national initiative, NWTF has committed to raising $1.2 billion to conserve or enhance more than 4 million acres of essential upland wildlife habitat, recruit at least 1.5 million hunters and open access to 500,000 acres for hunting, shooting and outdoor enjoyment. Without hunters, there will be no wildlife or habitat. The NWTF is determined to Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.

To learn more about the NWTF Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative, visit www.nwtf.org.



Media Contact Pete Muller at (803) 637-7698