"As a hiker and
outdoorsman, I understand clearly how
important land management and habitat
conservation efforts are to the
well-being of animals, the environment
and communities throughout the United
States. And as the representative of a
district where more than fifty-percent
of the land is publicly owned, I
understand the necessity of a
cooperative relationship between people
and the government, especially those who
earn a living off the land or recreate
outdoors," said Walden.
"Safari Club
International does tremendous work
throughout Oregon and across the country
to enhance conservation efforts, and I
applaud the work its members do for the
benefit of both animals and the
environment. It is an honor to be
recognized by SCI with this award," he
added.
Walden has maintained
his commitment to the rights of
sportsmen through continued work with
the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus,
the Western Caucus and the Congressional
Rural Caucus. Additionally, Walden
remains focused on land management and
conservation policies that can help the
federal government become the best
possible stewards of public lands.
"We are pleased to
offer this recognition to Congressman
Walden. He is a key supporter of the
conservation agenda in Congress, and his
support was critical to the effort
behind passage of the Healthy Forests
Restoration Act," said SCI Vice
President Merle Shepard. "SCI also
applauds Congressman Walden for taking a
leading role in the debate over
re-authorization of the Endangered
Species Act. The critical work that he
is doing on the House Resources
Committee and in the Congress benefits
not only SCI members, but hunters and
conservationists across the nation."
He is an original
cosponsor for the Threatened and
Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005,
bipartisan legislation to strengthen and
improve the 32-year-old Endangered
Species Act which has a current species
recovery rate of less than one-percent.
Additionally, Walden
chairs the House Resources Subcommittee
on Forests and Forests Health. He was
co-author of the historic Healthy
Forests Restoration Act, which became
law in 2003, and is lead author of the
Forest Emergency Recovery and Research
Act, introduced last November with
Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA). These
two pieces of forest management
legislation are aimed at providing
federal land managers the tools and
authorities necessary to responsibly
manage forest lands at risk of and
damaged by catastrophic events, which
can destroy trees, habitat, and the
quality of soil, water and air.
Safari Club
International has chapters in 45 states
and Puerto Rico, including two in
Walden's congressional district, the
Bend-based High Desert Chapter and the
Klamath Falls-based Southern Oregon
Chapter.
Congressman Walden
represents the
