President Trump’s directives seek to expand access to public lands while maintaining conservation efforts.
President Donald Trump signed the “Reinvigorating America’s Hunting Heritage” executive order ahead of National Hunting and Fishing Day, updating public land management across federal agencies. The president’s order directs the expansion of hunting “in select federal lands that would not put objects of historic and scientific interest at risk.“
The order also “directs the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of War, and the Secretary of Commerce to propose changes to polices that prevent access of public lands for recreation, infrastructure repair, and wildlife management, as well as to encourage volunteers to manage wildlife populations and invasive species, allow the use assistive technology on access trails and hunting locations for people with disabilities, and allow the use of traditional lead ammo and tackle.“
The directive also prohibits automatic computer entries for river access lotteries administered by the U.S. Forest Service and encourages states to “promote and expand Sunday hunting on State and Federal lands.“
Administration officials are also instructed “to identify, clarify, and prioritize opportunities and incentives to cultivate the hunting tradition in young Americans and veterans using existing Federal funding and authorities.“
A second executive order, titled “Restoring American Saltwater Angling and Recreation,“ adjusts access to offshore recreational fishing.
During the signing of the two executive orders, President Trump said, “We believe that public lands belong to the American people and to the public, and hunters, fishers and outdoorsmen should be able to access them.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For President Trump as he promotes Americans’ use of public lands while protecting the wildlife and historic areas.
- For Secretary Burgum and other members of the president’s Cabinet as they partner to update regulations regarding hunting on public lands.
- For U.S. officials as they highlight the importance of traditional hunting and fishing as supporting the nation’s food supply.
Sources: The Hill, USA Today, Townhall, The White House
