A full-day workshop about how the North American model of wildlife conservation may be used to ensure the relevance of hunting is primed and loaded for March 25. Entitled "The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation: Affirming the Role, Strength and Relevance of Hunting in the 21st Century," the workshop will be held during the 73rd North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix, in Phoenix, Arizona.

In another end-of-session effort to complete large legislative packages, Congress rallied to pass the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140), which was signed into law on December 19, 2007. Primary components of the enacted legislation include a 40-percent increase in corporate fuel economy standards and a new mandate to increase significantly the use of biofuels.

Record-high or near-record crop prices do not bode well for the near future of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the wildlife that depends on the habitat that CRP provides, according to the Wildlife Management Institute. Driven by the recent and significant increase in ethanol production, plus substantially increased foreign demand, corn prices are now hovering at record levels despite record production last year.
 

President George W. Bush signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 110-161) on December 26, 2007, providing funding for government agencies for fiscal year (FY) 2008. The massive $555 billion spending bill combined 11 of the 12 individual appropriations bills, funding every domestic government program except defense. By many accounts from professional staff on the appropriations committees, this cycle was as challenging as it has ever been, reports the Wildlife Management Institute.

Global warming and climate change were at or near the top of the list of national discussions in 2007. That will be no different in 2008 and, in fact, the debate and discussions on global warming are certain to be front and center with the conservation community for years to come.