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Historic
MOHA Summit unifies hunters and anglers, politicians, industry
Nicollet Conservation Club on the shores of Swan
Lake
August
23, 2003
Photo
Album from the 2003 MOHA Summit
By
Minnesota DNR Conservation Volunteer
Long-term funding for fish and wildlife programs topped the list
of issues discussed during a recent summit of more than 90 conservation
leaders, politicians, and outdoors businesses at the Nicollet Conservation
Club on Swan Lake west of Mankato.
The Minnesota
Outdoor Heritage Alliance (MOHA), an umbrella for more than 35 key
outdoor conservation groups and businesses, convened the country's
first sportsman/legislator strategic summit in late August, attracting
national sponsors like Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership,
Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation and Hunting and Shooting Sports
Heritage Fund. Gov. Tim Pawlenty, U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, U.S. Rep.
Collin Peterson, and DNR Commissioner Gene Merriam attended, along
with DFL and Republican state legislative leaders, including Sen.Pat
Pariseau and Jim Vickerman, plus Reps. Dennis Ozment, Joe Hoppe,
Tom Hackbarth,. Al Junhke and Tony Cornish.
According to
alliance president Mark LaBarbera, the meeting gave grassroots hunters
and anglers a chance to drive the agenda and prioritize issues before
the start of the state legislative session.
In addition
to long-term funding for fish and wildlife management, priorities
included acquiring wildlife management areas, expanding the Conservation
Reserve Enhancement Program in Minnesota, managing publicly owned
forests, establishing a mourning dove hunt, recruiting more anglers
and hunters, improving shooting ranges, and managing shallow lakes
and wetlands.
"It's amazing
how in tune the DNR is to grassroots sportsmen," LaBarbera
said. "When you look at the summit outcomes and the things
the DNR was already focused on, everyone's on the same page."
News of the
summit spread to other states through the International Association
of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, said LaBarbera . "Hopefully
this summit was the beginning of a national groundswell among fish
and wildlife stakeholders," he said. "In Minnesota, hunters
and anglers are speaking up and letting their voice be heard."
“Congratulations and thank you for a great
summit. From all reports it was a great success.”
--Melinda Gable, Executive Director
Congressional Sportsman's Foundation
“Looks like the MOHA summit was very successful!
Great job!!”
--Synergy Resource Group
From Industry:
“This has been awesome. It's
great that we have as many organizations as we do working in behalf
of the future of hunting but in the past we have tended not to communicate
with each other. Events like this provide the means to communicate
not only amongst ourselves but also with those elected officials who
support our outdoor traditions. As someone who is employed in the
hunting and shooting sports industry, I am proud of the role that
the Hunting and Shooting Sports Heritage Foundation played in making
an event like this happen.”
--Jay Tirpak, Bill Hicks & Company
From Elected Official:
“This interaction has been invaluable to me
as a legislator. It provides me with an opportunity to hear the views
and concerns of industry and sportsmen's groups as well as giving
me a chance to discuss the challenges I face in balancing issues and
demands in the legislature. It provides insight and guidance for both
sides of the discussion. And that's good.”
--Tony Cornish, Minnesota State Representative
“It was a great conference, thank you for putting
it together.”
--Dave Overland, MN Sportfishing
Congress
“Congratulations on a successful Summit.
I'm sure the legislators in attendance found it very informative.
The Ruffed Grouse Society appreciated the opportunity to provide
our perspective on the issues.”
--Rick Horton, Ruffed Grouse Society
“Great Job!”
--Senator Tom Saxhaug
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