Notes on the NALS Meeting
by: Margaret Norfleet Neff and Jocelyn Connors Trip
March 2016
Thanks so much for allowing us to represent TCGC this year at NAL! A true honor!
By train and plane, two intrepid TCGCers – Jocelyn Conners and Margaret Norfleet Neff joined forces with the French Broad delegates, Annie Ager and Susan Smith to represent North Carolina along with our esteemed, passionate leader, Anne Copenhaver, GCA President. It was a particularly special year to be from Winston-Salem and appreciate Anne along with 300 other women from every state in the union.
The minutes for the conference and much more information are available via the links below and on the GCA website.Needless to say, the GCA women who work on the policy in all areas – air, water, horticulture, forestry, agriculture, highways and billboards, and much more are tireless in their efforts to keep up with legislation and communicating it to all GCA members. Each club sets its own meetings with state representatives at which the state clubs share GCA position papers and nonpartisan concerns regarding conservation and the environment. We met with reps in Senator Burr’s and Senator Tillis’s offices as well as Representatives Foxx and McHenry. Each office offered such insight and we were able to tailor GCA’s positions to fit what was current and of immediate concern that were relevant to GCA’s mission.
When we visited with Sen. Tillis’s staffer, we were reminded that as citizens, we carry localized information and viewpoints to our representatives from our state, cities which they are not in the position to gather directly except in town meetings twice a year. In addition, many staffers in our state reps offices are not from NC and although they may be advocating for key items in GCA’s position papers such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund – they have not visited ANY parks in NC.
There were too many highlights to mention however the overarching theme was that all aspects of our natural world intersect and in order to maintain the beauty of our lands and waters, we must act responsibly by making informed decisions that affect the ones we love as well as the future of our planet.
Kayri Havens, Director of Plant Science & Conservation, Chicago Botanic Garden
This is a BIG deal – Kayri shared the draft form of GCA’s developing legislation: The Botanical Sciences & Native Restoration and Promotion Act (no Bill number yet). GCA will play a role in supporting this bill as GCA has long history of concern re native plant protection – we will look forward to sharing more as the bill develops!
Kayri mentioned Seeds of Success : emphasis on native seeds for post-disaster reseeding of public land through the National Seed Strategy developed by PCA.
Kayri also described the loss of botany degree programs mean botanists are endangered as well.
PLANTS ARE NOT OPTIONAL; We need better outreach, public education & advocacy
Margaret Spring, V.P., Conservation & Science & Chief Conservation Officer, Monterey Bay Aquarium
Ocean has a stressed-out life support system
Ocean experts are worried: rise in CO2, temperature, and sea levels, acidification Growing zones are changing; wild fish stocks are moving; food security at risk
Lesley Kane – Director, Outdoors America; Co-Chair, Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Coalition
Established in the 1960’s by Presidents Eisenhower & Kennedy, Congress let LWCF expire 9/30/15. Funded through oil and gas lease income, & designed to protect land, water, wildlife, access, American culture & history, $18B has gone to all states through LWCF ($20B diverted) during last 50 years.Three year reauthorization was included in the Omnibus agreement at the end of
December 2015.
Key asks: full & permanent funding LWCF, or, at least $475M minimum.
Update – petitions and letters were sent to our representatives in support of both bills in House and Senate asking for permanent authorization.
Liz Putnam, Founder, Student Conservation Association (SCA)
- Almost 50 years a member of GCA, Liz Putnam’s life work has been rooted in the
knowledge that the future of our earth depends upon a knowledgeable population.
Over 80,000 young adults have participated in SCA programs and projects since its 1957 founding, helping to take care of public parks, both rural & urban, modeled on the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930’s. It is the nation’s oldest and most effective youth conservation program.
100th year of our National Parks
Two of the ten good reasons to get involved with our parks right now are:
1) they reflect a vision of democracy, allowing us to escape to wild places, while nature puts us in our place
2)” they are our best idea “(Wallace Stegner). Today there are 410 national parks, preserves,
monuments, & recreational areas to visit, We have 14 areas in NC that are part of the National Parks including the Blue Ridge Parkway, Appalachian Trail and Cape Hatteras. Let’s go visit!!
Please go to these links for more information!
NAL 2016 Minutes
NAL 2016 Speaker Schedule
-
- Jocelyn and Margaret at NAL Conference
