Lets help the MUCC

[jeepfreak81]

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Dear Friend in Conservation,

The reason I'm writing you this letter before I head up north to be with my family this November 15th, is to ask you to spend a few minutes doing something for the outdoors before you head off to the woods with your own family and friends.

Before you pack your gear, take a second to reflect on the bounty that Michigan's great out-of-doors holds for all the sportsmen and women in the state. And before you leave town, take a few minutes to contact three people that would make a big difference to Michigan's natural resources.

As many of you know, the Governor has an Executive Order (EO) that would allow her to appoint the Director of our new Department of Natural Resources, instead of the Natural Resource Commission. MUCC was founded back in 1937 with the goal of reducing the amount of politics in natural resource management. This move in the EO is a step backward. Instead of having a bi-partisan body in charge of appointing who oversees the management of our resources, we will now have a political party in control. It's our natural resources that are getting the short end of this stick.

The Senate has passed a resolution to send the EO back to the Governor and we need the House to do the same.

Please call or email these three House leaders: (1) Speaker Andy Dillon, (2) Majority Floor Leader Kathy Angerer and (3) Speaker Pro Tempore Pam Byrnes. Tell them that you are a Michigan sportsman or woman and that you want House Concurrent Resolution 32 (HCR 32) voted on and passed. This resolution will send the Executive Order back to the Governor. If there's one argument that should ring true as Michigan continues to face its economic struggles, it's the economic contribution sportsmen and women have on Michigan's economy. Collectively, we sportsmen and women spend $3.4 billion each year in Michigan, which has an additional economic ripple effect of $5.9 billion. Tell these lawmakers that that you deserve to have a voice in the management of our natural resources. Science, not politics, should drive the management of our natural resources!

Andy Dillon, 517-373-0857, andydillon@house.mi.gov
Kathy Angerer, 517-373-1792, kathyangerer@house.mi.gov
Pam Byrnes, 517-373-0828, pambyrnes@house.mi.gov

Thank you for taking the time to protect our outdoor heritage. Enjoy your November 15th!

Sincerely,


Erin McDonough
Executive Director
Michigan United Conservation Clubs

:thumb:

[T-way]

Hmmmmm.........I used to work for MUCC about 20 years ago!


(And that, my friends, is your useless fact for the day!!!)

:bootyshake:

[WhiteRhino]

I guess I've always felt that the MUCC was our enemy. The "greenies" if you will. Am I wrong?

[Jarhead]

Jacob, I have been kicking this idea around ever since we participated in Sportmen's Day this year. I believe we have a number of things in common, although we don't agree on all things.

I like this thread and hope folks speak out on what they beleive we should do.

[Jarhead]

From the MUCC web site (http://mucc.org/about/index.php):

"Uniting Citizens to Conserve Michigan's Natural Resources and Protect OUR Outdoor Heritage"

On November 9, 1937, Ninety-two conservationists representing 35 outdoor clubs held a historic meeting at the Shiawassee Conservation Association. To protect Michigan's out-of-doors, they formed a united front for conservation and created the Michigan United Conservation Clubs.

Today, MUCC is the largest statewide conservation organization in the nation, with nearly 100,000 members and more than 500 affiliated clubs. For over sixty years, MUCC has worked to accomplish our mission of Uniting Citizens to Conserve Michigan's Natural Resources and Protect OUR Outdoor Heritage. MUCC works to conserve Michigan's wildlife, fisheries, waters, forests, air, and soils by providing information, education and advocacy.

To build an environmentally literate citizenry, MUCC informs and educates the public on conservation issues. Michigan Out-of-Doors Multimedia educates members and the public on important conservation issues while featuring hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation. Michigan Out-of-Doors magazine has been the official monthly publication of MUCC since 1947. and hundreds of thousands of viewers watch Michigan Out-of-Doors Television each week.

MUCC provides environmental education to conserve our natural resources now and for future generations. The Wildlife Encounters program compliments curricula with presentations on native birds of prey and wetlands.
Tracks Magazine brings wildlife to upper-elementary students throughout the school year. Michigan Out-of-Doors Camp for Kids provides ecology and outdoor skills to children during the summer.

Year-round learning opportunities for men and women are provided during MUCC's Weekend Courses and the Michigan Out-of-Doors Women program. Special events such as Outdoorama, and the Annual Convention also provide citizens with information and education on conservation issues.

MUCC advocates for the wise and scientific management of Michigan's natural resources through public policy and litigation. The organization maintains working relationships with state and federal agencies, legislators, and other key leaders to influence the direction of natural resource issues. Our Resource Policy Department has staff experts in:
• Fisheries
• Wildlife
• Land Use
• Solid Waste
• Water Quality
• Air Quality
• Energy
• Forestry

Technical assistance on natural resource laws is provided by a corporate counsel and skilled law clerks within MUCC's Legal Department. The staff allows MUCC to remain ever vigilant of Michigan's natural resources and outdoor heritage. Effective advocacy could not be achieved without the grass-roots support of our club and individual members. Members are diverse in their interest, yet all share a deep commitment to stewardship of Michigan's natural resources. MUCC gathers strength from the diversity of our affiliated outdoor clubs, which represent interests from hunting and fishing to horseback riding and bird watching. For more information on how you can become a member and do your part to conserve Michigan's natural resources or to renew your membership, click here.

Learn more about MUCC by reading our Conservation History.
Conservation Pledge

I give my pledge as an American to save and faithfully to defend from waste the natural resources of my country - its air, soil and minerals, its forests, waters and wildlife.

[jeepfreak81]

Either way, no one agrees with this merger as it takes away our voice, I guess I never meant to say that you are part uf the MUCC, but we can definitely contact these reps!

[WhiteRhino]

Either way, no one agrees with this merger as it takes away our voice, I guess I never meant to say that you are part uf the MUCC, but we can definitely contact these reps!

Couldn't agree more. It just brought up an interesting question in my mind. I don't really know anything about them.

[T-way]

:wave:Jim.....Bob's post above obviously provides lots of good information about the MUCC.

As I stated above, I used to work for them. I pioneered and developed their "Michigans Valuable Wetlands" Wildlife Encounters program in 1989, and I believe it's still on the road!

The Cliffs Notes version of the MUCC is this: It's the outdoor sportsmens (read: hunters and trappers) version of GLFWDA. It came together as an association of member Conservation Clubs from around the state, to provide a united voice to Lansing regarding all issues with hunting, fishing, and trapping. Much in the same way that GLFWDA started out as an associaiton of member 4x4 clubs.

As stated above, we do share some similar goals. I believe that the outdoorsmen and women would be concerned if all of their 2-tracks that they use to access hunting and fishing areas were closed!

Just my 2 cents!

[joe_jeep]

my father was a gunsmith and a big supporter of mucc. he had a booth at outdoorrama every year. he was on the tv almost every year hand checkering a gun stock. i went this year for the first time in many years, and saw a few old timers that knew my dad. i talked to them for a while. i wore my glfwda hat and shirt.
when i told them i was in glfwda, i think they were kinda suprised. i told them i had gotten more into wheeling then hunting & fishing the last few years. they didnt say anything bad, but it pretty much ended our conversation. i just got the feeling they didnt care for our sport(jmho).

that said, im all for bringing together more sports. there will be topics we will not agree on, avoid them! they dont further ours causes. there are always things we can agree on, and fight for together. remember we are tiny compared to some other groups/associations. we could benefit greatly joining with the likes of msa or ama or mucc. their numbers, money and power vastly dwarf ours. they have different connections inside state government.

I have no problem working with or helping mucc if it helps my cause also! jmho