Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Exhibit A

The Blue Ribbon Panelists

Dave Freudenthal — Blue Ribbon Panel co-chair, former Governor of Wyoming

Johnny Morris — Blue Ribbon Panel co-chair, Founder and CEO, Bass Pro Shops

Kevin Butt — General Manager and Chief Environmental Officer, Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc. and Board Member, Wildlife Habitat Council

Richard Childress — CEO and Chairman, Richard Childress Racing Enterprises

Jeff Crane — President, Congressional Sportsman’s Foundation

Bruce Culpepper — Executive Vice President, Human Resources & Regional Coordination, Shell Americas

John Doerr — President and CEO, Pure Fishing, Inc. and Board Member, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation

Jim Faulstich — Owner, Daybreak Ranch and Vice Chairman, Partners for Conservation

John Fitzpatrick — Director, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Co-inventor, eBird

Greg Hill — President and CEO of Exploration and Production, Hess Corporation

Rebecca Humphries — Chief Conservation Officer, National Wild Turkey Federation

Dr. Stephen Kellert — Professor Emeritus of Social Ecology and Senior Research Scholar, Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and Board Member, Bio-Logical Capital; Founding Partner, Environmental Capital Partners

Jennifer Mull — Chief Executive Officer, Backwoods Equipment, Inc. and Board Chair of the Outdoor Industry Association

John W. Newman — CFO and Treasurer, LLOG Exploration Company, LLC and Board Chairman, Ducks Unlimited

Michael Nussman — President and CEO, American Sportfishing Association

Margaret O’Gorman — President, Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) and Board Member, Stewardship Action Council

Glenn Olson — Donal O’Brien Chair in Bird Conservation and Public Policy, National Audubon Society (NAS) and Member, North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Council and the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Advisory Council

Collin O’Mara — President and CEO, National Wildlife Federation

Connie S. Parker — CEO and Founder, CSPARKERGROUP and Board Member, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and the Wildlife Foundation of Florida

Charlie Potter — CEO, Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation and Founder and Chairman, Great Outdoors, LLC

Steve Sanetti — CEO, National Shooting Sports Foundation

John Tomke — President, Ducks Unlimited de Mexico and Chair, Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council

Jeff Trandahl — CEO, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation

Dr. James Walker — Vice Chairman of the Board, EDF Renewable Energy and Board Member, American Wind Energy Association

Dr. Steve Williams — President, Wildlife Management Institute (WMI) and Board President, National Conservation Leadership Institute; Board Member, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Bob Ziehmer — Director, Missouri Department of Conservation

Michael Bean — Ex Officio Member, Principal Deputy Asst. Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, US Department Interior

Ronald Regan — Ex Officio Member, Executive Director, Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies

Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Exhibit B

A Resolution to Recognize the Work of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish and Wildlife Resources

Resolution

WHEREAS, Texas is home to thousands of species of plants and animals, some of which of which are exclusively found in our state; and

WHEREAS, Congress passed the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson Acts that established a fund to support conservation and science-based management of game and sport fish species financed by hunters, recreational shooters, anglers, and boaters; and

WHEREAS, all fish and wildlife resources, including the many species of birds, mammals, fish, amphibians and reptiles that are not hunted or fished, and their associated habitats provide benefits not only to hunters and anglers, but also to hikers, campers, paddlers, birders, nature photographers, and other wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts, as well as the country’s $646 billion outdoor recreation economy; and

WHEREAS, funds generated by Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson Acts are insufficient to address conservation needs in the 21st century, especially broader needs involving the many species of birds, mammals, fish, amphibians and reptiles that are not hunted or fished; and

WHEREAS, as required by 16 U.S.C. §669b(c), the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, in partnership with the greater Texas conservation community, has created the Texas Conservation Action Plan that has been approved by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and identifies Species of Greatest Conservation Need and key habitat types that require prescriptive actions to ensure persistence for future generations; and

WHEREAS, states have long recognized the need for more comprehensive fish and wildlife programs to conserve all species, including Species of Greatest Conservation Need; and

WHEREAS, the Blue Ribbon Panel on Sustaining America’s Diverse Fish and Wildlife Resources (the Blue Ribbon Panel), composed of conservation and business leaders, was convened by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) to provide recommendations for securing reliable funding to advance the national interest in conserving all species of wildlife; and

WHEREAS, the Blue Ribbon Panel has made recommendations regarding the future of conservation and conservation funding;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission supports the efforts of the Blue Ribbon Panel to identify broader sources of funding for comprehensive conservation and management of fish and wildlife resources; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission supports the Blue Ribbon Panel’s continuing efforts to examine the impact of societal changes on the relevancy of fish and wildlife conservation and how programs and agencies can evolve to engage and serve broader constituencies.

Adopted and approved this 3rd day of November, 2016.