Many resource professionals believe the future of outdoor activities will be directly linked with user behavior and the public’s preconceptions of that behavior. To help shape ethical attitudes toward the environment, programs should educate outdoor users about their environmental responsibilities.
Federal Aid funds have been appropriated to North Carolina for sport fish and wildlife restoration and hunter education programs. The funds come from an excise tax on fishing rods, reels, and artificial baits, lures and flies.
The acid rain poll was conducted as part of the Carolina Poll in October 1982. Results indicate that North Carolinians believe acid rain is a serious issue and that they support tighter controls on power plant emissions causing the problem.
There is increasing debate over outdoor use of public and private lands. Privatization of federal public lands will affect us all but mostly those who wish to use public lands for recreation. The principal argument is that private ownership results in better, more profitable management.
Dr. Charles Manooch III is a biologist at the National Marine Fisheries Service, Beaufort Laboratory in North Carolina. He is known for his fisheries conservation work and recently authored a fisherman’s guide to the fishes of the southeastern United States.
The Pitt County Wildlife Club hosted a North Carolina Wildlife Federation board meeting last November in Greenville. The meeting featured a tour of the Grady White Boat Company, offering the directors a new understanding of modern recreational boat construction.
Artificial seaweed planted offshore from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is responsible for a buildup of sand around the historic structure. This indicates successful efforts to protect the area from beach erosion.
Trapping is a controversial and frequent target of animal rights organizations. Emotional photographs of trapped animals are often used to sway public opinions. A new argument of economic gain has recently been cited as another reason for banning trapping.
Beaver complaints are increasing as beaver populations expand into new territory. The North Carolina Trappers Association helped to establish a new program to assist landowners with control of beavers which cause damage to forestry and agriculture.
The North Carolina Wildlife Federation will use a computer during lobbying efforts. The computer prints mailing lists on labels, facilitating quick and more efficient polling.
County wildlife programs in North Carolina involve the cooperation of local citizens, landowners, and government agencies. Each county program is tailored to manage and conserve the local wildlife resources with respect to local interests and needs.
Public hearings for hunting, trapping, and fishing regulations will be consolidated into a single hearing to help save the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission expenses. The commission has also adopted no-wake zones in several counties and approved the trout-stocking program for the upcoming year.
Carolyn Ann Repp, an eighth-grade student from Apex, North Carolina, is the winner of the 1983 National Wildlife Week Essay Contest and Pioneer Conservation Award. The theme of the contest was This Land is Your Land, Public Lands Belong To All Of Us.
A National Wildlife Federation study released last fall found that North Carolina and other eastern states are extremely vulnerable to the harmful effects of acid rain. In particular, both fisheries resources and the soil were found to be at greatest risk.
A painting of a drake and hen mallard by well-known wildlife artist Richard Plasschaert has been selected as the design for North Carolina’s first waterfowl stamp. Proceeds from the stamp program go to waterfowl conservation.