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AMERICA’S GREAT OUTDOORS: Secretary Salazar to Visit Florida, Make Major Conservation Announcements

WASHINGTON, D.C.—On Tuesday, Jan. 17, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe will kick-off a two day trip to Florida to make two important conservation announcements that are part of the Administration’s efforts to preserve and restore the Florida Everglades. The visit comes as part of President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) initiative to establish a community-based, 21st century agenda for conservation, recreation, and reconnecting Americans to the outdoors.
During next week’s trip, Secretary Salazar will highlight the job-creating impacts and economic benefits of tourism, outdoor recreation and conservation in the Everglades and around Florida.

On Tuesday, Salazar and Ashe will join U.S. Senator Bill Nelson to make an announcement regarding wildlife and the Florida Everglades. The announcement will take place along the Tamiami Trail just outside of Miami. Later on, Salazar will attend the Everglades Foundation “Everglades Water Supply Summit” in Tallahassee where he will identify next steps in the restoration of the Florida Everglades during a panel discussion entitled, “What’s Next.”

On Wednesday, Salazar and Ashe will conclude their trip in Haines City with Senator Nelson where they will make an important announcement regarding the proposed Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area.
www.interior.gov/news/mediaadvisories/AMERICAS-GREAT-OUTDOORS-Secretary-Salazar-to-Visit-Florida-Make-Major-Conservation-Announcements.cfm#.TxNuhKyH0oA.facebook

Is this really about "reconnecting people with the outdoors"? I find that hard to believe when people already with a good connection to the outdoors, ie herp owners and collecters, are continually having their abilities to collect and keep native and exotic herps resticted. I think it is more like they want to herd the public into enjoying wildlife and wild places into ever more limited areas so that the rest can be developed.
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www.hcu-tx.org/

What? Actually, keeping herps in captivity may run right against the grain of those folks who advocate "connecting with the outdoors" because most will feel we should be interacting with wildlife in its habitat, not someone's house (which means limits on capturing and keeping them).

Don't misunderstand me please, I keep a few exotics, always have, and know their educational value. It is limited and controversial, and the really bad examples are the ones making the news...

The exotic bird folks went through all this years ago. Some of the hobby survived, some did not. All we can really do is make sure the best examples are just as visible as the jerks.