# NORTH DAKOTA: AT A CROSSROADS



## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

*North Dakota's Conservation Legacy *

April 3, 2014, 6 p.m.

Jamestown Arts Center

Join us for the third in a series of North Dakota events with former North Dakota Game & Fish Director Lloyd Jones and photographer and researcher, Rick Bohn, who will discuss some of the threats facing North Dakota's shrinking grasslands and wetlands and the importance of maintaining them for future generations.

Bohn's photographs will illustrate the decline of North Dakota's conservation legacy and Jones will expound on the impact this declining legacy will have on the future health of North Dakota's clean water and abundant wildlife. Participants will hear how the Clean Water, Wildlife and Parks Amendment will help ensure a bright future for the amenities North Dakotans hold most dear. Jones has worked on conservation and wildlife programs in North Dakota for over forty years. In addition to serving as the director of North Dakota Game & Fish, Jones was also a Refuge Coordinator for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and regional vice-president of Delta Waterfowl. Bohn is a prairie photographer and range technician for NDSU's extension service who is also a life-long North Dakota Resident.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I'll be there, but I will have to leave at 7:00pm for a law enforcement meeting and training. If it's over soon enough I'll come by the Art Center and see if that is still going.


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## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

I'll be there in spirit. Wish it were video'd or something. I sure want to find out more about it than GST's totally unbiased rants over on FBO. ( sarcasm button please)


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Great idea HH! I bet they could make video clips for youtube. I'll check it out.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Habitat Hugger said:


> I'll be there in spirit. Wish it were video'd or something. I sure want to find out more about it than GST's totally unbiased rants over on FBO. ( sarcasm button please)


Yup, looks like I'll be voting for Taylor for Ag Commissioner. Hmmm maybe I'll start a thread in the political form.

Edit: To be on topic I should add the title to this thread does portray where we are standing in North Dakota. We are at a crossroads that will determine if we can value anything besides agriculture and oil. I'm not saying we need to ignore these other things because they are very important. However, we should think of some other things also. For example will we as sportsmen feel good if we only get a deer license every five or six years? Will we be happy with our state if you have to pay a landowner $1000 to hunt deer? Will we be happy if the badlands has roads on every quarter and there is no longer a mule-deer season? Will we be happy if drainage and tile take the remaining wetlands and people begin to think it's not worth duck hunting in North Dakota? Does this all sound extreme? Perhaps, but it's real. Take it serious or hang up your guns. Tell your grandchildren what a wonderful state this once was.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Bump. Still on for tonight as far as I know.


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## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

I see the Republican supermajority has come out opposed to the heritage Fund, which in my opinion warrants some valid concerns and criticism, but on the whole contains far more good than bad. IMO it should be passed and evaluated carefully, objectively and continuously by some kind of non partisan board, and modified or adjusted when necessary. To toss it all out is like the classic throwing out the baby with the bath water. 
I remember when bill Clinton became president. I was devastated, thinking back probably worried about fear of gun takeovers, etc. and when I expressed my concerns about the Dems to my long standing very intelligent astute partner who was the most ardent outdoorsman I know, a long standing very vocal Republican, big money donating, etc. he told me " yeah, I ' m a bit concerned about gun control legislation, BUT of you look historically, democrats have done and will probably continue to be far better stewards of the environment!" Don't kid yourself that our Republican Party does a very good job on outdoor and public land issues , And this coming from a card carting BIG donor to the R party, 
His comments blew me away but when I started to research it! he was correct! damn it. My investment guy, also an ardent republican, laughed at my concerns that the economic climate would go to hell under the D's and pointed out that like it or not, all indices of the stock market and economic indicators tend to be a bit better under d presidents! looking clear back to the 20's when the Dow and all those economic things were invented. As a big donating long time Republican, I hate to admit that he was right! too. 
But the economic stuff is waayyy off topic. Sorry..... Back to the environmental discussion.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

To me the outdoor resources are so important that they should be supported by both parties. I dislike attaching myself to a group. People very often assume I am liberal because I worked for the government. Nope not true. People also assume I will agree with the republicans all of the time because I am conservative. Also not true. When I will not agree with every point the bone heads will call me liberal. Not so. We both know a couple of idiots that fit this mould don't we HH. :thumb:


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