Governor urges conservation of state's resources

Education center promoted

ROGERS -- Citing the importance of hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation to Arkansas' economy, Gov. Asa Hutchinson promoted natural resources conservation to about 270 business people and government officials Thursday during a luncheon at the John Q. Hammonds Center.

Hosted by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the luncheon followed the commission's monthly meeting. The commission usually meets at the Game and Fish Commission headquarters in Little Rock, but it met in Rogers to promote a new conservation education center that is being built in Springdale. The facility will be partially funded by the area's business community, including a 61-acre donation from Springdale.

"Spending time outdoors is good for the body and good for the soul," Hutchinson said. "One way to do this is through the education centers like the one we're going to have in Northwest Arkansas."

Hutchinson said about 700,000 hunters and anglers in Arkansas create more than 25,000 jobs and have an economic impact of more than $1 billion in the state. He said the abundance of natural resources and the state's outdoors culture influenced CZ-USA, a major firearms manufacturer, to build a manufacturing plant and to move its United States headquarters to Little Rock.

Bogdan Heczko, chairman of the CZ-USA board of directors, personally sampled the states' outdoor recreational opportunities while considering sites for its new facilities, Hutchinson said.

"He checked out the hiking trails, and he checked out our streams," Hutchinson said. "He checked out Arkansas and said, 'This can work.'"

Moreover, Heczko's teenage children were sufficiently impressed with Arkansas' outdoor opportunities and outdoors culture.

"Teenagers are not an easy sell, but they like it," Hutchinson said. "We have something others are attracted to, and we have something we cherish. As governor, I do use it as a marketing tool."

BALANCING ACT

Balancing economic growth and population growth with natural resources conservation is challenging, Hutchinson said, especially in Northwest Arkansas, where the population is projected to approach 1 million by 2040.

"I see the history of conservation with Teddy Roosevelt, the Migratory Bird Act and the one-eighth-cent conservation sales tax," Hutchinson said. "We have something unique that's hard to duplicate. We need to educate, conserve and preserve what we have so that everyone can enjoy it in the future."

Hutchinson also noted the Walton Family Foundation's efforts in developing mountain biking trails in Northwest Arkansas to attract those who don't hunt or fish.

Game and Fish Commission Chairman Ford Overton of Little Rock said non-hunting and non-fishing outdoors enthusiasts are Game and Fish Commission constituents, too, because they pay the statewide, one-eighth percent sales tax established by Amendment 75 to the state constitution.

In a meeting Wednesday at Bentonville Municipal Airport, Brendan Quirk, cycling manager for the Runway Group, said nonconsumptive activities, especially mountain biking, are essential to attracting young people to live and work in Northwest Arkansas.

"The No. 1 growth driver of rural economies is outdoor recreation," Quirk said. "It's a great opportunity not just to improve quality of life, but an opportunity to really drive the economy. Quality of life is a critical decision-making factor for millennials. If someone gets a job offer from Walmart and Amazon, it can influence which job he or she will take."

Overton said economic growth and population growth put stress on wildlife, fish and their habitats, which the Game and Fish Commission is mandated to protect through Amendment 35. Game and Fish Commission efforts have been limited by the agency's small presence in Northwest Arkansas, a long-standing concern voiced by former Commissioners Ron Duncan of Springdale, Sonny Varnell of St. Paul and current Commissioner Bobby Martin of Rogers.

Martin, a former Walmart executive, said it is vital for the commission to collaborate with local communities and businesses to fulfill its mission and educate students and their families about the importance of conservation in Northwest Arkansas.

"Game and Fish commissioners are appointed by the governor," Martin said. "Most of us grew up in the outdoors. It's in our DNA. Our only paycheck comes in the form of getting to see when Arkansans get to enjoy access to and the bounty of the outdoors. We hope when serve that we made it a little bit better."

PARTNERSHIPS

Partnerships with community and business leaders was a recurring theme during the luncheon. U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, a Republican from Rogers, said he was inspired by the outpouring of support for conservation from the audience.

"I wish the general population of Arkansas, whether they hunt or fish or hike or bike, could have witnessed the passion for Arkansas' outdoors that I saw here today," Womack said. "It's amazing.

"Look around the room and you see a who's who of people who have made a difference to our state in a variety of ways, whether it's retail business, in the case of Bobby Martin, to people with major government operations to key industry leaders. They all come together with a real passion for making sure that we keep Arkansas natural."

Womack said supporting the Game and Fish Commission's mission enables the entrepreneurial families that built the Northwest Arkansas economy to support their natural communities, as well.

"The good thing about Northwest Arkansas is that you have a lot of people up here that have enjoyed a lot of prosperity in their lives," Womack said. "They've not only enjoyed the prosperity of living in Northwest Arkansas, but they're also willing to give it back. They recognize that to make it sustainable for future generations is a pretty important part of their legacy."

State Desk on 04/26/2019

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