Unfortunately missing are questions and answers about whether this CAP is
optional or not. The text of the answers suggests that it might be a
requisite for anyone who does NOT already have a hunting, fishing, or
boating license to be required to pay for a CAP to walk, hike, or go
birding on these public lands. And, if that were the case, there would be
a lot of friction and pushback by the tens to hundreds of thousands of
people who hike the Appalachian Trail through National Forest owned game
lands, the Sandhills Game Land, Corps of Engineers owned game lands at
Falls Lake, Jordan Lake, etc.
I'll be happy to pay for a CAP, as I'm a frequent visitor (birding,
botanizing, butterflying, etc.) to a number of game lands, such as the
Sandhills Game Land. But if most visitors to these already public lands
are not buying such a license, then what? Can the WRC actually prohibit
public visitation to its game lands, especially considering the vast size
of many or most of them? That would seem to be antagonistic to
non-consumptive outdoor recreation users.
Certainly these questions will come up at the three meetings, and the WRC
staff need to be prepared to answer these questions. I would hope a
voluntary CAP would be the best solution, at least as a starter.
Harry LeGrand
Raleigh
Harry LeGrand
On Thu, Feb 13, 2025 at 11:16 AM Ann Robertson <carolinabirds...>
wrote:
> Dear Carolinabirders,
>
> In this morning's Coastal Review, I read about an exciting proposal from
> the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to offer a "Conservation Access
> Pass". This would be the birder equivalent of a hunting / fishing license,
> and would renew annually. The pass would provide entry to 2 million acres
> of gameland, boating access areas, and more. It is not limited to birders;
> a range of recreational uses are mentioned
>
> There are three public meetings across the state, coming up soon. There's
> also a VIRTUAL meeting on March 4th, for which you may register.
>
> I was told a while back by a politically experienced birder that one
> reason birders don't carry as much weight with state officials as hunters
> is that we don't contribute to the public till with special taxes,
> licenses, etc. Apparently, at one time a "birders' tax" was proposed on
> items such as binoculars, birdseed, etc., that would have fed into
> conservation. Our flock apparently did not endorse this, sadly.
>
> I may be wrong, and wiser heads may weigh in, but I believe this
> Conservation Access Pass would be a win-win. It would provide access to
> wonderful birding areas while funding our under-resourced NCWRC. Here's a
> link to the article so you may consider this issue:
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://coastalreview.org/2025/02/state-seeks-feedback-on-proposed-conservation-access-pass/__;!!OToaGQ!sbsQ_3pnZq3xq0ygKhX0o8L39lbHB87SqFgtP8_5F8-jjp88jAu6Q8y8zAJVotP74nc7tuPrl4Mlj1NmN0I3JeU$ > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://coastalreview.org/2025/02/state-seeks-feedback-on-proposed-conservation-access-pass/__;!!OToaGQ!sQbft_AcXNQj8ledwFhYKky5NbZn7hca1wSaI14YgPSug_57wpicBzaStZZ4T4YPmUX3aRzPCYnXvYK17yBxJIbgMXyGXw$> >
> Best regards,
> Ann Blue Robertson
> Winston-Salem
>
