Indiana needs – and deserves – greater investment in our state’s outdoor heritage and our natural resources – our forests, streams, lakes, prairies, wetlands and wildlife habitats. This investment should include revenue sufficient to meet the need both for acquiring new lands for parks, wildlife areas, nature preserves, places to hunt, fish, hike and bike, and for ensuring that these indispensable resources are properly managed and maintained.
Indiana Parks Alliance and it partner conservation organizations belonging to the Indiana Conservation Alliance support Governor Holcomb’s proposed state budget, which includes:
- $25 million over two years for land conservation
- Increase of $7.2 million a year for fish and wildlife management, including the State Wildlife Action Plan focused on the 150 native Indiana fish and wildlife species of greatest conservation need
- Increase of $2.2 million a year for the Division of Forestry and its programs to assist private woodland owners
- $3 million for a new visitor’s center at Prophetstown State Park
- $50 million over two years for trail projects
- Salary increases for DNR staff, including conservation officers
INCA is also supporting increased funding for two programs that benefit water quality:
- DNR’s Lake and River Enhancement program which provides grants for stream and lake improvement projects
- Clean Water Indiana, which provides funding and assistance for projects to control soil erosion and improve soil health.
Take Action:
Contact your state senator and state representative and urge them to support these vitally important conservation appropriations contained in the Governor’s budget, along with increased funding for Clean Water Indiana and the Lake and River Enhancement Fund.
Find your legislators and their contact information here: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/find-legislators/
For more information go to indianaconservationalliance.org.