The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance is an organization that is held in high regard by the people of the IBEW. Its mission – to be a leading partner in North America’s conservation community – is a mission that is near and dear to the heart of the IBEW. As the new Executive Director and CEO of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance states, the IBEW is constantly serving and bettering the communities in which they live by providing materials, raising funds, and volunteering their skilled craftsmanship to build stronger and better communities.
Scott Vance, the new Executive Director and CEO of USA, was invited to the annual Construction & Maintenance Conference to introduce himself and thank the brothers and sisters of the IBEW, but also to call them to action. The number of individuals who are hunters, anglers, and recreational shooters is declining in North America and bringing the conservation funding with them. Vance called upon the IBEW brothers and sisters to continue the hunting, angling, and recreational shooting tradition alive and well in their communities.
Learn more about the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance by visiting their website: http://unionsportsmen.org/
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Transcript: Union Sportsmen’s Alliance Calls for Involvement at C&M Conference
One organization near and dear to the heart of the IBEW is the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance.
The leadership of the USA is new, but its mission, now in its 10th year, remains unchanged: Be a leading partner in North America’s conservation community.
New USA Executive Director and CEO Scott Vance took to the stage at this year’s Construction & Maintenance Conference to introduce himself and to provide an update.
Scott Vance: Executive Director & CEO, Union Sportsmen’s Alliance
“It was a huge honor to get to come here. This is a great group of individuals. The IBEW gives back so much in the communities that they serve, certainly with the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, they do a tremendous amount of work with us. There is not a single thing that we do where the IBEW is not front and center. They are one of the most active unions within the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance. We really appreciate not only the opportunity to come here, but the opportunities that the IBEW brothers and sisters give us.”
Vance emphasized that the IBEW is a preferred partner, having a significant impact on conservation movement, because it delivers something others can’t – skilled labor that runs side by side with its heroic volunteerism efforts. …This building of a shed to store elk antlers in Wyoming being one example of many projects the IBEW has been involved with across the country.
Scott Vance: Executive Director & CEO, Union Sportsmen’s Alliance
“There’s a huge backlog in infrastructure work on our national parks. $12 billion on our national parks, $18 billion on our state parks, and of course our federal and state level wildlife areas – I don’t even know how many billions of dollars in backlog infrastructure there is. So an organization like ours that can come in, raise money for materials, bring their own equipment and bring skilled labor that can help restore and build that infrastructure for all of America’s public, on public lands, is a preferred partner and someone that we all need to get behind and really push forward.”
Besides the conservation effort, Vance also talked of a problem that directly impacts the future of the Sportsman in North America. The aging population.
85-90% of conservation is funded by hunters, anglers, and recreational shooters. Less sportsmen coming into the pastime means even less opportunities to help support it.
Scott Vance: Executive Director & CEO, Union Sportsmen’s Alliance
“If we don’t have hunters, if we don’t have anglers and recreational shooters, then conservation funding is going to suffer. What we are seeing now is a general decline in the numbers of hunters, anglers, and recreational shooters across the nation. We have an aging cohort and we know that in the next 10 to 15 years, the individuals who hunt, fish, and recreationally shoot will stop because of age. It is imperative that we bring in the next generation and that we pass along our heritage and our tradition.”
Hopefully the IBEW is showing what’s possible when people – and organizations – decide to get involved.
For IBEW Hour Power, I’m Matthew Walton.
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