The PF & QF Government Affairs team continues to ensure policy regarding wildlife habitat and public access remain top of mind
By Andrew Schmidt
If you've been following upland policy for a while, you've probably heard us talk—a lot—about the federal farm bill. And that's for a good reason. It's one of the most powerful tools we have for delivering conservation outcomes on private working lands. But it only scratches the surface of the important conservation policy work happening in Washington, D.C.
From public lands management to wildfire resilience and hunting access, recent federal actions will have real, lasting impacts on upland birds, hunters, and the landscapes we care about. Here is a look at some of the key policy developments Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have been actively engaged in over the past few months.
National Wildlife Refuge System Review and Expanded Hunting & Fishing Access
In December, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Director Brian Nesvik initiated a comprehensive review of the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) to identify opportunities to improve interactions, efficiencies, and consistency throughout the system. The NWRS is one of the crown jewels of America's conservation story, with a long history of successful and impactful wildlife management, habitat restoration, and outdoor recreation. Unfortunately, in the last 15 years, the NWRS has seen a significant decrease in funding—over 35%—impacting the ability of refuges and refuge managers to adequately achieve their mission. PF & QF look forward to working with USFWS to identify practical opportunities to further the mission of wildlife refuges.
A month later, on January 13, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued a Secretarial Order to expand hunting and fishing access on lands and waters managed by the Department of the Interior (DOI), including national wildlife refuges. As part of the Order, Secretary Burgum affirmed DOI's policy that these lands should be considered "open unless closed" to hunting and fishing, removing regulatory barriers and increasing alignment with states, tribes, and territories. That same day, USFWS Director Nesvik told the House Natural Resources Committee that he will work to ensure "all refuges and hatcheries are open to hunting and fishing within two years."
The NWRS is foundational to America's hunting and conservation legacy, and expanding these opportunities honors its history, advances its mission, and ensures future generations can continue our shared outdoor traditions. For more information, you can check out PF & QF's recent press release applauding this announcement.
Forest Management Legislation
Wildfire risk and forest health remain top issues for Congress and for PF & QF, as severe wildfires continue to threaten rural communities, wildlife habitat, and public access. We know that active forest management, including prescribed fire, is essential to increasing resilience to wildfires and improving forest health. That's why PF & QF have strongly supported the Fix Our Forests Act, a bill to modernize federal forest and wildfire management that passed out of the House of Representatives with bipartisan support over one year ago.
In October, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry advanced the legislation with a bipartisan vote of 18-5. We cannot afford to wait any longer to enact proactive legislation encouraging active forest management, which is why PF & QF joined with over 40 other conservation and forestry organizations in sending a letter to Senate leadership urging floor consideration of the bill.
Other regulatory barriers to practices like prescribed fire also remain. Current air quality rules are often stricter for smoke from prescribed fire than smoke from wildfires, discouraging managers from using controlled burns. The PF & QF-supported Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act would give states and regulators greater flexibility to account for prescribed fire emissions, helping normalize and encourage its use as a proactive, science-based management practice. The bill was recently introduced in the Senate, with support from over 30 organizations representing forestry, conservation, and industry stakeholders.
BLM Revises Greater Sage-Grouse Habitat Plans
Just before the holidays, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published revised greater sage-grouse habitat plans for eight states in the West. These resource management plans, which span millions of acres across the sage grouse range, will now be used to guide management, land use, and conservation planning. For upland conservationists, the importance of these plans extends well beyond a single species. Sagebrush landscapes support a wide array of wildlife, including other upland birds, big game species, and more.
BLM oversees much of the greater sage-grouse range—over 67 million acres of public lands. For the past 15 years, BLM has engaged with state and federal agencies, private landowners, industry stakeholders, and NGOs in a planning effort spanning multiple rounds of amendments and revisions. After years of planning, litigation, and public input, finalizing these plans will allow agencies and partners to focus on implementation, where habitat restoration and proactive management can make a tangible difference on the ground.
Looking Ahead
Across the policy landscape, the 119th Congress and Trump Administration are shaping a conservation legacy with real implications for upland hunters and habitat advocates. Thanks to your support for the Legislative Action Fund, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever will remain actively engaged in these efforts—advancing science-based conservation policy, building bipartisan relationships, and elevating the voices of upland hunters and conservationists in Washington, D.C.
We also know our advocacy is strongest when it is reinforced by strong grassroots engagement. Responding to action alerts, reaching out to your members of Congress, and sharing why conservation matters to you all help influence the decisions being made on Capitol Hill. Together, we will ensure upland conservation and access remains a priority today and in the future.