Washington, DC - - Safari Club International (SCI) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ducks Unlimited (DU), the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), and the Public Lands Council (PLC) to outline the groups' shared commitment to conservation of natural resources through sustainable multiple use. The MOU outlines these groups' efforts to cultivate healthier ecosystems, wildlife populations, and economies through active management. Hunting, fishing, and livestock grazing are all key components of successful, comprehensive management plans for our nation's public lands and resources.

The MOU highlights decades of successful voluntary conservation programs and formalizes a partnership to allow these groups to coordinate multi-sector projects in the future. Cattle and beef producers, hunters, and conservationists often engage in conservation partnerships that maintain open space, honor the cultural and historical value of landscapes and empower local communities and rural economies. Signatories of the MOU are proud of the meaningful conservation achieved, and today reaffirmed their commitment to voluntary conservation.

"As sportsmen and cattle producers both know, land that is used, is land that is loved," said SCI CEO W. Laird Hamberlin. "We are committed to prioritizing partnerships that help deliver results for conservation and cementing that with the signing of this MOU. SCI and its members look forward to working together in the future to ensure sportsmen, cattle producers and the American public can enjoy these lands for generations to come."

"DU members and ranching families alike know protecting wildlife habitat and working lands go hand in hand," said Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam. "The signing of this agreement solidifies the strong bond between sportsmen and ranchers. America's farmers and ranchers both feed the world and host a wide range of wildlife on their working lands, and have done so for generations. Together, we are ensuring our natural resources and our food security are provided for."

"One thing cattle producers and the sportsmen communities have in common is a shared commitment to being good stewards of the land. Combining efforts under this memorandum, will boost conservation efforts and management of wildlife habitat," said NCBA President Marty Smith. "We want to thank everyone who has made this partnership possible."

"This MOU is a great step in putting the hard work from long-standing partnerships on paper," said PLC President Bob Skinner. "Ranchers are true conservationists, and I am proud to partner with groups whose members also work to protect open spaces and manage our country's natural resources for a better future."

Signatories of the MOU make personal, financial, philanthropic, and political investments in these landscapes that improve the condition and future of these landscapes for the future and decrease the financial burden on the American taxpayer through the leveraging of private funds with government appropriations.

Safari Club International - First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI's approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI's proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.SafariClub.org or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.

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