Zinke Awarded Top Conservation Honors by Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

(WASHINGTON, DC) On Wednesday, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) awarded Congressman Ryan Zinke (MT-01) with the James D. Range Conservation Award for his work on wildlife conservation and the protection of public lands, particularly his introduction of the Public Lands in Public Hands Act and Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act.

The award is the highest honor given by TRCP and is granted to one Democrat and one Republican each year for their dedication to protecting public lands and healthy herds. Zinke was honored for his extensive track record on the protection of public access to public lands and his longtime work on mapping and conserving migration corridors for iconic big game species like elk, mule deer, and pronghorn antelope. 

“Growing up as a Boy Scout in the Flathead, one thing was instilled in me over and over again: you pack out what you pack in, leave campsites cleaner than you found them. That lesson, combined with the North American Conservation Ethic, guides my policymaking to ensure the next generation can hunt, fish, and hike in the same magnificent landscapes we did,” said Congressman Zinke. “Hunting and fishing are the backbone of wildlife and habitat conservation. I’m honored to accept this award, and I want to thank the colleges, conservation groups, and local stakeholders who’ve offered expert advice and support throughout my conservation efforts. Protecting public lands, migration corridors, and public access aren’t red or blue issues; they are red, white, and blue issues, and we must continue to work together to preserve what makes Montana so special.”

“Montana’s hunting and fishing legacy and public access is legendary,” said K.C. Walsh, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership board of directors’ member and Montana Fish & Wildlife commissioner. “Ryan Zinke has been a champion for keeping public lands in public hands and for the protection of big game migrations in Montana and the Nation.  Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, Representative Zinke.”

“Representative Zinke’s commitment to public lands and conservation has made him a champion of hunters and anglers,” said Joel Pedersen, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “TRCP is thrilled to award him the James D. Range Conservation Award and we look forward to continue working with Representative Zinke to help guarantee all Americans quality places to hunt and fish.”

A national sportsmen’s organization based out of Missoula, Montana, TRCP’s mission is to guarantee all Americans quality places to hunt and fish. The annual Capital Conservation Awards Gala brings together conservationists, elected officials, policymakers, and business leaders who share a commitment to our hunting and fishing traditions. It is a chance to celebrate that conservation is, and always has been, bipartisan and uniquely American.

A partial list of Congressman Zinke’s work on conservation issues follows: 

• Public Lands in Public Hands Act
  • (118th & 119th Congress)
    Protects public access to federal lands by prohibiting most sales/transfers unless previously authorized, requiring congressional approval for large tracts, and preserving nearly 30 million acres for public use.
• Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act
  • (118th & 119th Congress)
    Codifies Secretarial Order 3362, the Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program, and USDA’s Migratory Big Game Initiative to enhance big game migration corridors and critical wintering habitat through federal and state collaboration.
• Gateway Communities and Recreation Enhancement Act
  • (Part of EXPLORE Act, 118th Congress)
    Creates digital access passes, promotes lesser-known recreation sites, and supports local economies, housing, and infrastructure through agency-community collaboration.
• Wildlife Corridors on Working Lands Act

  • (118^th & 119^th Congress)

    directs the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide more resources and incentives for farmers and ranchers to increase habitat connectivity and wildlife movement on working lands

• Secretarial Order 3356
  • Expanded hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting opportunities on DOI lands while advancing conservation through state, tribal, and territorial partnerships.
• Secretarial Order 3362
  • Directed federal-state collaboration to improve big-game winter range and migration corridors in 11 western states, respecting state wildlife management and private property rights
• Great American Outdoors Act
  • Major bipartisan conservation law that created the largest investment in public lands infrastructure in generations. The bill was first constructed by then-Secretary Zinke, originally the Restore Our Parks Act and later bundled with other bills to become GAOA, is delivering historic funding to national parks and public land maintenance.

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