Wow!! Wow!! President Obama signs America’s Great Outdoors Memorandum

On Friday, April 16, 2010, President Obama hosted the White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors. The meeting was all about working together to conserve America’s precious land resources and to encourage people to get outdoors and reconnect to the land.
During the meeting, he signed a Presidential Memorandum to launch what is being called America’s Great Outdoors Initiative.
He spoke extensively about another President, Theodore Roosevelt, and his legacy of conservation. Among his comments, “Now, I am mindful that the first such conference was held over one century ago by one of my favorite Presidents, one of our greatest Presidents — and certainly our greatest conservation President. Upon taking office, Theodore Roosevelt ‘“- avid birdwatcher, bear hunter ‘“- set out on a tour of the American West that would change his life and the life of a nation forever.”
The President laid out four main goals of the program:
First, we’re going to build on successful conservation efforts being spearheaded outside of Washington — by local and state governments, by tribes, and by private groups — so we can write a new chapter in the protection of rivers, wildlife habitats, historic sites, and the great landscapes of our country.
Secondly, we’re going to help farmers, ranchers, property owners who want to protect their lands for their children and their grandchildren.
Third, we’ll help families spend more time outdoors, building on what the First Lady has done through the Let’s Move initiative to encourage young people to hike and bike and get outside more often.
And fourth, we want to foster a new generation of community and urban parks so that children across America have the chance to experience places like Millennium Park in my own Chicago.
He also said, “Understand, we’re not talking about a big federal agenda being driven out of Washington. We’re talking about how we can collect best ideas on conservation; how we can pursue good ideas that local communities embrace; and how we can be more responsible stewards of tax dollars to promote conservation.”