On Friday, September 23, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed Mule Deer Foundation President and CEO Joel Pedersen to the Game and Wildlife Conservation Council. Pedersen will join 17 other members on the federal advisory council that is authorized to provide recommendations to federal agencies on wildlife and habitat conservation.
“I am honored to serve on the Game and Wildlife Conservation Council. I look forward to representing the interests of the members and volunteers of the Mule Deer Foundation, as well as those of the conservation community at large, to ensure that recreational hunting and wildlife conservation remain a priority consideration for the management of the Mule Deer Foundation. federal public lands,” said Joel Pedersen, president of MDF. and CEO. “I appreciate the trust that Secretary Vilsack and Secretary Haaland have placed in me to bring a valuable voice and perspective to the table.”
According to a press release from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency tasked with providing personnel support to the Council, the Council “will help promote the America the Beautiful Initiative, which aims to conserve, connect, and restore our nation’s lands, waters, and wildlife with collaborative, inclusive, and locally-led conservation efforts. These efforts will be bolstered by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the largest investment in the resilience of physical and natural systems in the history of the United States, which includes billions of dollars to accelerate conservation efforts of land, water, and wildlife directed at the federal and local levels across the country.”
Pedersen and the other members of the Council will serve for a term of three years and the Council will meet at least twice a year.
About MDF
The Mule Deer Foundation is the only conservation group in North America dedicated to restoring, enhancing and protecting mule deer and black-tailed deer and their habitat, with a focus on science and program efficiency. MDF is a strong voice for hunters on issues of access policy, wildlife management, and conservation. MDF recognizes regulated hunting as a viable management component and is committed to the recruitment and retention of men, women and youth in shooting sports and conservation. Get involved in your state or become a member at www.muledeer.org or call (801) 973-3940.