If you are an Oregon resident with an interest and experience in hunting and conservation, consider applying to serve on the statewide board or a regional council of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Access and Habitat program.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is accepting applications for one hunter representative on the statewide Access & Habitat (A&H) board and for 21 positions on regional advisory councils.  Included among the 21 positions is one opening on the Deschutes/Klamath Regional Advisory Council.

The A&H statewide board and regional advisory councils are made up of seven citizen volunteers — three landowner representatives, three hunter representatives and one public-at-large representative — who review and recommend wildlife habitat improvement and hunter access projects for funding to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission appoints members who serve on the statewide A&H board to four-year terms. Regional advisory council members are appointed by the state board and can serve up to four years. Both the board and councils meet three or four times each year to review project funding applications, hear public testimony and act as liaisons between the program and the public.

More than 45 percent of land in Oregon is privately owned, making private landowners essential to keeping hunters hunting and wildlife habitat healthy in Oregon. The Oregon Legislature created the A&H program in 1993 to form partnerships with private landowners to improve wildlife habitat and increase hunting access on private lands by awarding grants for projects that accomplish these goals. Funded by a $2 surcharge on hunting licenses and the annual auction of tags, the A&H program receives about $1.6 million in revenues biennially.

Applications for the following leadership opportunities can be downloaded at: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/AH/get_involved.asp

Hunter Representative, statewide A&H board.
All Oregon residents eligible. Application deadline Jan. 26, 2007. Contact Nick Myatt (503) 947-6087 for more information.

Deschutes/Klamath Regional Advisory Council. Opening for one landowner representative position. Residents of Klamath, Lake, Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson, Wasco, Hood River, and Sherman counties are eligible. Application deadline Dec. 31. Contact A&H Regional Program coordinator Larry Pecenka (541) 388-6444 for more information.

Malheur Regional Advisory Council. Openings for one landowner representative and chair positions. Residents of Harney and Malheur counties eligible. Application deadline Dec. 31. Contact Dan Gonzalez (541) 573-6582 for more information.

North Willamette Regional Advisory Council. Openings for hunter and landowner representatives and chair positions. Residents of Clastop, Columbia, Tillamook, Washington, Yamhill, Marion, Clackamas, and Multnomah counties are eligible. Application deadline Dec. 6. Contact Rick Boatner (503) 621-3488 for more information.

Northeast Regional Advisory Council. Openings for landowner and hunter representative positions. Residents of Gilliam, Wheeler, Grant, Baker, Umatilla, Union, and Wallowa Counties. Application deadline Dec. 6. Contact Jon Paustian (541) 963-2138 for more information.

South Willamette Regional Advisory Council. Openings for hunter and landowner representative and chair positions. Residents of Polk, Lincoln, Benton, Marion, Linn and Lane counties are eligible. Application deadline Dec. 6. Contact Jim Young (541) 757-4186 for more information.

Southwest Regional Advisory Council. Opening for one hunter representative. Residents of Curry, Josephine, Jackson, Coos, and Douglas counties are eligible. Application deadline Dec. 13. Contact Vince Oredson (541) 826-8774 for more information.