The legacy of America's public lands is really a story about the
relationship between people and their land.

It is a story of the grandeur of nature. Americans have long visited our
National Parks to marvel at the beauty of stout evergreens adorning
Yellowstone National Park; to admire the soft precipices rising out of
Yosemite National Park as captured in the timeless photographic images
of Ansel Adams.

It is a story about adventure and learning. Places where visitors can
climb high peaks, experience white water rapids, and share in the
richness of our cultural and historical treasures with family and
friends.

And it is a story of working landscapes. Farmers found forage for their
cattle; and pioneers used the bounty of the land to build America.
Today, our public lands continue to provide vital resources to hundreds
of millions of people who rely on them for wood, energy, minerals,
agriculture, water and so much more.

Since being sworn in as the Nation's 48^th^ Secretary of the Interior in
early Feb 2001, Secretary Norton's record of achievement in improving
the environment and advancing a commitment to results-oriented
conservation on our public lands has been impressive.

As a result of her efforts and those of her team, the Administration and
the Department has a record of accomplishment that is characterized by
an emphasis on partnerships, efforts to reduce conflict, promote
innovation, and encourage creativity \-- with an emphasis on local
knowledge.

Over the past two years, the Secretary's efforts have been focused in
two main areas: **1)** how best to tend to the nation's public lands --
including meeting our mission responsibilities and ensuring we carry out
those responsibilities in an environmentally responsible manner; and
**2)** forging a shift in our approach to conservation through
instilling the vision of the 4 C's -- conservation through consultation,
cooperation and communication -- in the everyday operations of the
Department.

The 4 C's reflects a commitment to solving problems in a way that
focuses on real and tangible solutions. For years, we have tried to
address problems in a way that has marginally improved our resources,
while the debate over what to do about them has played out in courtrooms
and the pages of regulatory manuals.

**The fact is, our responsibilities touch the lives of each individual
across the Nation, and how well we fulfill our mission influences:**

**Whether farmers will have water and people can turn on the tap;**

**Whether our children will enjoy America's grand vistas, places, and
history;**

**Whether we can hike, bird watch, canoe, or hunt and fish in the great
American outdoors; and**

**Whether our landscapes are healthy and our communities are thriving.**

the Secretary's record also reflects a profound commitment to a
philosophy which emphasizes the necessity to increase the rolls of
"citizen stewards" by extending a hand where possible, facilitation as
needed, and an appropriate presence where necessary.

Consistent with this view, A key component of this Administration is the
Cooperative Conservation Initiative. Funded at \$113 million, it
includes the Landowner Incentive Program, the Private Stewardship Grant
Program, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Coastal Program.

CCI will empower citizen stewards to conserve and protect natural
resources, while also achieving important community and economic goals.

The Initiative builds on existing conservation partnership programs and
will provide new and expanded opportunities for landowners, land
managers, and others to participate in projects that foster innovation
and create incentives for stewardship.

The 2004 CCI request builds upon Interior's long history of working
collaboratively with others. It allows land managers to better work with
you in local communities.

It also allows private landowners to apply for cost-sharing grants to do
voluntary projects that advance the health of the land and benefit
people and wildlife. These would not be mandates from Washington, but
voluntary efforts to work together for conservation.

The 2004 budget request includes \$50.0 million for Private Stewardship
grants and the Landowner Incentive program. Interest in the State
portion of the program is high, with over 80 grant requests totaling
\$61.0 million for the program's first year.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund was created by Congress in 1964 and
is managed by the National Park Service. The program is intended to
create and maintain a nationwide legacy of high quality recreation areas
and facilities and to stimulate non-federal investments in the
protection and maintenance of recreation resources across the United
States. It provides matching grants to state and local governments for
the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and
facilities.

Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton just yesterday announced funding
grants of more than \$94 million from the Land and Water Conservation
Fund for Fiscal Year 2003. The LWCF grants provide assistance to the 50
states, the territories and the District of Columbia for enhancing parks
and other recreational opportunities.

As I mentioned, the state grant program is a cornerstone of Secretary
Norton\'s commitment to involve state governments in conservation
planning activities. The states are responsible for analyzing their
recreational needs and setting priorities for funding, supervising the
selection of projects, and the work, ensuring compliance with federal
guidelines.

Secretary Norton has said over and over again \"This Administration
places a high premium on acknowledging and respecting the role of states
in making local decisions,\". She is helping to make sure that President
Bush is keeping his commitment to help states and local communities make
decisions that affect their daily lives.

We can accomplish our conservation goals by conserving endangered and at
risk species through conservation easements, working with private
landowners to enhance habitat for endangered and at risk species, and
other innovative partnership approaches.

Americans must be empowered to become citizen stewards, so conservation
and restoration on the ground is accomplished by the people who live and
work the land in partnership with scientists, neighbors and the
government

**Take Pride In America:** Less than a year ago, President Bush issued a
challenge in his State of the Union address for Americans to volunteer
two years of their lives to national service.

The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture have
long legacies of fulfilling volunteer opportunities on our public lands.
Currently, more than 200,000 volunteers already work on Interior lands
alone. They outnumber Interior employees three to one. We could not
manage our lands or welcome our visitors effectively without them. The
more people we have volunteering, the more we can do.

And so, In response to the President's call to service, Secretary Norton
recently launched the Take pride In America program.

Take Pride In America will empower volunteers from every corner of
America to restore and improve our parks, refuges, recreation areas and
cultural and historical sites. The program inspires citizen stewardship
through a bold and innovative public communication campaign. Outstanding
volunteer efforts are rewarded with presidential recognition,

The program works with governors and other partners to launch volunteer
conservation projects, and it is part of President George W. Bush\'s USA
Freedom Corps, dedicated to fostering a culture of service to others.

\"Take Pride has gained tremendous momentum by enlisting more than 100
charter partners - including major corporations, conservation groups,
service organizations, trade associations and a bipartisan coalition of
state governors,\" Norton said.

Governors Dirk Kempthorne of Idaho and Janet Napolitano of Arizona have
agreed to be co-chairs of Take Pride\'s Council of Governors. The
Council works with governors to enter into memoranda agreements with the
national program. Formal partnerships with state governments allow
federal and state land managers to identify volunteer opportunities and
to enlist public service commitments from citizens.

Companies and corporations can help by sponsoring Take Pride In America
cleanup days or by committing blocks of volunteer service time to local
restoration efforts.

**(Handouts available)**