As a lifelong hunter and angler, conservation has always been important to me on a personal level.

But today I want to talk about why conservation is critical to the future of our state - and not only the future of our state's identity and culture, but the future of our state's economy, as well.

Now, I know the economy isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think about conservation.

Hunting and fishing for most people is a way to unwind when we're not on the job or in the office.

It's what I do whenever I can sneak away from Lansing for a little while.

That's the whole point - it's not about the daily grind - it's about being outdoors and doing what we love.

But with the recession we're experiencing today, we have to look at everything through an economic lens.

And that's especially true when it comes to conservation, because conservation and the economy are really intertwined.

This isn't a Eureka moment I'm talking about - it's just common sense, for a couple of key reasons.

First of all, conservation is a big part of our economy when it comes to the tourism industry.

It's true that some of our tourism is based on urban destinations.
 
We'll always be able to attract a certain number of tourists to our community festivals, or to a ballgame at Comerica - and hopefully to see Matthew Stafford's arm this football season. 

But we can't overlook the fact that most of our tourism is resource-based tourism.
People come here to hunt and fish, and also to go boating, kayaking, hiking, camping, and biking.

All of these activities draw people from hundreds of miles away, and they are all based on the idea of conservation - that we have to protect and conserve our natural resources.

If we want to use it, we can't lose it.

This is how conservation is going to become more important than ever from an economic perspective.

The cleaner our water, the healthier our water sports industry will be.

The better protected and managed our game species, the healthier our gaming industry will be.

The issues that for many years we have thought of as unique to conservation are now issues of statewide importance, with major economic ramifications.

The second point I'd like to make on the economic front is that the recession and our uncertain economic outlook are having a direct impact on funding for conservation activities.

As everyone here knows, there is no longer any General Fund support for natural resources in the State of Michigan.

The DNR is currently funded by user fee licenses and funding from the federal government.

One result of this is that we can all see and we all know is that our park system is suffering.

Our visitors are steady, and our revenue is steady.

But at the same time, costs are rising, which means that not having a dedicated revenue stream is a real problem.

What we have to come to terms with are two fundamental facts: First, that this funding system isn't sustainable in the long term.

And second, if we don't fix this system, there are going to be short term economic implications, because our natural resources are part and parcel of our economic wellbeing. 

That's why any discussion of tax reform has to address this vital issue of conservation funding.

And that's also why we need to look at the renewal of the environmental bond.
 
You know how important past bonds have been to conservation and other area that we all support-- Parks, nonpoint source pollution clean up, funding great lakes restoration.

We need to move forward on this.

We need your help, and we need all of you to become leaders in the effort to make it happen.

The existing bond, which provided a federal match for clean up and restoration, has run dry.

So even in this difficult economic climate, we need to start thinking about funding sources for protecting our natural resources.

Now, I didn't intend to come here to just tell you all the bad news.

I think there will be some positive outcomes for conservation due to the current economic situation.

First, we know that tourism is going to be an even larger part of our economy in the years to come.

Enhancing and promoting our tourism product will be costly, but it's a cost that's worth every cent from an economic perspective and also a conservation perspective.

Second, we've already seen some good news in President Obama's proposed 2010 budget, which includes $475 million for Great Lakes restoration.

A half a billion dollars is a historic investment that will benefit not only our greatest natural resource, but also our economy and our tourism industry.

Third, the economic outlook means that government simply has to get smarter about how it does business.

That's why Governor Granholm has asked me to lead a statewide initiative on streamlining government.

One of the first things I did was to assemble a working group to identify the core values that we want to guide the way government does business.

One of the seven values we identified was "sustainability," and we're committed to making sustainability a real part of how our government works and the purpose it serves.
 
Everything we're doing in state government right now has to be focused on the economy and job creation - but that doesn't conflict with the important principles that have traditionally driven conservationists.

In fact, conservation is about the smart use and management of our resources.

That's good for the economy.

Conservation is about protecting a valuable asset for posterity, while enjoying it today.

That's good for our economy.

Conservation is about recognizing the incredible assets we have, and making sure we never lose them.

That's good for our economy.

And our experience with conservation issues is going to position us well to bring new green jobs to Michigan.

Our state sits in the middle of more than 20 percent of the world's fresh water, and our experience in managing that resource is a tremendous asset.

That experience is coupled with a skilled workforce and world-class higher education system that features some of the most advanced water related programs in the country.

Additionally, we have over 400 companies here in Michigan working on water-related technologies.

We believe all of this gives us an R&D advantage that is as strong as anywhere in the world.

And that's why the Michigan Economic Development Corporation has identified water technology as a targeted high-growth sector.
 
In addition to biofuel, wind, and advanced battery technology, water technology is an area Michigan is well positioned for economic leadership, and we're hoping to take advantage of that.

Times are tough now, and lots of things are changing.

But the one thing that doesn't have to change is the natural resources that have given us an unparalleled quality of life, and that make Michigan such a unique place.

Last year I went on a Great Lakes tour, and at one point, we stopped at a county park in Allegan.

While I was in town, a guy who lived down the street came by our event and introduced himself.

I asked him what he did, and he said he owned a small business.

I asked him about his business and he said that his business in San Francisco, but he lives in Michigan.

I asked him why, and he said that this is the only place in the world where he can see the sun set over Lake Michigan.

The magnetic power of our natural resources is one our best assets as we try to remake the State of Michigan economically.

And that's why natural resource and habitat protection has to be, and will be, at the core of our economic transformation.

Thank you once again for this opportunity, and I look forward to working together on all of these important issues.