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minerals, that the public lands of the west are essential to the economic welfare of this nation and to the standard of living of its citizenry. We do not, however, so frequently hear the elemental value of these lands to produce and support wildlife and how the welfare of this nation is correspondingly influenced by this fact. On the other hand, we in the wildlife business tend to reflect a strong sense of righteousness about our mission to preserve, protect and enhance wildlife resources. This is probably as it should be, after all, are not our endeavors akin to motherhood and apple pie. Who could possibly take exception with, or challenge, our public mandate? But alas, as we are shaped by the influences of a unjust world and "suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune", we soon recognize that there are legions from all corners who do not hold our endeavors sacred. The goal of our profession to at least maintain the wildlife resources that exist today, and to increase those resources whenever possible, is in- deed an admirable and proper pursuit within the scheme of things. It is a goal to which most of us have dedicated our lives and which we pursue with an unflappable will. But being the astute professionals that we are, we also recognize social, cultural and political realities, and understand that land and water resources must be shared with an array of other uses. The real challenge which we face now, and in the future, is to achieve that traditionally elusive balance in the allocation of our resources. There is little doubt to those of us involved with wildlife management, that fish and wildlife resources are of substantial social, cultural, scientific and economic value to this nation. This observation is explic- itly substantiated by the results of the 1980 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife Associated Recreation, conducted jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service an the U.S. Bureau of the Census. This survey indicated that 99.8 million persons, 16 years and older, (59% of the population) participated in wildlife oriented recreation including hunting, fishing and nonconsumptive uses in 1980. Expenditures for this recreation totaled 27.2 billion dollars. I do not know what percent of this activity took place on, or was dependent upon public lands, but in the area encompassed by the Western Association, I am sure that it was substantial. One might infer then, that fish and wildlife resource values would be on parity with other natural resources values on public lands. Yet, as we examine most of the recent plans which address land and water resource allocations on the public lands, there is little evidence of any such parity in value. Maybe the parity really doesn't exist, but in many cases, I believe the characteristic in- equity in resource allocation is more a reflection of the inadequacies of our profession in addressing and substantiating the true value of wildlife resources. Although we are doing a better job of this, as evidenced by the 1980 national hunting and fishing survey, we have traditionally been re- luctant to place wildlife resources in the competitive economic market place with other resources. This is an area in which we must become more proficient. 2