Conservation Force
A Force for Wildlife Conservation

John J. Jackson III, President

 

Award-winning wildlife conservationist,  renown international conservation attorney, expert on Sustainable use and  the use of hunting as a enhancement tool, a visionary leader in the hunting world, public speaker, and outdoor journalist:

 

International Wildlife Attorney:

Fifty-one years of licensed legal practice. Courts include Circuit Court of District of Columbia, U.S. Supreme Court and a large number of Federal District and Circuit Courts. Expert on ESA and CITES for thirty-five years and conservation import permitting under the ESA, CITES and MMPA. Have served on the Legal Committee of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) for over 25 years. Filed more than  a dozen ESA down-listing petitions (from Markhor to Cape Mountain Zebra) and hundreds of ESA and CITES regulatory comments.  Filed or intervened in over a dozen ESA-CITES federal court suits. Expert on “conservation hunting” and ESA “enhancement.” Also, expert on import inspections, trophy seizure and forfeiture policy, practice and regulations.  Successfully enjoined the State of New Jersey’s Big-Five  Import Ban and the USFWS Elephant Import Guidelines.

 

Conservation Committee Leadership and Memberships (Partial List):

Member of African Lion Working Group for more than 20 years.

 

Member of three IUCN Commissions and various IUCN specialists' groups including the Sustainable Use Specialists Group (from its inception), Sustainable Use and Livelihood Specialists Group, Antelope Specialists Group and Deer Specialists Group (27 years).

 

Life Member of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and have actively served on its International Affairs, Policy, ESA, Sustainable Use and Legal Committees for 27 years.

 

Founding member of the American Wildlife Conservation Partners - a consortium of 49 organizations that represent the conservation interests of millions of hunter-conservationists, professional wildlife and natural resource managers, wildlife scientists and others in America. (+20 years)

 

Founding member and Past President of Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation.

 

Some Additional Conservation Relevant Memberships:

Life Member of the Wildlife Management Institute; Life Member of International Hunters Education Association; Past President and Board member of Louisiana Wildlife and Fishery Foundation; member of The Wildlife Society; World Wildlife Fund; Louisiana and National Wildlife Federation board; The Land Trust Alliance; Texas Land Trust; Federal Lands Hunting, Fishing and Shooting Sports Roundtable; Louisiana Association of Professional Biologist; International Ecotourism Society; Chamber of Wildlife.

 

Memberships in Hunting Organizations:

Life Member and Past President of Safari Club International where chaired the Conservation Committee for many years and established dozens of conservation initiatives that survive to this day, Chaired the SCI Governmental Affairs Committee, initiated the predecessor to the African Wildlife  Consultative Forum, the Legal Committee and hired and supervised the first full time staff biologists (3). The conservation initiatives included establishing and maintaining trophy import of African elephant, white rhino, leopard, polar bear, argali, etc and start-up and  support of communal based natural resource programs ranging from CAMPFIRE in Zimbabwe to the Torghar Society in Pakistan. It included drafting the Rhino-Tiger Conservation Act and other legislation.

 

Life Member of Dallas Safari Club, Life Member of Houston Safari Club, Summit Life Member of the Wild Sheep Foundation, Life Member of Grand Slam Club/OVIS, member of numerous SCI chapters, member of African Safari Club of Florida, Chairman’s Club of Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Life Member of Congressional Sportsmen’s State Assembly, Life Member of Alaskan Professional Hunters Association, Life Member of NRA, Life Member of British Columbia Wildlife Federation, member of NSSF, National Taxidermist Association, member Texas Wildlife Association, member National Wild Turkey Federation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, and Life Associate Member of Boone & Crockett and Pope & Young clubs, etc.

 

Memberships in Professional Hunting Associations (Essential to Initiating and Implementing Conservation Strategies  and “Conservation Hunting” on the Ground):

Honorary Life Membership in African Professional Hunters Association; Life Member of International Professional Hunters Association; Honorary Life Member of Professional Hunters Association of South Africa; Honorary Life Member of the Guide and Outfitter Association of British Columbia; Life Member of Alaskan Professional Hunters Association; Honorary member of TAHOA and TPHA; member of NAPHA, Yukon Guides and Outfitters Association, etc.

 

Outdoor Writer, Public Speaker, Film Maker and Educator:

SENIOR Member of Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) (+25 years) and founding member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA).

 

Wrote and published monthly The World Conservation Bulletin from 1997 to 2019 (22 years) and continue with the Quarterly Report and many wildlife conservation related articles and education pamphlets.

 

Past Leadership of Significance:

Served as founder and  President of the SUSTAINABLE USE COMMISSION of CIC, served on  the U.S. Secretary of Interior’s INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COUNSEL,

Board member of the International Game Foundation in Paris, France, et al.,  founding  Board member of North American Big Game Club, founding member of American Wildlife Conservation Partners, Founding board member and Past President of Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, etc.

 

Leader in CBNRM:

A leading supporter and advisor of CBNRM from its modern inception including CAMPFIRE, ADMADE, Namibian Conservancy development, T

 

Speaking Engagements:
What the Canadian Wood Bison and Black Rhino Have in Common - GOABC International Wildlife Management Symposium

Stewardship in Action - British Columbia, June 2014

 

Preaching Beyond the Choir: Promoting Hunting in the 21st Century Through Effective Communications - World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities
Rome, June 2012

 

Hunting for an Acceptable Image: Building Public Acceptance for Sustainable Use of Wildlife - Expert Panel on Laws and Policies, National Fish & Wildlife Conservation Congress, May 2012, Ottawa

Historical and Present Role of Hunters in Land Conservation and Conservation Easements - Presentation at the Sixth Annual Cabela’s Trophy Properties Conference
San Diego, June 2010 

 

The Unrealized Potential of Conservation Hunting - The Ecologic and Economic Benefits of Hunting Symposium, Windhoek, Namibia, September, 2009

 

The Legally Structured Role of Hunting in the U.S. and Abroad - Presentation at the Fifth Annual Animal Law Section of the Texas Bar Association, Austin, Texas, April, 2005

 

The Role of Hunting Today: In the Blood - International Film Festival, Missoula, Montana - September 2004

 

Positive Developments - Speech at Grand Opening of FNAWS Convention Reno, January 2003

 

Keynote Dinner Speech - Camp Fire Club of America 2002, New York

 

The Sportsman’s Role in Hunting, Threats to That Role, and What It Means to You - Trans Texas Heritage Association Annual Conference, May 18, 2002, Alpine, Texas
 

Men’s Luncheon Speech - FNAWS Convention 2001
 

Texas Taxidermists Association Annual Convention Keynote Address -
2001, San Antonio, Texas

Update on Current Legal Issues Regarding Nonresident Hunting and Fishing Privileges -
Southeastern Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies Annual Conference,
2001, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

2nd Annual International Professional Hunters Association First Shot Book Event -
January 18-19, 2000, Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Harvey Hotel

Be Proud  - 70th Conference of the Alberta Fish and Game Association
Feb 26, 2000, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada

Image-Building for Acceptance and Recruitment - Canadian Outdoor Writers Association, June 1, 2000, Montreal, Canada

We Have Reason To Celebrate - Premier’s Symposium on North America’s Hunting Heritage August 25, 2000, Ottawa, Canada

 
The Phenomenal Growth and Significance of Big Game Hunting - 2nd World Conservation Trust Symposium on the Sustainable Use of Wildlife Resources
November 1999,Chendgu, China

Anti-Hunting in the Next Millennium - B.C. Wildlife Federation, November 17, 1999, British Columbia, Canada

The Exalted and Exceptional Importance of Big Game hunting in the 1990s - Governor’s Hunting Heritage Conference, August 1998, Hershey, Pennsylvania

The Role of Sport Hunting in North America and Around The Globe Report of the Proceedings - Symposium on the Sustainable Use of Wildlife Resources
February 1997, Bali, Indonesia

The Role of Sport Hunting in North America and Around The Globe - Opening Speaker of Eco-World Congress September 1997, Republic of South Africa

Spokesman at Grand Opening Ceremony of the new permanent Sensory Safari installation - November 12, 1996, Louisiana State School for the Blind , Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Periodic Lectures at Senior Wildlife Policy & Law Enforcement Classes - 1996-2002, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

An International Perspective on Trophy Hunting - Planning and Assessment for Wildlife Management, IUCN Workshop 1993 Published, 1997, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

A Tourist's Perspective of Tanzania's Hunting Industry - Planning and Assessment for Wildlife Management, IUCN Workshop 1993 Published, 1997, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

 

African Commitment :

Traveled to Africa more than 150 times: over 45 hunting safaris and more than 100 times for conservation meetings and conservation projects. Partnership with hunting operators have included the Cullman & Hurt Community Wildlife Project in Tanzania, DAPU in Zimbabwe, Rann-Force in Botswana, Habitat for Rhino in Namibia,  Norton’s Lower Luano GMAProject in Zambia.     Organized, funded and participated in hundreds of regional, national and local strategic management and action plans across all of Africa ( elephant, lion, leopard, etc).   Conservation Projects have included anti-poaching; rural community participation and development; instituting “best practices,” and  securing habitat  and building eco-system services  and  conservation infra-structure.

 

Most of the above legal and conservation services have been performed pro bono as public conservation service.

 

Habitat Protection:

Has helped wildlife authorities and Hunting Operators secure hundreds of millions of acres of wild habitat in Africa. Domestically  has secured 50 conservation easements in 4 states as habitat for hunting forever.

Past and Present Legal Clients Include:

Safari Club International
Foundation for North American Wild Sheep (FNAWS/WSF)
International Professional Hunters Association (IPHA)
Zimbabwe Parks
CAMPFIRE Foundation
Republic of Mongolia
Republic of Namibia

Country of Kyrgyzstan
Dallas Safari Club International
Houston Safari Club International
African Safari Club of Florida
Louisiana Chapter Safari Club International
Professional Hunters Association of South Africa
Yukon Outfitters Association
International Game Foundation (IGF)
International Council on Game and Wildlife Management Conservation (CIC)
Grand Slam Club/Ovis
National Taxidermists Association
Inuvialuit Game Council
Society for Torghar Environmental Protection (STEP) Pakistan
Namibian Association of CBNRM Support Organizations ( NACSO)

 
Special Awards:

Selous Award ( African Professional Hunters Association, 2023)
Klineburger Award (First, IPHA 50th Anniversary, 2019)

Coenraad Vermaak Distinguished Award - PHASA, 2017

Peter Hathaway Capstick Hunting Heritage Award - Dallas Safari Club, 2013
Ox of Okavango Award - Africa Professional Hunters Association, 2011 (also awarded in 2006)

International Statesmen Award - Wild Sheep Foundation, 2010

Board of Directors Award - In Appreciation for years of service and dedication to the mission and ideals of Grand Slam, Club/OVIS, February 2010

President's Award - Guide & Outfitters Association of British Columbia, 2008

The Conservationists of the Year Award - Namibia, 2007

Ox of Okavango Award - Africa Professional Hunters Association, 2006

Recognition Award - Grand Slam/OVIS, 2005

Conklin Conservation Commendation- Conklin Foundation, January 2004

Excellence In Advocacy of Our Hunting Heritage Award - Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, 2003

Recognition Award - International Professional Hunters Association

Wildlife Utilization Award - Professional Hunters Association of South Africa, 1995

Special Recognition Award - Safari Club International, 1994

Medal of Distinction- IGF H.I.H. Abdorreza, 1994

President’s Outstanding Member of the Year Award - Safari Club International, 1992

 

Leadership in Sustainable Use:
Past President and founding member of the Sustainable Use Commission of CIC, past member of the Sustainable Use Committee of The Wildlife Society, member of the AFWA Sustainable Use Committee, and founding member of IUCN’s Sustainable Use Specialists Group, now the Sustainable Use and Livelihood Specialists Group (approx. 27 years).

 

CITES Expert:

Have attended CITES CoP 8 through 19 and practically all Animals and Standing Committee Meetings during the same period (Since 1991). Have served on dozens of CITES Working Groups as qualified representative of a number of International Non-Government Observer organizations. (Species specific working groups like lion, leopard, rhino, cheetah and procedural groups like, Livelihoods and purpose codes, source codes and non-detriment finding guidelines).

 

Some Highlighted  Successes and Achievements:

 

Spearheaded the successful defeat of the USF&S Proposed Guidelines for Elephant Hunting Trophy Import Permits (1992)  

 

Filed and won the Elephant Trophy import permit lawsuit that re-opened hunting imports from RSA, Namibia, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Cameroon. (1992)

 

Filed and successfully completed the Zambia elephant trophy import suit that reestablished Zambia elephant hunting import permits.

 

Chair of the Polar Bear Initiative Committee that spearheaded the amendment of the MMPA which established the import of polar bear hunting trophies (1993-96). Later when bear was ESA listed, was a principal attorney unsuccessfully challenging the listing to the US Supreme Court

 

Lead the defeat of the USF&WS proposal to list Southern Baja Desert Sheep as endangered under the ESA.

 

Lead the defeat of the Germany proposal that would have listed all Urial on Appendix I of CITES

 

Lead the defeat of the Kenya proposal to list all African Lion on Appendix 1 of CITES.

 

Successfully spearheaded the downlisting of the Canadian Wood Bison from endangered.

 

Successfully conceived and spearheaded the “Enhancement Initiative” that established the import of “endangered” listed species taken in the wild that worked as part of the strategy to save listed game species through “conservation hunting”.  This included successful issue of recovery enhancement permits for endangered listed Wood Bison, Straight Horned Markhor, and Black Rhino.

 

Successfully petitioned and downlisted all ESA listed Markhor from endangered to threatened.

 

Successfully filed test import permits to import all Markhor species of Pakistan, one by one, listed on Appendix I of CITES, and the Bukharan Markhor from Tajikistan as well.

 

Drafted and spearheaded the Rhino-Tiger Conservation Act in Congress that provides up to 5 million dollars per year for the recovery of those two species

 

Drafted and spearheaded the revision of Resolution 2.11 of CITES to specify that a non-detriment finding called for different kinds of determinations for the import (determination used to be made of the items at the destination) and export country (biological determination) and did not require proof of enhancement for trade.

 

Drafted and successfully spearheaded the CITES quota resolution that provides the definition and application of quotas.   

 

Spearheaded the national and regional elephant action planning in Zimbabwe 2014-2015.

 

While chairing SCI’s Conservation and Governmental Affairs Committees in the early 1990s John externally co-founded the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus and Foundation, the American Wildlife Conservation Partners, the CAMPFIRE program, the Governors Hunting Heritage Conference and internally founded the Legal Committee, separated the GA and Conservation Committee, established Ballot issues initiative, etc

 

Successfully spearheaded initiative to import Mozambique leopard trophies

 

Successfully collaborated in overturning the closure of hunting in Costa Rica (first time closed)

 

Successfully defeated multiple efforts to stop white rhino hunting

 

Successfully spearheaded the importance of “threatened” listed argali after listing

 

Successfully spearheaded enhancement permitting for listed exotics in the USA, including registering over 100 ranches as public service.   

 

Collaborated in the founding of the Congressional Sportsmen’s cause, CAMPFIRE in Zimbabwe, AWCP

 

Spearheaded the efforts to import cheetah, black-faced impala and endangered listed argali (not yet successful)

 

Successfully spearheaded import of horn of darted black rhino (test permit never utilized)

 

Served on special Task Force to reserve closure of grizzly hunting in British Columbia

 

Veteran of dozens of public debates with animal rights advocates

 

Intervened and defeated the Argali Lawsuit (HSUS, Fund for Animals, et al.) to endangered list argali and stop imports.

  

Firearms: Serve on the Executive Committee of the World Forum of Shooting Activities and serves as the President of the Temporary Transportation of Firearms subcommittee (TTF). In SCI served as the Chair of the Firearms Committee.

 

Film Making: Co-producer co-editors and writer of numerous DVDs on conservation hunting issues such as The Fate of the African Lion, Tembo: Us or Loose, Suleiman Markhor – A Dream Deferred, et al.

 

Hunting Destinations: Largely responsible for reestablishing trophy hunting in Iran, Ethiopia, Zambia, Mozambique, Cameroon, Botswana , some more than once, and the CIS countries.    

 

Species: Elephant, lion, leopard, argali, urial, wood bison, polar bear, white rhino, black rhino, Baja Desert Sheep, mountain lion, all bear et al.  

 

Seizure Crisis: War on Hunters: Successful investigative reporting of the basis of trophy seizure and forfeiture then litigating and filing  administrative petitions for many hundreds of seized trophies.  John has led the remedial measures saving tens of  millions of dollars of trophies.

 

Pioneering of Enhancement Permitting: Primary developer and pioneer of  enhancement  import permitting and conservation hunting including the import establishment  and restoration of most importable threatened and endangered listed species of African elephant, African lion, leopard, African lion, argali, markhor, wood bison, polar bear, Nile crocodile, etc.  The first to establish trophy import of ESA Endangered-listed game species taken in the wild.

Ex situ Protection and Restoration: Founded and provided the free  permitting for  the Ranching for Restoration Program of Conservation Force that  initiated and funded hundreds of restoration and enhancement projects for  Eld’s deer, Arabian Oryx, Red lechwe, et al in the countries of origin.

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Ex situ Protection and Restoration: Founded and provided the free  permitting for  the Ranching for Restoration Program of Conservation Force that  initiated and funded hundreds of restoration and enhancement projects for  Eld’s deer, Arabian Oryx, Red lechwe, et al in the countries of origin.