Its chairperson and founder, John Baden,[1] stresses decentralization: a shift of control from what he calls "green platonic despots" in the federal government to "local interests,"[2] including environmental groups.
Citing conservation efforts such as those involving the Rocky Mountain Elk, Pheasants Forever, and Trout Unlimited, Baden asserts that the ideas FREE promotes have become "the norm among progressive, intellectually honest and successful environmentalists.
"[3] FREE's mission is to attract and work with conservationists, conservatives, and classical liberals who treasure responsible liberty, sustainable ecology, and modest prosperity.
[4] That work began with a 1973 article co-written with Richard Stroup, "Externality, Property Rights, and the Management of Our National Forests," in the Journal of Law and Economics.
Between August 14 and 19, 2004, FREE hosted the 2004 general meeting of the Mont Pèlerin Society at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah.