By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis – Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld talked about the environment during a stop in St. Louis Monday.
Rumsfeld gave a short lunchtime address at the White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation downtown.
He says many people don't realize the military's role in preserving natural resources.
U.S. military ranges provide space to train our forces and to test equipment," Rumsfeld said. "And their preservation is essential, because training wins wars and saves lives."
As an example, Rumsfeld cited the resurgence of red-cockaded woodpeckers at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
Other Bush Administration Cabinet officials are slated to attend the conference, including Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Interior Secretary Gayle Norton.
The gathering runs through Wednesday.