Why federal funding for conservation matters
Saving the places people need and love requires more than hard work. It also requires funding. Just as it took the Chicago Bulls the winning combination of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen to bring home six NBA championships, land trusts need both funding and hard work to get conservation done. And you can play a helpful role.
Federal funding through the Farm Bill, Land and Water Conservation Fund and North American Wetlands Conservation Act helps protect precious lands across our country. But unless we remain diligent and continually educate members of Congress about the importance of this funding to our communities, it could be lost. The land trust community has stepped up — time and again — to ensure these programs are properly funded and can continue to serve local communities.
Now you, too, can lend a hand!
Starting on Monday, April 19, more than 200 people who support land conservation will participate in the Land Trust Alliance’s annual Advocacy Days. This virtual event is one way — a very important way — our community shares information with members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill about all the good that federal conservation funding does for landowners and local communities. Land trust staff, board members and volunteers will make the case for more funding. And we need to grow these ranks!
If you’re a part of a Land Trust Alliance member land trust and would like to know more about the Alliance’s work on Capitol Hill and what we’re doing to save the places you need and love, consider joining our Ambassador Program. By joining, you’ll get instant access to our monthly policy newsletter and action alerts, receive invitations to Ambassador-only trainings and gain new insights to how your members of Congress view land conservation.
With your help, we can ensure that federal funding for conservation remains a priority for Congress and a resource available to all land trusts nationwide.