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Time to stand up for the Land and Water Conservation Fund [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-09-13

The Land and Water Conservation Fund has been called the most popular and the most effective public land conservation law in the US since it was established in 1965. The LWCF is funded by mining and drilling royalties on federal land, and supports public lands across the US from National parks to local sports fields and parks in your neighborhood. The LWCF’s greatest hits of policy and actions include purchasing inholdings, and private land claims, and grazing rights inside national parks and forest to make the parks whole. it also purchases land in city's, to provide and create parks and sports fields. Many communities have parks and greenspace because of the LWCF

check out This Map, from The Trust for Public Lands to see just how broad the LWCF is, and maybe find a new park near your house to visit.

So what is going on with it and why does it need us to take action?

well, on September 3rd 2025 Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, announced policy changes to undermine and reduce the effectiveness of the program.

from the Sierra Club

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Trump administration announced new policies that could undercut one of the country’s most significant conservation programs. A secretarial order from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum imposed new restrictions and limitations on the Land and Water Conservation Fund, [...] The order obstructs how LWCF funds can be used, and imposes limitations on expanding outdoor recreation and conservation areas within national monuments, national conservation areas, and other landscapes overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. Another quote from Center for Western Priorities Burgum’s order creates “more red tape and more restrictions” on LWCF funds, according to Ellen Montgomery of Environment America. LWCF advocates noted that the order tries to limit the rights of private property owners by giving state governors veto power over land sales for conservation. This is a reversal of Trump’s previous position on the LWCF. in fact, the LWCF was one of the beneficiaries of 2020’s Great American Outdoors act. The first Trump Administration called the GAOA the “most significant investment in our parks” since the presidency of Teddy Roosevelt.” But the New Trump administration is diverting LWCF money from its stated purpose and instead using it for Park maintenance and basic funding functions of public lands. This is a partial band aid for the massive funding cuts the Trump administration imposed on all Land management agencies from National Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Game, and National Park System. The LWCF isn't enough to cover the $1 billion in cuts to the NPS budget, alone, to say nothing of also covering the cuts to the other agencies. As Sierra Club Campaign director Jackie Ostfeld said “The Trump administration can say they’re making America beautiful again, but actions speak louder than words. So far, those actions have been deep and damaging cuts to the National Park Service. The Land and Water Conservation Fund is one of the greatest conservation tools we have, and it doesn’t cost taxpayers a dime. This order will only make it harder for people to access public lands and damage the natural legacy that belongs to all of us.”

What can be Done

Go Visit your public land,

Now you know more about the LWCF, so go visit a LWCF funded site near you! Use that map above. Outdoor recreation and public lands are more popular then ever so go visit yours, you just may fall in love with a landscape.

But as Edward Abbey told us, “be a parttime crusader” come back and do some crusading to

Contact Congress

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers have a template. they also have some great suggestions on what to include in a personal section. Keep in mind BHA are hunters and fishers, they specifically talk about U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service which is very relevant for them.

www.backcountryhunters.org/…

or

The Sierra Club has a template for you to contact your Congress critters. use some pictures from the park you went to. remember that our parks and public lands are at their highest visitation ever, now is not the time to cut funding.

act.sierraclub.org/…

(also The Sierra club template is signing you up for emails and texts if you use that link, so feel free to copy/paste their message to your own email browser if you don't want Sierra club emails)

I am not affiliated with the Sierra club, other then being a fan and telling stories about its founding and the history of National parks. and i am also not affiliated with Backcountry Hunter and Anglers. also a fan.

Amplify

Spread the word on your social media of choice. maybe remind you congress people how they voted on the Great American Outdoors Act.

While I have your attention, did you speak of for The Roadless rule? You still can! Here is a link to my diary about it

Speak up for the Roadless Rule

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