Forest Advocate: Land and Water Conservation Fund Celebrates Important Milestones

September 3 marks the 60th anniversary of the enactment of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), one of the most important and successful conservation programs in our country’s history. This historic legislation established a dedicated and permanent means for the conservation and protection of America’s irreplaceable natural, historic, cultural, and outdoor sites, including essential watersheds, open spaces, parks, trails and more.

Similarly, August marked the signing into law of the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). The passage of GAOA crowned the efforts Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) advocates, including the Forest Society, had made over the prior decade to fully fund the LWCF at its authorized level of $900 million a year.  GAOA also set aside $9.5 billion over the five years for the maintenance and infrastructure needs at our country’s national parks and national forests, including the White Mountain National Forest.

The benefits of LWCF investments are broad:

• Conserves natural areas, wildlife habitat, and open space: From urban parks to large backcountry areas to our national park “crown jewels.”
• Improves access for sportsmen and recreationists: On federal, state, local, and private lands and waters.
• Stimulates local economies and jobs: Supporting tourism and outdoor recreation economic sectors, diversifying rural economies, attracting a young/active workforce to areas with access to public lands.
• Preserves wetlands, forests, and watersheds: Ensuring clean and adequate water supplies more cost-effectively than gray (built) infrastructure
• Streamlines federal land management: By improving access, consolidating ownership, and reducing management and firefighting costs.
• Builds rural partnerships: Keeping ranchers and farmers on the land, promoting sustainable working forests while maintaining wildlife habitat and open space.
• Protects cultural and historical sites: Commemorating our national heritage by permanently protecting historic battlefields, civil rights monuments, and other important parts of U.S. history.
• Provides state and local grants: Supporting communities, particularly disadvantaged communities to create community parks, trails, recreational access sites, and open spaces – increasing outdoor recreation opportunities for all.

This map provides information on projects funded through LWCF over the program’s history.