 Spotlighting the Work to Restore, Connect, and Conserve 30 Percent of Lands and Waters by 2030�
News and Updates
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced a partnership in line with America the Beautiful�s focus on increasing access to outdoor recreation. The agreement will advance innovative transportation options in national parks and public lands � such as electric vehicle charging stations, shared mobility integration, and electric buses � that will improve the visitor experience and help�protect natural and cultural resources. At an event in Washington, D.C., the two Secretaries signed an agreement that will strengthen the Departments� coordination and celebrated the newly signed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will create jobs and supercharge needed infrastructure improvements on public lands across the country.
This month, a new Landscape Conservation Joint Task Force was established between the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. Long-term collaboration between the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the state wildlife agencies will provide a durable foundation for working together more effectively with Tribes, other agencies, landowners, conservation organizations, and other partners that are critical for balancing and implementing landscape-scale conservation in a sustainable manner for the future.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Central Coast Field Office and the Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship (SCMTS) have begun developing the initial 19 miles of multiple-use trails in the California Coastal National Monument north of Santa Cruz. The area will provide nearly 30 miles of hiking, horseback riding and biking trails, offering a unique recreational experience showcasing world-class views of the Pacific Ocean and reflecting America the Beautiful�s commitment to enhancing and providing additional outdoors opportunities. These trails will be built collaboratively by the SCMTS trail crew, BLM, and community volunteers.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland joined with California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, and other state and local officials to kick off California's "Outdoors for All" initiative, a statewide effort to build equitable access to the outdoors. California announced�$548 million in grant funding to deliver new parks in more than 100 communities across the state, as well as a new public-private partnership with California sports team-branded license plates that will provide a sustainable, dedicated funding source for future access-oriented infrastructure and parks projects. During her visit, Secretary Haaland highlighted how the America the Beautiful initiative�through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grant program administered by the National Park Service�similarly supports local efforts to create new outdoor recreation spaces,�reinvigorate existing parks,�and�form connections between people and the�outdoors�in�economically underserved communities.�
Local and environmental leaders celebrated nearly $3 million in matching federal grants to fund Long Island Sound preservation projects that will improve water quality in Long Island Sound near the areas of Oyster Bay, Hempstead Harbor, Northport, Udall�s Cove, Little Neck Bay, Queens, Roslyn Harbor, and Centerport Harbor. The funding, administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, will support efforts to establish natural shorelines, improve water quality, and support educational projects. This funding announcement and the projects supported by it align with the America the Beautiful initiative�s efforts to conserve and protect America�s public lands and waters and expand access to outdoor recreation.
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