 Spotlighting the Work to Restore, Connect and Conserve 30 Percent of Lands and Waters by 2030
News and Updates
The Department of the Interior announced plans to infuse $161 million into ecosystem restoration and resilience on the nation’s public lands as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This work, led by the Bureau of Land Management, will focus on 21 “Restoration Landscapes” across 11 western states and will range from restoring wildlife habitat in the sagebrush steppe of the high desert, to re-creating wetland meadows, to repairing watersheds on former industrial timberlands. The Department is implementing more than $2 billion in investments to restore our nation’s lands and waters, which in turn is helping to meet the conservation goals set through the America the Beautiful initiative.
To celebrate National Trails Day in June, Secretary Haaland announced the designation of nine new national recreation trails in seven states, adding 340 miles to the National Trails System. National recreation trails are jointly coordinated and administered by the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service in conjunction with other federal and nonprofit partners. The trails – now part of a network of more than 1,300 trails spanning every U.S. state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico – support local economies and provide meaningful opportunities for outdoor recreation in line with the America the Beautiful initiative.
Shenandoah National Park officially commemorated the 2022 donation of nearly 1,000 acres of woodlands including the headwaters of Naked Creek in the Tanners Ridge area of Page County which are now protected as part of Shenandoah National Park through a donation made possible by the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation. The historic donation is the result of the united effort of landowners, nonprofits, businesses and government agencies. These lands and headwaters of Naked Creek are now conserved for all Americans to enjoy, expanding access to outdoor recreation, a key area of focus in the America the Beautiful initiative.
The Colorado Youth Corps Association will provide 53 weeks of conservation service this summer to repair off-highway vehicle trails through a partnership with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The corps, whose mission is to change lives and landscapes by creating opportunities for youth, young adults, and veterans to serve their community on public lands, will work on trails impacted by high visitation and wildfire damage. The members of this corps will have the opportunity to work alongside permanent staff: the corps crews will work on 13 projects around the state, and the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps specifically will help repair trails in the park, including projects related to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of signage, kiosks, fencing, trail structures and routes themselves.
President Biden proclaimed June 2023 as National Ocean Month, calling upon Americans to take action to conserve and restore our ocean and coasts. The Presidential Proclamation underscored his commitment to the rich ecosystems of diverse plants, animals and other species within our oceans. He also reiterated his efforts to support the designation of new national marine sanctuaries. For example, earlier this year at the White House Conservation in Action Summit, he signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the Secretary of Commerce to consider initiating a sanctuary designation to expand protections around the Pacific Remote Islands southwest of Hawaii, consistent with the America the Beautiful initiative’s commitment to conserving 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030.
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